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JUNIOR GOLF RANKINGS

HOW DO JUNIOR GOLF SCOREBOARD RANKINGS WORK?

Learn more about eligibility and ranking calculations for the Junior Golf Scorecard as well as the Golfweek/Titleist rankings.

JUNIOR GOLF SCOREBOARD

All HJGT events on our schedule are ranked by JGS. To be eligible to be ranked in The Junior Golf Scoreboard rankings a player must meet the following criteria:

• Has competed in 4 multi-day stroke play tournaments within the last 365 days for which we have received the results and are listed by the same name and hometown.
• Has their high school graduation year in their tournament record.
• Still in high school or if graduated, before August 1st.
• Has competed in an age group that: • Completes at least 36 holes • Has a minimum of five competitors that complete all scheduled rounds • Has played from a minimum of 4,500 yards and not shorter than the forward most USGA-rated tee • There is no stroke limit rule in place

HOW RANKINGS ARE CALCULATED

We use three criteria to compute a player’s overall rank against all players within their graduation class.

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

For the 65% of the player’s rounds that are his/her lowest scoring differentials, this is simply the average difference of their score compared to the USGA rating of the courses they played in their tournaments. In other words, how well this player scores when playing in tournaments. This criteria counts for 65% of a player’s ranking calculation.

STRENGTH OF FIELD

The number displayed here is the result of our proprietary ranking formula that determines a score for all the tournaments played by this individual. Again, simply put, a lower number means they played against stronger players and the closer two players’ strength numbers are, the more similar the competitiveness of their tournaments. This criteria counts for 25% of a player’s ranking calculation.

STRENGTH OF FINISH

This table displays the finishes for the player. Finishes count 10% in the ranking computation and are weighted in accordance with the number of players competing against or, in other words, the size of the field.

Special Note: The Junior Golf Scoreboard has made a conscious effort to rely more on scoring than on how big the tournaments were that a competitor played in. Selected national tournaments still play an important role in determining the rankings, but the system also lets any multi-day stroke play tournament count. The Junior Golf Scoreboard believes this will make for a more inclusive approach and will bring recognition to more players.

For additional information on the Junior Golf Scoreboard, please visit their website, www.juniorgolfscoreboard.com .

GOLFWEEK/TITLEIST RANKINGS

The following list is an explanation of each category Sagarin uses to formulate his rankings:

POWER RATING

This is NOT a stroke average. The rating is calculated using a player’s record, stroke differential and connection to all the other players in the database. However, It does represent the typical score you can expect a player to shoot; the difference between two ratings predicts the difference between two players in a typical round.

SCHEDULE STRENGTH

The average strength of each event in which the player has played, calculated using the power ratings of every player in every field.

SCHEDULE RANK

This table displays the finishes for the player. Finishes count 10% in the ranking computation and are weighted the player’s schedule is ranked by difficulty among the entire database in accordance with the number of players competing against or, in other words, the size of the field.

A player’s won-lost-tied record, based on head-to-head competition, in each category. The winner in a 156-player field has a record of 155-0-0, the runner-up is 154-1-0, etc.

GLOBAL JUNIOR GOLF RANKINGS

Junior golfers between the ages of 5-19 that have competed in two or more eligible, one-day or multi-day stroke play tournaments will be ranked under the following, four criteria:

TOURNAMENT SCORE (80%)

After all tournament results are submitted, the total rankings are then calculated to exclude 20% of a player’s scoring differential. This remaining 80% is the new score which will be compared to the yardage and difficulty of the course. This is also the average difference of players’ individual round scores compared to tournament rounds completed in the last one-year period.

HEAD-TO-HEAD (10%)

Accounting for 10% of the ranking calculation, the number displayed is the result of a player playing against another competitor in the same GJGR tournament event.

TOP-FIVE FINISH (5%)

This criteria displays the finishes for a player. Top-five finishes will count for 5% toward the final ranking, which means the more tournaments a competitor finishes in the top five, the more credit he receives for the Finish.

WEATHER (5%)

Weather will account for up to 5% of the total ranking calculation. Please see a chart here with weather details.

The Hurricane Tour annual membership is the best value in junior golf! Whether you are brand new to competitive junior golf or a seasoned veteran hoping to impress college coaches, HJGT’s exclusive membership will enhance your tour experience.

BEGIN ACCOUNT REGISTRATION

Ten Pro Gobal Tennis Junior Tour

# rnaplayers.

We are exciting of welcome the high talented boys and girls from all over the world!

If you love to play tennis, don’t miss the opportunity of join this international tennis tournament and play at the best tennis facilities!

At least 4 matches are guaranteed for every player.  There is a minimum stay of 7 nights.

Very limited places available!  

*   To extend your stay   or make other inquiries, please feel free to contact our Front Desk Department:   [email protected]   /   +34 971 171 680

* For   Registration & Tournament information   please remember to contact Goran Novakovic:   [email protected]     /   0031 6 22 11 88 57

SPECIAL OFFER FOR TEN-PRO PLAYERS

15% DISCOUNT ON ALL YEAR JUNIOR AND ADULT PROGRAMS!

USE THE PROMO CODE TENPRO15

Book your camp online or contacting our admissions department:  [email protected]  /  +34 971 84 50 22

Ten-Pro March

March 3 - 17, 2024, ten-pro november, november 17 to december 01, 2024.

• Special Programs

Summer Tennis Camp Junior

Summer tennis camp adult, easter tennis camp junior, train with the rafa nadal methodology, i want to know more about: ten pro gobal tennis junior tour.

The facilities of the Academy have been adapted to comply with the safety and hygiene protocols established by health authorities.   Thanks to   synergy with QuirónSalud (healthcare partner of the Academy)  the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar has been considered a success story by the press and international institutions, and an example of safety and trust thanks to its management during the health crisis caused by COVID-19.

It has also obtained the seal " Safe COVID-19 Protocol by Quirónsalud " issued by Applus +. This seal certifies the quality and efficiency of the Academy's work processes to guarantee the safety and well-being of all its players. We are very proud of our human team, which has obtained the experience and knowledge necessary to develop a protocol that guarantees a safe stay and sports practice in our facilities.

To guarantee a safe environment,  all players and guests  of the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar  must comply with the health measures approved by the Government of the Balearic Islands, which include restrictions on the entry of passengers to Mallorca.

• Procedure for passengers from a foreign country:  https://spth.gob.es/  
• Procedure for passengers from Spanish territory:   https://www.ibsalut.es/es/viajar-a-baleares  

The preventive measures associated with the current pandemic for our players enrolled in the  Junior Programs  will be confirmed by the Players Desk team before the arrival of the players and their families, according to the context upon arrival.

Below are some of the safety measures that have been implemented to prevent COVID-19 contagion:

• The facilities of the Academy have been adapted to comply with the safety and hygiene protocols established by health authorities.  Increased frequency of disinfection and general cleaning, limitation of capacity in communal areas and the design of circuits   guaranteeing the minimum safe distance are some of the measures which make up the protocol which has already been successfully implemented.
• Our team has received comprehensive training , allowing them to apply the protocols for safety and prevention of infection recommended in each area of action. They are also responsible for teaching young people, conveying the importance of respecting the stipulated measures to keep them and others healthy.
• All our clients must respect the health measures implemented in the installation.   Frequent disinfection of hands and the use of masks in areas where minimum safe distances cannot be guaranteed   is obligatory.
• At the Rafa Nadal Academy   we have the collaboration of QuirónSalud, a medical centre of reference in Spain , for the implementation of health protocols and assistance for players who need to visit a medical specialist.
• Over the last few months, the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar has been considered a success story by the press and international institutions, and an example of safety and trust. During the health crisis, the Academy established safety protocols which allowed the health of the 93 young people who were confined in its facilities to be safeguarded.

Certified protocol against COVID-19 APPlus+: 

[booking-slider-mask:popup, ]

Método exclusivo de entrenamiento, trainning físico personalizado, entrenamiento mental alto rendimiento.

716-436-8691   |     [email protected]

The Claret Junior Golf Tour

Affordable Ranked Junior Golf Tournaments in Florida

We are a GJGR ranked Junior Golf Tour. We report all of our player competition scores to GJGR for addition into the Worlds most comprehensive compilation of junior golfer rankings. Please read our information section in Terms and Conditions relating to player ranking points before entering any tournament events. Read this important information by clicking HERE

GJGR Website for additional info can be reached by clicking HERE

Junior Golfer Scouts and Players

Worldwide rankings of junior golfers.

Player Login

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Player Information

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Player Profile

For only $119.95 per year , college coaches can view your ranking and complete profile.

* Two options of tournament entries (automatically or manual)

• Build a profile - After a Junior Golfer has completed their profile on the GJGRs site, our system will automatically create your Profile Page and Web Address .
• Get Noticed - A completed profile showcases your golf experience in the most dynamic way possible to college coaches , including opportunities from: Division 1, 2, 3, NAIA, and Junior College Coaches..

Global Junior Golf Rankings™ is dedicated to giving Junior Golfers the knowledge and tools they need to successfully market their golf game to college coaches and better their chances of playing golf at a collegiate level.

When a Junior Golfer build a profile on the GJGRs site, that player will have access to his or her own Featured Player Profile Page and Web Address . The featured player profile page will contain a ranking, personal biography, golf and personal/academic highlights, scores from completed tournaments, and space to post pictures or swing videos.

The GJGR Profile will help ensure that you are represented in the best way possible, while trying to get you noticed. For only $119.95 per year , college coaches can view your ranking and complete profile.

Get Noticed, showcase your golf experience

TEN-PRO Global Junior Tour

Reinventing youth tennis tournaments (u10, u11, u12, u13, u14, u15, u16).

Every year, TEN-PRO organises the international TEN-PRO Global Junior Tour for young tennis talents. The target group for this international tour are ambitious, world-class, highly talented tennis players in the category U10, U11, U12, U13, U14, U15 and U16.

The Tour consists of 14 international tennis tournaments that are held annually in Europe, Africa, Australia, Middle East and the US. TEN-PRO organizes its tournaments at the best tennis academies in the world, amongst others at: Rafa Nadal Academy, Mouratoglou Tennis Academy, IMG and Boris Becker Tennis Academy.

During the tournaments, TEN-PRO uses the latest video technologies such as Playsight and Zenniz. In addition, UTR points (Universal Tennis Rating) can be earned at all our tournaments.

OUR UNIQUE FORMAT

What makes the TEN-PRO Global Junior Tour so special is the unique way in which the tournament is structured. This format allows the young tennis talents to play a minimum of 4 or 8 matches regardless of whether they win or lose and guarantees the players that they will compete at their own level, even after loss! Each age category has its’ own competition.

Besides that TEN-PRO also introduced Coaching-on-court which is unique at junior tennis tournaments. A player may request that the coach goes on-court between sets to provide coaching (max. 2 minutes at the end of a set). For more information go to Tournament Regulations.

Starting January 2018 TEN-PRO introduces the TEN-PRO Ranking System and prize pool . “Score your points and earn your rewards”.

Nowhere else in the world you will find international tennis tournaments where young talents can play against each other in this way. TEN-PRO’s format allows the young players the chance to gain invariable experience on an international stage!

The tournaments take place over a period of 5 to 7 days. This compact form is not only advantageous for the players themselves but also for the parents and trainers in relation to asking for absence leave at school and the unavoidable costs that are linked to playing international tennis tournaments.

The players are thus able to play 4 or 8 high-quality matches in 5 to 7 days’ time! Participating in TEN-PRO Global Junior Tour also brings other valuable experiences with it such as new insights into:

• cultural and mentality differences
• emotional aspects of the game
• tennis training methods
• match strategy
• sport nutrition

Within the right setting, these above-mentioned aspects create an excellent learning experience for young players and prepares them for the U16 international tournaments that are organised world-wide.

We at TEN-PRO are convinced that by participating in the TEN-PRO Global Junior Tour young talented players will gain a unique learning experience which will help them to obtain the maximum out of their personal tennis ambitions!

• Goran Novakovic
• Wikkestraat 34, 6832 CN Arnhem, The Netherlands
• +31 6 22 11 88 57
• proglobus@live.nl

We're not around right now. But you can send us an email and we'll get back to you, asap.

WORLD JUNIOR TENNIS TOUR

United-states, united-kingdom, south-africa, philippines, south-korea.

Schedule announced for 2024 DP World Tour Qualifying School

The 2 024 DP World Tour Qualifying School schedule has been announced and includes five new venues, an increase in First Stage opportunities and a return to INFINITUM for its dramatic conclusion, as professionals and amateurs from across the world look to secure their place on golf’s Global Tour.

Hopefuls will compete through three stages, as they look to add their name to a growing list of Major Champions, World Number Ones and Ryder Cup stars that have been produced at Qualifying School since its inception in 1976.

The Qualifying School will visit 15 venues from August to November and will once again conclude with Final Stage at Costa Dorada’s award-winning INFINITUM resort.

All five venues making their Qualifying School debuts will act as First Stage hosts, as the number of First Stage opportunities increases from nine to ten, giving additional players the chance to earn one of the DP World Tour cards on offer.

Golf Nazionale in Italy will make its Qualifying School bow fresh from hosting the Junior Ryder Cup last year, while Moonah Links is also a new venue and sees Qualifying School return to Australia for a third successive year. There are debuts on the schedule too for Golf de Léry Poses in France, Huddersfield Golf Club in England and Horsens Golfklub in Denmark.

Second Stage will take place across Spain, with the same four venues returning to the schedule; Desert Springs Resort in Almeria, Isla Canela Links in Huelva, Golf Las Pinaillas in Albacete and Fontanals Golf Club in Girona.

Mike Stewart, DP World Tour Qualifying School Director, said: “We’re excited to be able to share the full schedule for the 2024 DP World Tour Qualifying School, and we’re delighted to welcome our five new host venues.

“Increasing First Stage opportunities from nine to ten is an important change for 2024, as we hope to give more players the opportunity to clinch one of the coveted DP World Tour cards that are up for grabs.

“All 15 venues will provide a true test to those teeing it up and those that do come through the three-stage process will be ready to compete on the DP World Tour in 2025.

“INFINITUM has provided the perfect setting for Final Stage over the past five years, and we’re looking forward to returning there for a sixth time. It is a truly first-class venue and we’re grateful for their continued help and hospitality. It is a true highlight of our schedule.”

Joaquín Mora Bertrán, Deputy General Manager of Golf, Beach Club and F&B at INFINITUM, said: “We are delighted to welcome one of golf’s most exciting events back to INFINITUM.

“This is a very exciting time for INFINITUM, with major investment across the entire resort making the experience for visiting players, DP World Tour hopefuls and our members and residents even better.

“Earlier this year, we announced major improvements to the Lakes, and we are excited to see how the players react when they take on the renovated course – along with the equally enjoyable Hills - in November.

“Part of what makes INFINITUM the perfect stage for Qualifying School is the line-up of amenities on offer for golfers of all levels, from the new Callaway Fitting Studio to the nine-hole Ruins course where players can hone their skills.

“We look forward to working with the DP World Tour once again to make sure this unique event is as unforgettable as ever.”

