Adam Miller (image via: AJGA)
JGAA member and high school sophomore Adam Miller earned his first American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) win at the PING Heather Farr Classic, held September 18-20 at Longbow Golf Club in Mesa.
Miller started out the tournament with seven-straight pars before making bogeys at holes 8 and 10. Two holes later, he bounced back with an astonishing five-consecutive birdies at holes 12-16 to earn a piece of the first-round lead alongside Benjamin Hong of Brea, California at 3-under-par 68.
Miller started the final round where he left off in the first, carding four birdies in five holes, 3-7, before picking up two more birdies on holes 10 and 18 to shoot 5-under-par 66: 8-under-par 134 for the championship.
“This was only my second AJGA event, so I was just really surprised in myself that I could win,” said Miller.
Miller finished three strokes clear of second-place finisher, Jackson Rivera, of San Diego who fired rounds of 71-66 – including eagles on No. 18 both days – to finish at 5-under-par 137. Longtime JGAA member Mahanth Chirravuri came in third place at 4-under-par 138, four strokes off the pace. He set off some fireworks of his own with an eagle 2 on the par 4, 8th hole in the first round.
“The field this year was condensed to 78 total players [ages 12-19] versus 132,” said Scott McNevin, executive director of the JGAA. “So definitely harder to get in this year; the players needed to be fully exempt to make it.”
With the win, Miller joins five other Arizona residents to win the event: Zachary Wright (2011), Trey Kaahanui (2008), Richard Lee (2007), Philip Francis (2006) and Drew Kittleson (2005).
Other JGAA member in the field included Johnny Walker and Max Lyons, who came in T5 at 2-under par; Anawin Pikulthong, T11; Cameron Kaiser and Charlie Palmer, T13; Cade Anderson, T17; Gavin Aurilia, T26; and Joseph Lloyd, T32.
On the girl’s side, JGAA member Calynne Rosholt finished T5, four strokes off the pace, at 1-over-par 143 after rounds of 71-72. Other JGAA members included Sydney Bryan, 10; Kendall Todd, 11; Grace Summerhays, 12; Abbey Schutte and Sydney Seigel, T14; Mattison Frick, T18; Makenzie Cooper, 21; and Kylee Loewe, T22.
