Zionsville High sophomore Adam Wood wins by four strokes with four subpar rounds and a tournament total 7-under par
VILLAGE OF GOLF, Fla. (Friday, June 22) - Adam Wood, 16, of Zionsville, Ind., turned in four straight rounds under par on his way to winning the 95th Western Junior championship by four strokes Friday at Country Club of Florida.
Wood, who will not graduate from Zionsville High School until 2014 but has committed to play for Duke, entered the final round Friday with a 5-shot lead and closed with a 1-under-par 71 for a tournament total of 9-under-par 279.
Tae Wan Lee, of Orlando, Fla., fired a Country Club of Florida competitive round record 6-under-par 66 to finish in a tie for second at 5-under-par 283 with Danny Walker, of Bradenton, Fla., and Clayton Madey, of West Linn, Ore. All three joined Wood in earning exemptions into this year’s Western Amateur at Exmoor Country Club in Highland Park, Ill.
“I had my A game the entire week and I hit the shots when I had to,” noted Wood. “I shot myself out of last year’s tournament on the back nine when I was in contention, but this is a fantastic tournament filled with some of the best players in the world, and I’m glad I’m joining a group of such prestigious champions.”
The tournament has been a testing ground for stars of the future, such as current PGA TOUR pros Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Hunter Mahan and Rickie Fowler, and veterans such as Fred Couples Craig Stadler and Corey Pavin. Furyk, Mahan and Fowler all are past Western Junior champions.
“It feels amazing. It’s been a wonderful week and will always be something I’ll look back on,” said Wood.
Wood played his front nine to even par, but it was his back-to-back birdies on the 461-yard, par 4 10th and the 564-yard, par 5 11th that sealed the deal.
“I hit the ball extremely well off the tee and then putted very well too, and on these greens that was no easy feat,” Wood explained. “I think having both of those parts of my game working for me helped take me to the top.”
Wood enjoyed his frequent birdie moments on the course, but the walk down the 18th fairway Friday was the highlight for him.
“It was pretty incredible, just walking up there with my dad and most likely knowing that trophy was mine,” Wood said. “It was an incredible feeling and something I will always look back on. And when I rolled that last putt in, nothing but joy and happiness. It was a great feeling.”
The 95th Western Junior champion, however, will not stop here.
“I have the Rolex Tournament of Champions next in Georgia, and well, I have nothing but good thoughts going into that tournament now.”
About the Western Junior
This historic 72-hole stroke play event open to male amateur golfers who are at least 12 years old and have not reached their 19th birthday as of the date of the last round. Entrants cannot be a member of a college golf team or have participated in a...
Most Popular Articles
GOLF'S LONGEST DAY: 2026 U.S. Open Final Qualifying Monday June 8
Jun 5, 2026Follow along from 10 locations - our team is on the ground looking for the best stories
2026 U.S. Open Final Qualifying: Live Tracker for Golf's Longest Day
Jun 8, 2026Every 2026 U.S. Open Final Qualifying leaderboard in one place. Live scoring for all 10 Golf's Longest Day sites
How to Watch the 2026 NCAA Golf Championships
May 20, 2026Everything you need to tune into the men's and women's NCAA Division I golf championships at Omni La Costa
2026 NCAA Men's Golf Championship: Live Coverage, Field & Daily Updates from La Costa
Jun 3, 2026Auburn defeats UCLA at La Costa to capture its second NCAA men’s golf championship in three years.