The Final Stage of Qualifying School will take place at INFINITUM from November 8-13, 2024, where 156 players will compete over six rounds.

Each player will play two rounds at the Lakes Course and the Hills Course at INFINITUM, before the top 65 and ties play the final two rounds at the Lakes Course.

After six rounds, the leading 20 players and ties will earn DP World Tour playing privileges for 2025. This number has been reduced from the leading 25 players and ties that were awarded playing privileges last year as part of an overall review of DP World Tour playing categories.

Entries for the DP World Tour Qualifying School will open in June, with an official date yet to be confirmed.

A full list of this year’s dates and locations are as follows:

FIRST STAGE

August 27-30

The Players Club, Bristol, England

Golf Nazionale, Sutri, Italy

September 3-6

Millennium Golf, Paal, Beringen, Belgium

Huddersfield Golf Club, Huddersfield, England

September 10-13

Arlandastad Golf (Masters Course), Rosersberg, Sweden

September 11-14

Golfclub Schloss Ebreichsdorf, Ebreichsdorf, Austria

September 17-20

Donnington Grove Golf Club, Newbury, England

September 24-27

Horsens Golfklub, Horsens, Denmark

Golf de Léry Poses, Poses, France

October 1-4

Moonah Links Resort (Open Course), Victoria, Australia

SECOND STAGE

October 31 – November 3

Desert Springs Resort, Almeria, Spain

Isla Canela Links, Huelva, Spain

Golf Las Pinaillas, Albacete, Spain

Fontanals Golf Club, Girona, Spain

FINAL STAGE

November 8-13

INFINITUM Golf Resort (Lakes & Hills Courses), Tarragona, Spain

DP World Tour Partners

Akshay Bhatia’s Valhalla history gives him confidence ahead of PGA Championship

Follow live coverage of the 2024 PGA Championship today

“Did you chunk it?”

All Akshay Bhatia could do was shake his head at the ridiculous question from his friend after the round. Sixteen-year-old Bhatia had just sunk a near-impossible 40-foot chip for an eagle. And this was not your average hole out. Bhatia did it on the 72nd hole of the 2018 Junior PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club . A downhill slider from just long of the par 5, which he reached in two.

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It is not an exaggeration to say that Bhatia left himself with one of the most precarious chips possible around the horseshoe-shaped green complex. And with the clubhouse leader one shot ahead, Bhatia needed an up-and-down birdie to tie and move into a sudden-death playoff.

He did one better instead.

“It was one of the clutchest moments of my career,” Bhatia said three weeks before the PGA Championship’s return to Valhalla for the fourth time.

Earlier today, Akshay Bhatia won the #JuniorPGA at @ValhallaGolf … by doing this! pic.twitter.com/MeITpo4ufH — PGA of America (@PGA) August 4, 2018

The chip was airborne for less than a yard — hence the inquiry about it being an accidental mishit — before it softly landed on the putting surface and picked up speed. The lefty retracted his wedge into his right hand like a knight returning his sword to his sheath as he watched his ball head directly toward the cup. It was all part of Bhatia’s plan.

“I hit it exactly how I wanted to,” Bhatia said. “It was one of those chips where you just have to tap the golf ball and it’s going to feed down to the hole.”

The teenage golf sensation triumphantly pumped his clenched fists as the ball fell over the hole’s edge, family and friends joining him in celebration around the green. With the improbable chip-in, Bhatia defended his 2017 Junior PGA title, becoming the first back-to-back champion in the event’s 48-year history. Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas have all played in the prestigious junior tournament. Sam Burns and Trevor Immelman have won it. Bhatia is the only player who has come out on top twice.

He might not have known it then, but the confidence Bhatia mustered to visualize and execute that shot epitomizes exactly why he came out on top on that sticky afternoon in Louisville. It also explains how he made it back to Valhalla six years later, this time as a PGA Tour player making his first PGA Championship start.

He stands a couple of inches taller, and a few additional pounds support his recognizable lanky physique. His signature eyeglasses have shape-shifted from nerdy rectangles to sleek, rounded frames. A few more trophies stand on his shelf at home in Wake Forest, N.C. Bhatia is ready as ever to compete in his third major, at the same venue that started it all: The Kentucky course awaits another flash of brilliance from the former golf prodigy.

Full-circle moments are starting to feel like regularly scheduled programming for Bhatia.

Last month, the 22-year-old clinched his second PGA Tour victory at the Valero Texas Open in a one-hole playoff against Denny McCarthy to earn the final Masters invitation up for grabs. He was the last player to be added to the field at Augusta National, but his entry had another significance.

That week Bhatia became the first Drive, Chip & Putt Finals alum to tee it up in the Masters, 10 years after participating in the competition for 7-to-15-year-olds hosted annually at Augusta National.

Friday morning, he found himself next to Tiger Woods on the practice green.

“Tiger came up to me and said congrats,” Bhatia said. “He joked around with me and gave me a nickname. The first time I met him, it was just a handshake in line with a bunch of other junior golfers. For Tiger Woods to recognize me as a player and a person is something I’ll cherish as a memory from my first Masters.”

He made the cut in his Masters debut and finished tied for 35th.

