The final round saw four different players in the first position and after 72 holes at the Club at Carlton Woods in the Woodlands, Texas, there were three tied at the top of the leaderboard. Along with Van Paris, Canon Claycomb of Bowling Green, Ky., and Karl Vilips of (Australia) Wesley Chapel, Fla., all sat at 8-under 208 for the tournament.
On the first playoff hole, Claycomb found the water while Van Paris and Vilips both parred the hole. On the second hole Vilips made a par while Van Paris rolled in an eight-foot birdie to win the tournament.
Van Paris’ final round started with a bogey on the first hole but he settled himself with five straight pars and a birdie on No. 7. He made the turn and bogey No. 10, but countered with a birdie on No. 11. He would go on to birdie No. 14 before closing out the remaining holes with pars and joining the playoff.
“In regulation, I didn’t know where I stood in comparison to Canon and Karl,” Van Paris said. “I knew Karl finished at eight under, but I didn’t know what Canon did on 18, but with all the people there on 18 cheering me on it was an incredible experience and something you dream about.”
Van Paris is verbally committed to play college golf at Vanderbilt University starting in the fall of 2021. He has two previous wins, including the 2017 AJGA Junior All-Star Invitational at Reynolds Lake Oconee. Last summer, at 14, he became the second-youngest player to make match play at the U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach.