AJGA Announces Rolex Junior Players of the Year

BRASELTON, Ga. – Nicholas Dunlap of Huntsville, Alabama, was named the top male junior golfer in the world with the American Junior Golf Association’s Rolex Junior Player of the Year award. Megha Ganne of Holmdel, New Jersey, earned the top honor in the Girls Division and joins Dunlap on a historical list of Rolex Junior Players of the Year: Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth, Tiger Woods, Morgan Pressel, Paula Creamer, Ariya Jutanugarn and Inbee Park.

Dunlap becomes the first Alabama native to receive Rolex Junior Player of the Year honors in the Boys Division, while Ganne is the first New Jersey native to earn top honors in either division. Both juniors are also honored as first team Rolex Junior All-Americans with this distinction.

The Rolex Junior All-America Teams annually recognize the world’s premier junior golfers. The 2021 class includes 48 boys and 48 girls, ages 14-19, from 23 states and five countries, including Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, and the United States.

These young men and women distinguished themselves through exceptional play in 146 national junior golf events, 128 of which were conducted by the AJGA. The teams were determined exclusively through the Rolex AJGA Rankings as of October 13.

Dunlap, Ganne and the 2021 Rolex Junior All-America Teams will be honored virtually through a Rolex Junior All-America Awards celebration on Friday, December 3. “The Greatest Night in Junior Golf” will recognize the accomplishments and celebrate the achievements of the Rolex Junior All-America teams, Rolex Scholastic Junior All-America honorees, and Jerry Cole Sportsmanship Award recipients.

Prior to the digital event, Rolex Junior All-Americans and a field of the top 144 players in the Rolex AJGA Rankings will compete at the Rolex Tournament of Champions, November 20-25 at PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Nicholas Dunlap

In 2021, the 17-year-old Alabama verbal commit had three national junior golf victories to end the season at No. 1 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings.

The high school senior played in 11 events recognized by the Rolex AJGA Rankings and finished outside the top five just twice. Dunlap started his impressive campaign this year with a fourth-place finish in February at the Sea Pines Junior Heritage. Dunlap made his AJGA season debut the following week at the AJGA Simplify Boys Championship at Carlton Woods and finished with rounds of 74-75-71–220.

He notched his first win of the 2021 season in March at the Dustin Johnson World Junior after carding the low-round of the tournament at 5-under-par 67 at TPC Myrtle Beach.

During a seven-week stretch, Dunlap kicked off an impressive summer schedule with a 66 in a qualifier for the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship and earned medalist honors.

Dunlap hung near the top during all four rounds of the Wyndham Invitational presented by Truist. Hosted at Sedgefield Country Club, the home of the PGA TOUR’s Wyndham Championship, he posted a 4-under-par 66 in the second round to take a share of the lead. He ended up falling short after 72 holes, finishing in a tie for second place.

The following week, Dunlap had another top performance finishing in a tie for fifth place at the Western Junior Championship at Onwentsia Club.

He also found success in match play. Dunlap put together a perfect 6-0 record to win his first AJGA event at the Polo Golf Junior Classic at Liberty National, the host of the PGA TOUR’s The Northern Trust. In the championship match, Dunlap won in 20 holes to cap off June on a high note.

Looking to continue his match play streak, Dunlap competed at Wyndham Cup as a member of the East Team. He finished his four matches with a record of 1-2-1, helping the East Team secure the win.

Dunlap returned to stroke play to compete in the Boys Junior PGA Championship. He fired a first-round 7-under-par 64, good for a one-stroke advantage. He finished all four rounds under par with a 67 and pair of 70’s, but fell short by three strokes and finished tied for second.

In mid-July, for his third and final win of the 2021 season, Dunlap became the first Alabama native to win the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship. With his second match play victory of the month, he earned a spot in next year’s U.S. Open and exemptions into the next two U.S. Amateurs.

For his sixth AJGA invitational appearance this season, Dunlap finished runner-up at The Junior PLAYERS Championship. He had a three-round total of 4-under-par 212 at TPC Sawgrass, the host of the PGA TOUR’s The PLAYERS Championship.

In his final national junior golf appearance this season, Dunlap was one of twelve players selected to the Junior Ryder Cup U.S. Team in September. He will make his fourth-career appearance at the Rolex Tournament of Champions in 2021, with his previous best finish in 2018 at T12.

Dunlap’s 2021 highlights:

Megha Ganne

The Holmdel High School senior and Stanford University women’s golf verbal commit earned Rolex Junior All-America First Team honors for the second time in 2021, ending the season at No. 1 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings. Ganne played in five events recognized by the Rolex AJGA Rankings, without ever finishing outside the top four.

