UHY JUNIOR OPEN HOSTED BY BEAU HOSSLER

Mission Viejo, California (July 31, 2024) Fujikura, the leading performance golf shaft, and the American Junior Golf Association were on hand at Mission Viejo Country Club to host the 2024 UHY Junior Open. Marked as one of the nine supported Fujikura AJGA tournaments this season that supplying tour professional level support to top ranked amateur golfers, it was another successful tournament with Bradley Smolinksi and Kaili Xiao taking the boys and girls individual wins.

Bradley Smolinski, class of 2024, earned his first AJGA tournament win with a come from behind charge on the final day of competition. Posting an impressive three-day total of -9 with round totals of 69-70-68, Bradley overcame a 2-stroke deficit heading into the final day of the tournament to claim the win. ”This win is a confidence boost,” Bradley noted as it comes just weeks before the local southern California native leaves to college to play at Oregon State.

In the girl’s division, Kaili Xiao took a commanding lead the first day of competition with a round of 64 and never looked back. “That’s some of the most birdies I’ve ever made in one round” Kaili mentioned. She went on to win the 2024 UHY Junior Open by a margin of nine stokes with a three-day total of -13. One of the youngest players in the field, Xiao is ranked 44^th in the AJGA overall points and plays Fujikura’s Speeder NX Green Shaft in her bag. In the graduating class of 2027 Kaili represents China and currently plays out of Chino Hills, California.

Fujikura and AJGA are committed to propel the game of golf and provide young golfers with opportunities. The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. The AJGA provides valuable exposure for college golf scholarships and has an annual junior membership (boys and girls, ages 12-19) of more than 9,000 members from 50 states and 51 foreign countries. Through initiatives like the Liberty National ACE Grant, a financial assistance program, and Leadership Links, a service-oriented platform that teaches juniors charitable-giving skills, the AJGA fosters the growth of golf’s next generation.

AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. Former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 1,000 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Patrick Cantlay, Billy Horschel, Collin Morikawa, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Tiger Woods, Paula Creamer, Jessica Korda, Nelly Korda, Cristie Kerr, Stacy Lewis, Inbee Park, Lexi Thompson and Rose Zhang. For further information regarding AJGA tournaments, volunteer opportunities rankings and more please visit ajga.org.