Winners Lucy Li (L) and Garrett Barber (R)
(AJGA Photo)

The 40th edition of the Rolex Tournament of Champions features 144 of the best junior golfers in the world from 24 states and eight countries. The tournament assembles the Rolex Junior All-Americans with the past year’s champions and members of the Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-America Team to create The Greatest Week in Junior Golf.

Past winners of the Rolex Tournament of Champions include Phil Mickelson, David Duval, Charles Howell, David Gossett, Webb Simpson, Sam Burns, Heather Farr, Kellee Booth, Inbee Park, Morgan Pressel and Alison Lee.

Barber, a Louisiana State University signee, battled back and forth with Castillo of Yorba Linda, California, entering the round tied at 12-under-par 203. Canon Claycomb of Bowling Green, Kentucky, held the clubhouse lead at 7-under-par 279, with the leader boys group heading into No. 18. Barber’s one-shot lead came into jeopardy, with a ball just finding safety from the water in front of the green. But a converted five-foot putt sealed his par and first AJGA Invitational victory.

Claycomb finished one stroke shy after winning The PING Invitational in record-breaking fashion, while Castillo finished in third at 6-under-par 280. William Mouw of Chino, California, finished in fourth at 5-under-par 281. Ryan Smith of Carlsbad, California; Michael Thorbjornsen of Wellesley, Massachusetts; and Alexander Vogelsong of Palm City, Florida, rounded out the top-five at 4-under-par 282.

A sophomore from Redwood Shores, California, Li took a five-stroke lead into the final round and posted a 3-under-par 69 on the Fazio Course to hold off Aneka Seumanutafa of Emmitsburg, Maryland, at 13-under-par 275. The ANA Junior Inspiration and PING Invitational champion posted a 10-under-par 62 on the Champion Course in the second round to catapult herself to the top of the leaderboard, never surrendering the lead in the last 36 holes. Seumanutafa, a verbal commit to Ohio State University, finished in solo second at 8-under-par 280, her highest AJGA finish.

Michaela Morard of Huntsville, Alabama, took home low-final-round honors in the Girls Division with a 7-under-par 65 in the final round to finish third at 5-under-par 283 just a month after winning the Justin Rose Junior All-Star Invitational at Reynolds Lake Oconee. Brianna Navarrosa of San Diego, finished in fourth at even-par 288, while Rolex Junior Player of the Year Rachel Heck of Memphis, Tennessee, rounded out the top-five at 1-over-par 289.