Threads continue to string themselves together throughout Bhatia’s career, with Valhalla being the latest example. The trend won’t stop here. Why? Bhatia has been winning and succeeding at the game’s highest levels for a long time.

Bhatia’s journey to his current position as the No. 33-ranked player in the world, per DataGolf.com, was unconventional. But Bhatia wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Already gaining significant traction on the amateur golf scene as a middle schooler, Bhatia’s parents, Sonny and Renu, knew they had a special talent on their hands. Renu took on additional work outside of her 9-to-5 corporate planning job to continue supporting her son’s dream of becoming a professional golfer. Sonny traveled with Bhatia to tournaments across the country. Bhatia took advantage, honing his craft nonstop.

The accolades kept coming. When Bhatia won tournaments, he’d ask his coach at the time, George Gankas, what he could have done to win by more. He would speak about getting bored when playing so well, always searching for a new skill to perfect on the course. Bhatia’s relentless, never-satisfied attitude was innate. His parents decided to transition Bhatia to online home school starting in sixth grade.

Most elite junior golfers in the U.S. have sights set on verbal commitment offers from Stanford, Texas or another top-tier Division I golf program. Bhatia had a different vision, and his parents were on board, despite his older sister Rhea enjoying college golf at Queens University of Charlotte. Bhatia wanted to skip college and turn professional as soon as he completed online high school, and that’s exactly what he did. A path that American juniors rarely dare to take was the only option Bhatia ever truly considered.

A 17-year-old Bhatia turned pro at the 2019 Sanderson Farms Championship. Already growing a social media following for his junior dominance and powerful swing, Bhatia received seven sponsor exemptions to PGA Tour events. He missed all seven cuts. Bhatia wasn’t sitting in a classroom, but he was learning.

He didn’t earn a fast track to the PGA Tour by succeeding in those coveted sponsor exemptions, like college stars Viktor Hovland, Matthew Wolff and Collin Morikawa had done that summer. Instead, Bhatia had to grind it out on the mini-tours. He encountered all sorts of unforeseen hurdles: His mental game was in disarray and the onset of the pandemic limited his competitive schedule. Many questioned his decision to forgo an NCAA career.

Traveling the country as a sub-21-year-old presented its challenges. While competing on the Korn Ferry Tour, Bhatia was forced to drive a U-Haul to the Wichita Open because he was too young to rent an SUV.

Finally, Bhatia made his first PGA Tour cut and found a groove. He won a Korn Ferry Tour event in 2022. He secured special temporary member status on the PGA Tour by early 2023. Bhatia parlayed the opportunity into his maiden PGA Tour victory at the opposite-field Barracuda Championship that July, where he sunk a 15-foot putt to force a playoff.

He captured his second victory on tour at the Valero in a similar fashion. After Bhatia made the turn with a comfortable six-shot lead, Denny McCarthy charged, making eight birdies on the back nine to shoot a back-nine 28. Bhatia again faced a putt that would determine his fate: He drained an 11-footer for birdie to enter a playoff, and the ensuing fist pump was so forceful it nearly threw out his bad shoulder. He won in sudden-death play.

Bhatia’s winning instinct took over. He executed the task at hand when it mattered the most. Sound familiar?

“I always go back to those three moments I’ve had,” Bhatia said, “Barracuda, Valero and Valhalla. Those are all shots I needed to make and I was able to do it three times. It shows me that I can dig deep and truly embrace the moment when a lot of people can’t.”

Near ACE for Akshay Bhatia on 17. 😨 📺: Golf Channel & @peacock | @WellsFargoGolf pic.twitter.com/yxJGidZqeC — Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) May 11, 2024

That summer at Valhalla, Bhatia was in the middle of his most successful junior golf season. The No. 1 junior in the world at the time, Bhatia was busy claiming victory after victory. He began winning the prestigious Junior Invitational at Sage Valley, just 20 miles from Augusta National. A few weeks later, he claimed the AJGA Polo Golf Junior Classic title by 10 shots, his sixth victory on the elite junior tour.

Then it came time to chase junior golf’s pinnacle achievement: the U.S. Junior Amateur, a match-play format tournament with a 36-hole championship match, hosted at Baltusrol Golf Club in 2018. It was no surprise when Bhatia made it to the finals. But that Sunday Bhatia was outplayed. Fellow 16-year-old Michael Thorbjornsen defeated Bhatia in a thrilling back-and-forth battle, winning 1 up on the final hole.

The loss stung, but Bhatia pressed on. The Junior PGA — where he had won the year prior by shooting a record-breaking 61 — was the next major junior event on his schedule.

Bhatia remembers bits and pieces of his historic week in Kentucky in 2018. He recalls studying the hole locations from the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla, when Rory McIlroy won his last major championship. When the tournament began, Bhatia recognized the pin positions from his pre-tournament research. He felt like he suddenly had a leg up on the rest of the field.

Bhatia can grudgingly recount shooting a 4-over 76 in the second round. He needed a pep talk from his coach, Chase Duncan, in the car. The next day he fired a 7-under 65 to take a share of the lead heading into Sunday.

Then came the eagle hole-out that cemented his status as a junior golf legend.

