The American Junior Golf Association made its way to Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale over the weekend for the Thunderbird International Junior.
40 boys and 38 girls ranging from ages 12 to 18 made up the field. On the boys side, something was accomplished that has never happened in the 13 year history of the event.
Max Orrin, an 18 year old from Kent, United Kingdom, became the first international boy to win the event.
“It was a great field and the course was perfect,” explained Max Orrin after winning the tournament. “You can’t really complain about anything. I had a great week.”
Orrin, who is ranked 21st in the European Golf rankings, shot ten under par for the weekend, including a stand-out performance during round two where he shot a 67.
“I kept telling myself not to play safe and other people are going to make mistakes and to keep attacking like I had been,” said Orrin.
On the front nine of the final day, Orrin was being chased by AJ McInerney from Henserson, Nevada, who strung together four consecutive birdies and even took over the leader board at one point. But Orrin kept his cool and went on to take the tournament, winning by five strokes.
“He played great,” Orrin explained. “It kind of spurred me on a bit to make more birdies and without that I would not have been so attacking.”
It was that mentality that carried him to his first AJGA win of the season.
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Jared Cohen
A born and bred Arizonan, Jared has had great passion for the hometown teams all his life. He now channel's that passion into covering the pro, college and high school teams around the state as a Multimedia Reporter for Sports360AZ.