MURRELLS INLET, S.C. – Trey Marrion (Chesapeake, Va.) and Elizabeth Rudisill (Charlotte, N.C.) both shot 3-under 69 to take one-stroke leads in the boys and girls tournaments after the first round of the Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship Presented by LA Golf at TPC Myrtle Beach.
[First Round Leaderboard: Boys; Girls]
Rudisill, the 41st-ranked junior girl in America, according to Junior Golf Scoreboard (JGS), fired a blistering 32 on the back 9 to claim the lead in a loaded girls’ field. Her closest pursuer, Vanessa Borovilos (Toronto, Canada), the fifth ranked junior girl in America, birdied holes 14 and 18 to shoot 70. Last year’s runner-up Alice Ziyi Zhao (Irvine, Calif.), America’s No. 8 junior, lurks just two off the pace after a 71, highlighted by 17 pars and a birdie on No. 14.
Marrion, a University of Illinois signee, shot a 33 on his final nine holes to surge into the lead, just ahead of Logan Reilly (Lovettsville, Va.), Mason Howell (Thomasville, Ga.) and Clark Van Gaalen (Turlock, Calif.), who shot 2-under 70s.
Blades Brown, the No. 1 ranked junior boy in America, and Tyler Watts, the nation’s No. 2 junior according to JGS, struggled to 75s.
Second round play begins at 9 a.m. Saturday morning at TPC Myrtle Beach. Admission is free.
A 54-hole, college-style event, 90 players (54 boys, 36 girls) secured invitations to the ninth annual DJ World Junior, including Blades Brown (Nashville, Tenn.), the world’s top-ranked junior boy.
In total 68 of the 90 players are ranked among America’s top 100 juniors by either Golfweek or Junior Golf Scoreboard, highlighting the depth and quality of the field. On the boys’ side, 42 of the 54 players are ranked among America’s top 100 juniors while 26 of the 36 girls are top 100 players.
While just nine years old, three past champions at the DJ World Junior have already won at the game’s highest levels. In the last 12 months, Akshay Bhatia and Nick Dunlap have won on the PGA TOUR while Alexa Pano triumphed on the LPGA Tour.
With Johnson’s support, the tournament provides players one of the premier experiences in junior golf, and the opportunity to test themselves against outstanding competition.
A significant part of the event’s appeal is TPC Myrtle Beach, one of the Grand Strand’s most decorated layouts. TPC Myrtle Beach has hosted the Senior PGA Tour Championship and been ranked among “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses” by Golf Digest, making it an ideal venue to test golf’s rising young stars.
The Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship is sponsored by LA Golf, Founders Group International, the Dustin Johnson Golf School, and Golf Tourism Solutions.
Johnson’s involvement with the tournament reflects his long-time commitment to junior golf, particularly in South Carolina, where he grew into one of the world’s best players. Through the Dustin Johnson Foundation, which is headquartered in Myrtle Beach, Johnson has donated more than $500,000 to junior golf, sponsoring numerous events throughout the state and helping cover entry costs for kids who need financial assistance.
For more information, visit www.worldjuniorgolfchampionship.com.