“We were expecting him to get it up and down, no question,” said Canon Claycomb, a current member of the University of Alabama men’s golf team who finished top five at the Junior PGA. “The chip was so hard. We were all kind of joking, ‘He’s gonna make this’ because he had just killed everyone all year.”

But Bhatia knows he is the same in many ways. He’ll always be the fearless competitor who got up and down from jail on the 18th green at Valhalla for the win.

The shot was far from a “chunk” that got lucky. It was the chip that started it all.

(Top photo: Logan Riely / Getty Images)

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Gabby Herzig is a Staff Writer for The Athletic covering golf. Before joining The Athletic, she worked as a breaking news writer for Sports Illustrated’s golf vertical and a contributing editor at Golf Digest. She is a graduate of Pomona College, where she captained the varsity women’s golf team.

JUNIOR H Presents: $AD BOYZ MANIA – US Tour

To Hit 20 Cities Across The US Including A Debut Performance At LA’s BMO Stadium On Oct. 11

Tickets available through a general onsale starting friday, may 10th, at 10:00 am local time at livenation.com.

JUNIOR H, one of the most successful artists in the urban Mexican music genre, announces today his $AD BOYZ MANIA – US TOUR 2024 , his return to the road after a wildly successful 2023 run that sold out more than 50% of his tour across North America.

Produced by LIVE NATION and RANCHO HUMILDE, the tour will visit twenty cities across the country, starting on Saturday, July 13th, at the Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, California, and concluding on Tuesday, October 26th, at the UTEP Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas. Notably, the artist from Guanajuato, Mexico, will perform for the first time Los Angeles’ BMO Stadium to a crowd of over 20K fans on Friday, October 11th. The trek will visit other iconic venues nationwide, such as the Toyota Center in Houston, the Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas and the Prudential Center in Newark, to name a few.

Fans can expect JUNIOR H to perform hits from his latest album titled $AD BOYZ 4 LIFE II , which already has 1.4 BILLION streams on platforms just five months after its release.

In the past year, JUNIOR H’s career has seen an impressive surge. On Spotify alone, he holds 26 million monthly listeners and over 3.3 BILLION streams of his top 10 most listened-to songs. These figures have earned him multiple gold and platinum certifications, highlighting the dedicated work of the artist  who is steadily establishing himself as one of the most influential artists of Latin music.

On April 25th, JUNIOR H & Rels B released the single titled “Un Desperdicio”. In its first week, this single has over 16 million streams on Spotify and YouTube , reaching top spots on the main playlists of various digital platforms. Soon, he will be releasing new music, which will also be part of his repertoire on this new tour across the United States.

TICKETS:  Tickets will be available through a general onsale beginning on Friday, May 10th, at 10:00 AM local time on LiveNation.com

TOUR DATES:

Sat, Jul 13          Palm Desert, CA            Acrisure Arena

Fri, Jul 19           Chula Vista, CA              North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre

Fri, Aug 2          San Antonio, TX             Frost Bank Center

Sat, Aug 3         Laredo, TX                    Sames Auto Arena

Sat, Aug 10        Bristow, VA                   Jiffy Lube Live

Sat, Aug 17        Charlotte, NC                PNC Music Pavilion

Fri, Aug 23        Houston, TX                  Toyota Center

Sat, Aug 24       Hidalgo, TX                   Payne Arena ^

Fri, Sep 6          Fresno, CA                    Save Mart Center at Fresno State

Fri, Sep 13         Atlanta, GA                    State Farm Arena

Fri, Sep 20        Tulsa, OK                      BOK Center

Sat, Sep 21        Dallas, TX                      Dos Equis Pavilion

Fri, Oct 4           Portland, OR                  Alaska Airlines’ Theater of the Clouds

Sat, Oct 5          Kent, WA                       Accesso ShoWare Center

Fri, Oct 11          Los Angeles, CA            BMO Stadium

Sat, Oct 12         Las Vegas, NV               Michelob ULTRA Arena

Fri, Oct 18          Newark, NJ                   Prudential Center

Fri, Oct 25         Phoenix, AZ                   Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre

Sat, Oct 26        El Paso, TX                    UTEP Don Haskins Center

^Rescheduled Date

About Live Nation Entertainment

Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Sponsorship. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com .

Mexico and USA Media Manager

Alex Jimenez | [email protected]

Live Nation Concerts

Nadia Hernandez | [email protected]

Isabel Gonzalez | [email protected]

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Featured Amateurs: 2024 Mizuho Americas Open

Ajga’s amy lee aces 14th hole on day one of the mizuho americas open.

• Mizuho Americas Open
• Tournament Preview
• Tournament News

JERSEY CITY, N.J. — This week’s Mizuho Americas Open will see 120 LPGA Tour players compete alongside 24 top amateurs from the American Junior Golf Association at Liberty National Golf Club in the second edition of the event hosted by Michelle Wie West. The amateurs will tee it up in their own modified Stableford competition over the four days of tournament play, and these juniors have got some serious game, just like their professional counterparts.

