ACDS Junior All-Star Team announced
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The 16th annual ACDS Junior All-Star Team includes 20 players from 10 states and three countries who were recognized as some of the top 12- to 15-year-old golfers in the world during the 2017 season, the American Junior Golf Association announced Wednesday.
“On behalf of ACDS, we are excited to express our congratulations to the 2017 ACDS Junior All-Star Team members,” said ACDS Executive Director C.J. Gatto. “Over the years, this honor has clearly identified some incredible student-athletes. We look forward to following the success of this class, their college golf futures along with what follows in both the business world or at the professional level. We thank all players and families for showcasing their talents throughout the year at the ACDS Junior All-Star Series. It was a pleasure for our team at ACDS to help however necessary providing planning and solutions through the college development process."
The ACDS Junior All-Star Team recognizes the top 20 players, ages 12-15, based on the Rolex AJGA Rankings as of August 22, 2017. Eligibility for the team of 10 boys and 10 girls includes current-season play in at least two ACDS Junior All-Star Series tournaments, which also included the KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational. ACDS Junior All-Star Series events, dubbed in 2017 as the “Road to Reynolds,” were conducted in 14 states.
Members of the ACDS Junior All-Star Team receive an invitation to play in the Justin Rose Junior All-Star Invitational at Reynolds Lake Oconee’s Great Waters Course in Greensboro, Georgia, Oct. 6-9.
ACDS Junior All-Star Team members will also receive fully exempt Performance Based Entry (PBE) status for the remainder of 2017 and all of the 2018 season. PBE enables members to earn their way into AJGA tournaments based on performance at the national, regional and state levels.
American College Development Solutions (ACDS) became the sponsor of the ACDS Junior All-Star Series and Official Partner of the AJGA at the start of 2016. ACDS assists college-bound student-athletes expand their academic, athletic, personal and cultural skill sets, while guiding them towards their goal of becoming an NCAA athlete.
In 2017, 16 ACDS Junior All-Star Series events, and the KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational, provided players with more than 1,500 total playing opportunities. Since 2002, ACDS Junior All-Star Team honors have been awarded to some of the top players in junior golf. Alumni of the ACDS Junior All-Star Team include college and professional standouts such as Jordan Spieth (2007), Rickie Fowler (2004), Morgan Hoffmann (2004), Beau Hossler (2009), Braden Thornberry (2012), Peter Uihlein (2004), Bud Cauley (2005), Vicky Hurst (2005), Cheyenne Woods (2005) and Alison Lee (2007).
2017 honorees
Boys
CARSON BACHA | York, Pennsylvania | Class of 2020, Central High School
- Two-time 2017 AJGA champion (AJGA Junior All-Star at Talbot supported by the Frana Family in July and AJGA Junior All-Star at Irish Creek in August)
- Finished in a tie for fifth at the AJGA Junior All-Star at Forsgate (May)
DREW DOYLE | Louisville, Kentucky | Class of 2020, St. Xavier High School
- No. 85 Rolex AJGA Rankings
- Tied for second, AJGA Junior All-Star presented by Greg Norman Champions Golf Academy (April)
- Six top-13 finishes in national junior golf in 2017
AARON DU | Lake Mary, Florida | Class of 2020, Lake Mary Prep School
- Two runner-up finishes in 2017: AJGA Junior All-Star presented by Greg Norman Champions Golf Academy (April), Mill Creek Foundation Junior All-Star (June)
- Played four consecutive events in June and did not finish outside the top 15 in 2017
KELVIN LIM | Thornhill, Ontario | Class of 2020, Stephen Lewis Secondary School
- No. 74 Rolex AJGA Rankings
- Two back-to-back June runner-up finishes: Natural Resource Partners Bluegrass Junior,
KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational - Finished in the top 10 in all four AJGA 2017 events
AUSTIN LIU | Oak Park, California | Class of 2019, Oak Park High School
- No. 101 Rolex AJGA Rankings
- Won the 2017 AJGA Junior All-Star presented by Greg Norman Champions Golf Academy (April)
- Finished inside the top nine in four of five 2017 events
DAWSON OVARD | Frisco, Texas | Class of 2019, Frisco High School
- No. 102 Rolex AJGA Rankings
- Verbal commitment: Southern Methodist University
- Two third-place finishes, 2017 KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational (June) and AJGA Dominican Junior Open presented by the Puntacana Resort & Club (May)
- Finished tied for fifth, 2017 Junior All-Star at Lost Springs presented by Visit Bentonville (April)
GORDON SARGENT | Birmingham, Alabama | Class of 2021, Mountain Brook High School
- Won the 2017 Evitt Foundation Junior All-Star (June)