Ganne started her campaign with a top-three finish at the 2020 Rolex Tournament of Champions at PGA National Resort & Spa, the host of the PGA TOUR’s Honda Classic. After starting with a 3-over-par 75, she put together three rounds under par with just two bogeys in her final 54 holes.

Making her 2021 debut, Ganne had her third appearance at the Diamond Resorts ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex at World Golf Village in January and finished in third place.  She also competed at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in the spring.

In her first event of the summer, Ganne won the Scott Robertson Memorial. She started by tying the low-round of the tournament with a 5-under-par 66. She finished the event at 6-under-par 207, beating the field by seven strokes for the biggest win of her career to date.

Ganne entered the national spotlight with her play at the U.S. Women’s Open. As a 17-year-old amateur, Ganne held a share of the first-round lead with her score of 4-under-par 67. After two rounds of 71-72, she was tied for third heading into the final 18 holes. Playing in the final group, Ganne finished her exceptional performance at 3-over-par 287 and earned low-amateur honors at T14.

At the Polo Golf Junior Classic at Liberty National, Ganne won her first four matches, but lost in the semifinals to finish in fourth place.

Two weeks later, Ganne competed at the Girls Junior PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club and notched another third-place finish.

In team match play events, Ganne was an alternate member on the Curtis Cup U.S. Team and was selected as the top member through the Golfweek / Sagarin Rankings to compete on the PING Junior Solheim Cup U.S. Team. In the PING Junior Solheim Cup, Ganne won two of her three matches.

In her final junior golf appearance this season, Ganne was another one of the twelve players selected to the Junior Ryder Cup U.S. Team in September. She will be making her fourth appearance at the Rolex Tournament of Champions in 2021 playing for her first AJGA Invitational victory.

Ganne’s 2021 highlights:

About Rolex

An unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise

Rolex is an integrated and independent Swiss watch manufacture. Headquartered in Geneva, the brand is recognized the world over for its expertise and the quality of its products – symbols of excellence, elegance and prestige. The movements of its Oyster Perpetual and Cellini watches are certified by COSC, then tested in-house for their precision, performance and reliability. The Superlative Chronometer certification, symbolized by the green seal, confirms that each watch has successfully undergone tests conducted by Rolex in its own laboratories according to its own criteria. These are periodically validated by an independent external organization.

The word “Perpetual” is inscribed on every Rolex Oyster watch. But more than just a word on a dial, it is a philosophy that embodies the company’s vision and values. Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of the company, instilled a notion of perpetual excellence that would drive the company forward. This led Rolex to pioneer the development of the wristwatch and numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism, invented in 1931. In the course of its history, Rolex has registered over 500 patents. At its four sites in Switzerland, the brand designs, develops and produces the majority of its watch components, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Furthermore, the brand is actively involved in supporting the arts and culture, sport and exploration, as well as those who are devising solutions to preserve the planet.

About the American Junior Golf Association

The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. The AJGA provides valuable exposure for college golf scholarships and has an annual junior membership (boys and girls, ages 12-19) of more than 7,000 members from 50 states and nearly 70 foreign countries. Through initiatives like the Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant, a financial assistance program, and Leadership Links, a service-oriented platform that teaches juniors charitable-giving skills, the AJGA fosters the growth of golf’s next generation.

TaylorMade and adidas are the AJGA’s National Sponsors, supporting the AJGA for nearly 30 years. TaylorMade has served as the Official Ball of the AJGA since 2016. adidas has been the Official Apparel and Footwear of the AJGA since 2017.  Rolex, in its fourth decade of AJGA sponsorship, became the AJGA’s inaugural Premier Partner in 2004.

AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. Former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 1,000 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours.

2021 Rolex Junior All-Americans

Boys – First Team

Luke Clanton of Miami Lakes, Florida (2^nd honor)

Nicholas Dunlap of Huntsville, Alabama – 2021 Rolex Junior Player of the Year (2^nd honor)

Maxwell Ford of Peachtree Corners, Georgia (2^nd honor)

Zach Heffernan of Boerne, Texas (2^nd honor)

J. Holland Humphries of Austin, Texas (3^rd honor)

Benjamin James of Milford, Connecticut (3^rd honor)

Jackson Koivun of San Jose, California

Eric Lee of Fullerton, California

Bryan Lee of Fairfax, Virginia

Jacob Sosa of Austin, Texas

Jase Summy of Keller, Texas (2^nd honor)

Caleb Surratt of Indian Trail, North Carolina (2^nd honor)

 

Girls – First Team

Brooke Biermann of Wildwood, Missouri (2^nd honor)

Gianna Clemente of Warren, Ohio (2^nd honor)