Meet just a few of the AJGA participants in this week’s field at the Mizuho Americas Open:

Gianna Clemente

LPGA Tour fans will definitely recognize Gianna Clemente’s name on the tee sheet this week. The now 16-year-old Monday qualified for three straight LPGA Tour events when she was 14, teeing it up in the CPKC Women’s Open, the Dana Open and the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G in 2022. Clemente won the 2023 Girls’ Junior PGA Championship and took home the 2023 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball title alongside her playing partner Avery Zweig. The Florida resident finished sixth in this event last year, with a 72-hole total of 138 points in the modified Stableford competition. Clemente is a member of the first U.S. Junior National Team.

Aphrodite Deng

Fourteen-year-old Aphrodite Deng of Short Hills, N.J., is currently best known for winning the inaugural edition of The Nelly Invitational, an AJGA event hosted by current Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings No. 1 Nelly Korda. Deng has one additional AJGA victory to her credit, the Rolex Tournament of Champions, a title she earned on November 22, 2023, after defeating Jasmine Koo by a whopping five shots at the Canyons Course at TPC San Antonio.

Jasmine Koo

Jasmine Koo made headlines a few weeks ago at The Chevron Championship after a lucky break on the final hole at The Club at Carlton Woods. The 18-year-old’s second shot on the par 5 would have landed in the water had it not hit a sign located near the 18th green and bounced over the rest of the penalty area, landing safely on the other side of the lake. Koo ultimately made birdie on her last hole to post a four-day total of 3-under and earn low amateur honors at the first LPGA Tour major of the 2024 season. The California native won the 2023 Women’s Western Amateur and participated in the 2023 U.S. Junior Solheim Cup in Spain. She tied for ninth last year at Liberty National Golf Club.

Asterisk Talley

Asterisk Talley just won the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball on Wednesday, May 15 with her playing partner Sarah Lim at Oak Hills Country Club, quickly hopping on a plane to come compete in the Mizuho Americas Open on Thursday afternoon. Talley is the second-youngest winner in the event’s history, claiming her first USGA championship title at just 15 years old. Talley won the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley in March and captured three AJGA titles in 2023, including the SERI PAK Desert Junior, Rolex Girls Junior Championship and C.T. Pan Foundation Championship. Talley was named a member of the very first U.S. Junior National Team in March.

Yana Wilson

Nevada native Yana Wilson won the 2023 edition of the Mizuho Americas Open after earning 147 points across four days of tournament play in the Stableford format and will look to defend her title this week in Jersey City, N.J. The now 17-year-old was named the AJGA Girls Player of the Year in 2023 and won the U.S. Girls’ Junior in 2022 over Gianna Clemente. While still competing as an amateur, Wilson won a professional event on the Cactus Tour earlier this year at Sun City Country Club in Arizona, defeating Antonia Malate by two shots. She is committed to play collegiate golf at the University of Oregon.

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Giro d'Italia

Giro d'italia: caleb ewan hoping altitude build-up is key to ending grand tour drought.

It has been three years since Jayco AlUla’s sprinter last won a Grand Tour stage, but with his climbing ‘better than normal,’ he is all set for the next opportunity

George Poole

Junior writer.

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© Getty Images

Caleb Ewan sprinting on stage 5 of the Giro d'Italia

Caleb Ewan is on the comeback trail at this year’s Giro d’Italia , of that there is no doubt. The Australian sprinter is without a Grand Tour stage win in three years and endured a rotten final season with Lotto Dstny in 2023. Back amongst old friends and colleagues at Jayco AlUla, though, the 29-year-old looks to be trending in the right direction as the second week beckons.

There is no stage win to speak of yet, but Ewan was well in the mix as the peloton sprinted for secondary honours on stage 5, and conversations with several riders in the bunch gives the impression that the Australian is riding as well as ever seen.

Free from the stress of stage-hunting or mountain survival, Caleb Ewan was in relaxed spirits before Friday’s time trial in Foligno. Escaping the heat of the Umbrian sun, the Australian perched on the boot of a nearby team car and discussed his Giro d’Italia to date with GCN .

“I do feel better than normal climbing-wise, for sure,” he said. “I think that's probably because I did an altitude camp, which I normally don't. So I think that's definitely helped my climbing, but at the end of the day I'm not here to climb a bit better.

“I'm here to sprint and I still haven't got a win yet, but I think maybe as the race goes on, everyone's legs are going to tire so hopefully I don't tire as fast and that I can be a bit more competitive in some of the sprints.”

Ewan’s focus is clear. He is here not only to finish the race - which would be a first at the Giro - but to come away with at least one stage win. There are many opportunities to come, not least Sunday’s stage into Naples, but as ever with Grand Tours, the sprinters will be tasked with surviving a tough parcours should they want to reach the chances that might fall their way later in the race.

Less racing and more kilometres in the snow-capped mountains

The mountainous last two weeks of the Giro have necessitated a different approach to training for Ewan in his sixth career participation.

“Usually I would have some sort of a race to build up and that's why usually in the past I never really did an altitude camp before the Tour, because I always had the Giro to prepare and then maybe another smaller race in between.

"I knew coming into this that I wouldn't have so much racing so that's why we decided that an altitude camp would probably be best.”

