Shoots -22 at Jim Click Automotive/HSL Properties Championship Presented by the Tucson Conquistadores
via AJGA
The JGAA’s 2021 Boys Championship Player of the Year, Rylan Johnson, won his first AJGA tournament, with a monster 22-under-par performance at Tucson Country Club, June 6 – 9.
“It feels great. I played really well all week,” said Johnson. “Putter was really hot. I struck the ball well. I struck the ball fairly normal. Putter was on. I really liked those greens. I thought I could read them really well.”
Bound for Oregon State University in the fall, Johnson fired 65-65-64 to finish five strokes clear of second place, Zachery Pollo of Rocklin, California, who at -17 was the only other player to break 70 in all three rounds.
Eventual fourth place finisher, Ziqin Zhou, -11, of Shenzhen Guangzhou, China jumped out to the first round lead with a 9-under 63, a score duplicated the next day by third place finisher, Logan Kim, -15, of La Canada Flintridge, California. He shot it in the second round, punctuated by back-to-back eagles on holes 13 and 14.
Despite their best efforts, Johnson prevailed. He started the tournament with a first round 7-under 65, highlighted by two eagles and a birdie on three of the four par 5s. He shot another 65 in the second round, which included six birdies on the back nine. Johnson closed the door in the final round by reeling off six consecutive birdies on holes 10-15 to shoot 64.
Prior to his Old Pueblo breakthrough win, Johnson’s best AJGA finish came in April at the PING Heather Farr Classic. Tucson’s Carlos Astiazaran finished T5 at home and three JGAA members finished T8: Charlie Palmer, Phoenix; Anawin Pikulthong, Gilbert; and Preston Brooke, Gilbert.
