Bhatia sets Rolex TOC pace; Melton takes over girls' lead
11/21/2018 | by American Junior Golf Association
see also: View results for AJGA Tournament of Champions, TPC San Antonio - Canyons Course
Akshay Bhatia maintained his lead at PGA National while Alexa Melton took over the top spot in the girls' division
Bhatia, the AJGA Rolex Player of the Year, logged a third-round 4-under 68 to reach 13 under for 54 holes. He now leads by five shots.
During his Rolex Junior Player of the Year campaign in 2018, Bhatia never finished outside the top 15, collecting runner-up finishes at the Scott Robertson Memorial, U.S. Junior and the Junior Players.
“I had a lot of fun playing again with Karl [Vilips] and Canon [Claycomb,] we always have fun when we are paired together,” Bhatia said. “Hopefully I can just stay loose and get the job done tomorrow.”
Mason Cup organizer Canon Claycomb of Bowling Green, Ky., moved into second with five birdies on the front nine during the third round. The Alabama verbal commit and three-time Rolex Junior All-American finished runner-up at the 2017 Rolex Tournament of Champions.
First-round leader Karl Vilips and Joseph Pagdin are in third at 7-under 208.
In the girls’ division, leader Alexa Melton played a composed third round with three birdies to an early bogey. The high school senior looks to improve on her 2017 Rolex Tournament of Champions finish (ninth) after a successful 2018 season.
“I just kept things really consistent out there today, that was my main focus coming into this tournament,” Melton said. “I had a super lucky chip in on 18 to close the round, so that was nice.”
Yuka Saso of Manila, Philippines, sits in second at 2-under 214. Saso, the 2018 Thunderbird International Junior champion, is playing in her first Rolex Tournament of Champions.
Virginia verbal commit Amanda Sambach sits at 1-under 215. The 16-year-old played the Bear Trap in 2-under par thanks to birdies on Nos. 15 and 17.
About the AJGA Tournament of Champions
The Rolex Tournament of Champions features 84 of the best junior golfers in the world. The tournament assembles the Rolex Junior All-Americans with the past year’s champions to create The Greatest Week in Junior Golf. Format is 72 holes of stroke pla...
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