- Finished in a tie for third at the AJGA City of London Junior Championship (July)
- Sixth at the AJGA Junior All-Star presented by Greg Norman Champions Golf Academy (April)
NICKLAS STAUB | Boynton Beach, Florida | Class of 2022
- Two-time ACDS Junior All-Star Team member (2016, 2017)
- AJGA champion (2016 Coca-Cola Junior Championship at Sugarloaf)
- Sixth at the KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational (June)
- Tied for eighth at the AJGA Junior at Forest Lake presented by Tom Holzer Ford (August)
JACKSON VAN PARIS | Pinehurst, North Carolina | Class of 2021, The O’Neal School
- Won the 2017 AJGA Junior All-Star at Forsgate (May)
- Two back-to-back eighth-place June finishes (Judie Oppenheimer Memorial Junior, KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational)
- Never finished outside the top 13 in 2017 national junior golf events
- Helped to raise $60,000 during the annual Carolina Cup held in 2017 at Pinehurst Resort, as a part of the AJGA’s Leadership Links program
ARTEM YALOVENKO | Moscow, Russian Federation | Class of 2019, Windermere Prep School
- AJGA champion (2017 Hale Irwin Colorado Junior by Transamerica in June)
- Tied for seventh at the AJGA Junior All-Star presented by Greg Norman Champions Golf Academy
- Second season of national junior golf
Girls
KYNADIE ADAMS | Gallatin, Tennessee | Class of 2022
- Tied for fourth at the AJGA Junior All-Star at Owensboro (June)
- Tied for fifth at the KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational (June)
- In two seasons of national junior golf, Adams has earned seven top-nine finishes
PHOEBE BRINKER | Wilmington, Delaware | Class of 2020, Archmere Academy
- No. 67 Rolex AJGA Rankings
- Two-time AJGA champion
- Defended her title at the Windham Mountain Resort Junior All-Star (won in 2016, 2017)
- Finished in the top eight during six of the seven national junior golf events in 2017
- In four seasons with the AJGA, has accumulated nine top-10 finishes in AJGA events
JENNIFER CLEARY | Wilmington, Delaware | Class of 2020, Tower Hill High School
- Verbal commitment: University of Virginia
- Two top-three finishes in 2017: AJGA Junior All-Star presented by Greg Norman Champions Golf Academy (April), AJGA Junior at Fiddler’s Elbow (August)
- Six top-10 finishes in national junior golf in three seasons
ANIKA DY | Traverse City, Michigan | Class of 2019, Traverse City West Senior High School
- Verbal commitment: University of Michigan
- No. 89 Rolex AJGA Ranking
- Won the 2017 AJGA Junior All-Star at Owensboro
- Runner-up finishes at the 2017 AJGA Junior All-Star at Forsgate (May), Coca-Cola Junior Championship at Boyne Highlands (July)
- Two-time Drive, Chip and Putt National Finalist
SADIE ENGLEMANN | Austin, Texas | Class of 2020, West Lake High School
- No. 30 Rolex AJGA Rankings
- Set all-time AJGA record as a three-time ACDS Junior All-Star Team honoree (2015-2017)
- Three-time AJGA champion including two in 2017 (April, Bishops Gate Golf Academy Junior at Horseshoe Bay; August, Under Armour® / Jordan Spieth Championship presented by American Campus Communities)
- Seven top-10 national junior golf finishes in 2017
MICHAELA MORARD | Huntsville, Alabama | Class of 2020, Randolph High School
- Verbal commitment: University of Alabama
- No. 27 Rolex AJGA Rankings
- Set all-time AJGA record as a three-time ACDS Junior All-Star Team honoree (2015-2017)
- Two-time Rolex Junior All-American (2015, 2016)
- Three-time AJGA champion including 2017 AJGA Junior All-Star presented by Greg Norman Champions Golf Academy
- Three top-three national junior golf finishes in 2017
BRIANNA NAVARROSA | San Diego, California | Class of 2020, Mater Dei Catholic High School
- No. 35 Rolex AJGA Rankings
- Two-time ACDS Junior All-Star team honoree (2016-2017)
- Won the Tathata Golf Junior All-Star Championship (January)
- Round of 16, 2017 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship (July)
- Six top-10 national junior golf finishes in 2017 including two runner-ups
MAKENZIE NIBLETT | Austin, Texas | Class of 2021, Vandegrift High School
- Runner-up at the Under Armour® / Gary Woodland Championship (June)
- Tied for fifth at the Tathata Golf Junior All-Star Championship (January)
- Accumulated five top-nine AJGA finishes in 2017
CALYNNE ROSHOLT | Cedar Park, Texas | Class of 2021, Chaparral Star Academy
- No. 74 Rolex AJGA Rankings
- Won the 2017 Bass Pro Shops / Payne Stewart Junior Championship (July)
- Tied for fourth at the AJGA Junior All-Star at Lost Springs presented by Visit Bentonville (April)
- Finished in the top five in four of five AJGA events in 2017
ELINA SINZ | Katy, Texas | Class of 2020, Tompkins High School
- No. 78 Rolex AJGA Rankings
- Tied for third in back-to-back weeks at the David Toms Foundation Junior All-Star, KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational (June)
- Finished in the top seven in every AJGA event in 2017