Gavin Aurilia wins Junior World at Torrey Pines
7/17/2021 | by Jim Young of AmateurGolf.com
see also: View results for Junior World, Torrey Pines Golf Club - South Course
The son of former MLB star Rich picked golf at a young age, and it's paying off, as he heads to USC this fall with a big win
Afterall, when your dad is a 15-year Major League veteran, there's something to be said about taking advantage of the family gene pool.
"I played club baseball until I was 11 but I didn't like to practice," said Gavin. "I just lost my interest in it when my dad retired," said Gavin. "He started to play a lot of golf and I just wanted to play golf with my dad."
Twelve years after making the decision to carve his own athletic path, Gavin Aurilia claimed the biggest win of his junior career on Friday, taking the Boys 15-18 Division at the IMG Junior World Championships at Torrey Pines.
Aurilia finished at 3-under 281 on rounds of 72-71-66-72 to earn a four-stroke victory over Matthew Broder of Phoenix, Ariz.
Aurilia seized control of the tournament with a 5-under 66 in the third round on Thursday and didn't give up ground, closing with a 72 in windy conditions on the bluffs of La Jolla.
"The question was whether if I should keep playing aggressively or conservatively and just get my pars," said Aurilia, who will be a freshman at USC in the fall. "I've been in that situation before where I've played conservatively with the lead and it didn't work out too well. Defensive golf can lead to bogeys.Winner winner! 2021-22 Trojan freshman Gavin Aurilia captures the IMG Junior World Championship at -3 281 (72-71-66-72) at Torrey Pines! #FightOn pic.twitter.com/7S8olmJLwI
— USC Men’s Golf (@USCMensGolf) July 16, 2021
"I just stuck to my game plan today. The last four holes were really tough with the wins so at that point I was just trying to get to the clubhouse with pars."
Aurilia played even par over the last four holes and walked away with the IMG Junior World Championship.
Aurilia will join the field in next week's U.S. Junior Championships at the Country Club of North Carolina.
About the Junior World
Age Divisions: 15-17, 13-14, 11-12, 9-10, 7-8, 6-under. 72 hole stroke play event for 15-17 division, 54 holes for other divisions. Qualifying required for 15-17, other divisions. Played at multiple courses in the San Diego area. Online application p...
Most Popular Articles
2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Guide: Sites, Scores, and Who Advanced
Dec 5, 2025Second Stage is complete and Final Stage awaits at Sawgrass — follow every Q-School leaderboard and the players still chasing
2025 LPGA TOUR Q-Series: Final Qualifying Stage FINAL SCORING
Dec 8, 2025Helen Briem earns medalist honors, 31 players headed to the LPGA next year
Australian Open at Royal Melbourne: Preview, amateur bios, and how to watch
Nov 30, 2025Rory McIlroy headlines one of the championship's top fields in years - at least four amateurs will have their chance at glory
Luke Ringkamp Cruises to Rolex Tournament of Champions Title at TPC San Antonio
Nov 26, 2025One week after committing to Pepperdine, Luke Ringkamp won the Rolex Tournament of Champions by nine shots.
Inside Gil Hanse’s Restoration of Baltusrol’s Upper Course: A Return to Tillinghast’s
Dec 11, 2025Renowned architect Gil Hanse reveals how he brought Baltusrol’s Upper Course back to life by honoring A.W. Tillinghast’s original