The 29-year-old headed to the cold slopes of Isola 2000 in early April, clocking up the hours spent in the mountains and accustoming himself with the conditions that will face the peloton over the next two weeks. Unlike past Tours de France, Ewan has not been able to use the first week of the Giro d’Italia to prepare his legs before dropping out of the race and taking some time to recover.

Caleb Ewan ahead of the Giro d'Italia

Jayco AlUla’s director of high performance and racing, Matt White, explained that the altitude camp was the most important difference with his preparations of previous years.

“He did an altitude block before here, which I don't think he's ever done at this time of the year in his career. So that was the difference. So that was to work on his aerobic capacity,” he told GCN earlier in the week.

“Then we gave him a little touch-up last week in Eschborn-Frankfurt. Just some competition before he came in and now he'll finish the race here. And he should get better as the race goes on,” he added, with an assured look of confidence when eyeing up the rest of the race.

What will be important now is converting the success of his time at altitude into success over the finish line at the Giro d’Italia. Still only eight days into the race, Ewan has not yet had the chance to push a pedal in anger in regard to a stage win.

Jayco AlUla’s lead-out train heading ‘in the right direction’

Placing 13th and 12th in the first bunch sprints of the race, Ewan cut a frustrated figure beyond the line on both occasions, unable to truly test his legs against the day’s winners - Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) and Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek). The Australian’s relative anonymity in the two finales was put down to his Jayco AlUla lead-out not being ‘dialled-in.’

“It was always going to be hard to come straight away and be able to nail it straight away with this team because a lot of the guys I haven't raced with yet this year. Even Luka [Mezgec] my last man, I haven't raced with him yet since we were teammates five years ago. So it takes me time to get everything dialled in.”

The five-time Giro stage winner was relieved, then, to see his team perform much stronger on the stage 5 finish in Lucca. It was not to be for the sprinters on the day, with a four-man breakaway holding off the peloton to produce an upset victory for Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis), but Ewan was the second-fastest to the line from the bunch and placed sixth behind Milan.

Caleb Ewan was second from the bunch on stage 5 of the Giro d'Italia

It was a good sign for the Aussie sprinter.

“The next day we were much better,” he said of stage 5. “I think we’re definitely going in the right direction.

“Max got me onto Milan’s wheel, which was really good and I didn't quite get to open up my sprint properly, but it was just good to be in the mix there because the days before I wasn't really in the mix at all.”

Tough to identify the best wheel to follow in sprints

It be Milan and Merlier who might prove Ewan’s biggest obstacle to adding to his tally of Giro stage wins, such has been the impressive start to the race made by both riders. Their talents have not escaped the attention of Ewan as he looks to recapture his old crown of being one of the world’s best sprinters.

“I think we knew coming in that Jonathan Milan was going to be one of the best ones here. Same with Tim Merlier, both of them had really good starts this season and they're two of the best in the world. So we knew that they were going to be strong. Most of the guys are going pretty good and if you don't nail your sprints, you've got no chance.”

With Milan currently holding a 37-point lead in the ciclamino points jersey after his three top-five placings earlier this week, Ewan admitted that his ambition to ‘have ciclamino in mind’ has now been extinguished, with the 29-year-old no longer contesting intermediate sprints.

Caleb Ewan wore the ciclamino jersey at the 2021 Giro d'Italia - scene of his last Grand Tour stage win

His greatest concern is reserved for trying to beat the points jersey wearer and his fellow rivals in the sprint that matters the most - at the end of the stage.

"We've also got [Olav] Kooj here as well, who's had a really good start to the season, who's really quick as well,” noted Ewan. “I think that's the difficult part now, before there was always kind of like one reference sprinter for me, one guy who was going to have the best lead-out, who was going to be one of the fastest. When you lost your team, it was like, ‘right, I'll follow that guy and his team will probably get him to where he needs to be.’

“Whereas, now it's hard to tell which team's going to nail it. It might be Merlier with his team one day and then Milan with his team another day. So it's really hard when you get dropped off on your own to know which ones to follow.”

With his training having gone to plan, his Jayco AlUla team becoming more accustomed with one another by the day and his form clearly in a good place, however, it is a challenge that Ewan is keen to take on. A sixth career Giro stage win is in the Australian’s sights and with his pedigree, it would be no surprise to see Ewan with his arms raised by the end of the race in Rome.

“It's been a few years since I've had a really really big win so it would be nice. I’ve prepared as well as I could prepare and I'm feeling good. So there's no reason why I don't think I can go for a win, especially if I'm in a good position for it."

For everything you need to know about the 2024 Giro d'Italia , from the   history of the race to this   year's route   and   start list , be sure to check out our   dedicated   race hub .

Team Jayco-AlUla

• Nationality Australia
• Founded 2012
• Team Principal Brent Copeland
• UCI Code JAY
• Bike Sponsor Giant

• Team Team Jayco-AlUla
• UCI Wins 70
• Height 1.65m

• Dates 4 May - 26 May
• Race Length 3,335 kms
• Race Category Elite Men

Giant is a bicycle manufacturer based in Taichung, Taiwan. The company produces a range of bikes, from road, gravel and electric to cyclo-cross and mountain bikes, as well as clothing, equipment and tools. Giant is seen as the largest bicycle manufacturer in the world.

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