Anna Davis of Spring Valley, California

Megha Ganne of Holmdel, New Jersey – 2021 Rolex Junior Player of the Year (3^rd honor)

Mackenzie Lee of North Little Rock, Arkansas (3^rd honor)

Michelle Liu of Vancouver, British Columbia

Alexa Pano of Lake Worth, Florida (5^th honor)

Bailey Shoemaker of Dade City, Florida (2^nd honor)

Kendall Todd of Goodyear, Arizona (2^nd honor)

Karen Tsuru of Carlsbad, California

Yana Wilson of Henderson, Nevada

Avery Zweig of McKinney, Texas

Boys – Second Team

Sihao Cong of Irvine, California

John Daly II of Dardanelle, Arkansas (2^nd honor)

Ethan Gao of Alpharetta, Georgia (2^nd honor)

Jonathan Griz of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina (3^rd honor)

Bryan Kim of Brookeville, Maryland

Bruce Murphy of Johns Creek, Georgia

Anawin Pikulthong of Gilbert, Arizona (2^nd honor)

Aaron Pounds of The Woodlands, Texas

Nicholas Prieto of Miami, Florida

Mason Snyder of Las Vegas, Nevada

Matthew Troutman of Louisville, Kentucky (2^nd honor)

Wells Williams of West Point, Mississippi (3^rd honor)

 

Girls – Second Team

Sara Im of Duluth, Georgia (2^nd honor)

Xin (Cindy) Kou of (China) Valencia, California (6^th honor)

Jaclyn LaHa of Pleasanton, California (2^nd honor)

Erica Lee of Arcadia, California

Katie Li of Basking Ridge, New Jersey (2^nd honor)

Gloria Nip of (Hong Kong) Port St Lucie, Florida

Jacqueline Putrino of Lakewood Ranch, Florida

Kiara Romero of San Jose, California (2^nd honor)

Kaitlyn Schroeder of Jacksonville, Florida (2^nd honor)

Kelly Xu of Claremont, California (3^rd honor)

Lucy Yuan of San Diego, California (2^nd honor)

Yunxuan (Michelle) Zhang of (China) Plano, Texas (3^rd honor)

 

Boys – Honorable Mention

Kyle An of Aliso Viejo, California

Jonas Appel of Encinitas, California (2^nd honor)

Gavin Aurilia of Phoenix, Arizona

Carson Brewer of Jacksonville, Florida

Ryder Cowan of Edmond, Oklahoma

Matthew Doyle of Madison, Connecticut

Nicholas Gross of Downingtown, Pennsylvania

Will Hartman of Marvin, North Carolina

Scotty Kennon of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida (3^rd honor)

Shawn Lalmoni of Orlando, Florida

Carter Loflin of Duluth, Georgia

Kyo Morishita of (Japan) Bradenton, Florida

Will Morlan of Alpharetta, Georgia

Sebastian Moss of Houston, Texas

Chase Nevins of Great Falls, Virginia

Calder Overfelt of Newport Beach, California

Alex Papayoanou of The Woodlands, Texas

Deven Patel of Johns Creek, Georgia

Solomon Petrie of Akron, Ohio

Sihan Sandhu of Pinehurst, North Carolina

William Sides of Tulsa, Oklahoma (2^nd honor)

Brendan Valdes of Orlando, Florida (3^rd honor)

Keaton Vo of Austin, Texas (3^rd honor)

Rylan Wotherspoon of Florence, Kentucky

 

Girls – Honorable Mention

Kynadie Adams of Nashville, Tennessee (2^nd honor)

Vanessa Borovilos of Toronto, Ontario

Leigh Chien of Irvine, California (2^nd honor)

Kylee Choi of Murrieta, California

Kylie Chong of Torrance, California

Kary Hollenbaugh of New Albany, Ohio

Thienna Huynh of Lilburn, Georgia

Grace Kilcrease of Springdale, Arkansas

Lauren Kim of Surrey, British Columbia

Sophie Linder of Carthage, Tennessee

Angela (Yilin) Liu of Irvine, California

Bridget Ma of Orlando, Florida

McKenzie Mages of Marietta, Georgia

Ava Merrill of Johns Creek, Georgia

Julia Misemer of Overland Park, Kansan

Catherine Park of Irvine, California (2^nd honor)

Catherine Rao of Camarillo, California (2^nd honor)

Brooke Rivers of Brampton, Ontario

Alexia Siehl of Fort Mill, South Carolina

Suzie Tran of Poulsbo, Washington

Lily Zhang of Buffalo, New York

Angela Zhang of Bellevue, Washington

Sophie Zhang-Murphy of Saratoga, California (2^nd honor)

Alice Ziyi Zhao of (China) Irvine, California