Amanda Sambach is a two-time winner of the AJGA Rolex Girls' Championship
Amanda Sambach of Charlotte, North Carolina, won the 30th Rolex Girls Junior Championship to claim her second AJGA Invitational title.
The Rolex Girls Junior Championship is one of the most prestigious events on the AJGA schedule. The tournament boasts several high-profile champions, including Kellee Booth, Brittany Lang, Inbee Park, Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel, Ariya Jutanugarn and Alison Lee. In addition to its notable past champions, the all-girls Invitational is known for its distinguished host venues, which includes LPGA International, Long Cove Club, The Country Club of North Carolina, Promontory Club, Dalhousie Golf Club and Concession Golf Club.
Sambach opened the tournament with consecutive rounds of 2-under-par 70 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Va. to give herself a one-stroke lead at 4-under-par 140. After the third round, Sambach was tied with
Alexa Pano of Lake Worth, Florida, at 2-under-par 214.
The champion started the round off strong with a birdie on the first hole, and added two more birdies on the front nine. After making the turn at 2-under-par 34, she bogeyed Nos. 11 and 12. Going head-to-head with Pano on the next few holes, Sambach pulled ahead on No. 14 and moved to the top of the leaderboard where she remained through No. 18.
Sambach finished the final round with four birdies to give herself the victory over Pano with a final score of 3-under-par 285. This is Sambach's seventh AJGA tournament win.
“Winning the Rolex Girls Championship means everything,” said Sambach. “I’ve had a rough stretch the past couple of months with coming off an injury so to get this win means a lot.”
This is Sambach's second time winning an AJGA Invitational sponsored by Rolex. The University of Virginia signee won the 2018 Rolex Tournament of Champions held at PGA National Resort & Spa. She followed that up with two victories in 2019. Those wins propelled Sambach to a spot on Team USA with Pano at the 2019 PING Junior Solheim Cup. She also won last year's North & South Junior at Pinehurst No. 4.
“This win is huge because it was a goal of mine to make the Wyndham Cup team this year,” said Sambach. “Coming into the week I was lower on the priority list, so I needed to play well to increase my chances of making the team. It’s one of the most fun events I’ve played in, so I’m really excited for it now.”
Pano was the tournament runner-up at 1-under-par 287. Pano opened the tournament with an even-par 72. She had a strong second round score of 3-under-par 69. After her third round of 1-over-par 73, she entered into the final round tied with Sambach. Pano had three birdies throughout her final round.
Pano has two AJGA victories, one being the 2019 Rolex Girls Junior Championship. She is a four-time Rolex Junior All American and is No. 39 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings.
Antonia Matte of Santiago, Chile, finished in third place at even-par-288. Matte made four birdies for a score of 2-under-par 70 in her final round. Matte is No. 55 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings and is committed to play golf at Baylor University in the fall.
Anna Davis of Camarillo, California, and
Grace Summerhays of Scottsdale, Arizona, finished tied for fourth at 2-over-par 290. Davis is currently No. 14 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings. Summerhays is No. 29 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings and is committed to play golf at Arizona State University in fall of 2022.
Yana Wilson of Henderson, Nevada, Yunxuan (Michelle) Zhang of (China) Plano, Texas, and
Catherine Park of Irvine, California, finished tied for sixth at 3-over-par 291. Wilson is No. 15 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings, and this is her seventh top-10 AJGA tournament finish. Zhang is No. 6 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings and is committed to play golf at Southern Methodist University in the fall of 2022. Park is No. 35 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings and is committed to play golf at the University of Southern California in the fall of 2022.
Sophie Zhang-Murphy of Saratoga, California, and Sara Im of Duluth, Georgia, finished T10 at 5-over-par 293. Zhang-Murphy is No. 19 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings, while Im is No. 20.
View results for Rolex Girls Junior
ABOUT THE Rolex Girls Junior
One of the AJGA series of tournaments that require an
invitation to participate. For girls ages 12-19. Format is
54 holes of stroke play. Must be AJGA member.
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