12-year-old Alexa Pano became youngest winner in AJGA history
Alexa Pano at the PDQ/Philadelphia Runner Junior
(AJGA Photo)
BETHLEHEM, PA (September 2, 2016) -- On Wednesday 12-year-old Alexa Pano of Lake Worth, FL became the youngest winner in AJGA history capturing the PDQ/Philadelphia Runner Junior at Saucon Valley Country Club.
What makes it even more impressive is that this was just her second ever AJGA event.
“It means a lot for me to win this because I believe I’m one of the youngest to win an AJGA event, turning 12 just a week and a half ago,” Pano who is the youngest to win an AJGA title told Golfweek.
Pano, who finished 5-under, led by a stroke heading into the final but a 1-under 70 on the final day turned her advantage into a five-stroke victory. During the final round Pano birdied three holes before bogeying two late.
Throughout the 54-hole week, Pano birdied 10 holes and bogeyed just six. She started her week out slowly with dropped shots on her 2nd and 3rd holes of the tournament, but was nearly flawless after that.
Pano has been busy making a name for herself in recent years; in April she won the the Girls Division 10-11 Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals, in June as an 11-year-old she became the youngest player to compete on the LPGA of Japan Tour playing in the Yonex Ladies Tournament and in August still as an 11-year-old, she became the third youngest to play in a U.S. Women's Amateur.
Futhermore in five of the last six years she has won her age division at the U.S. Kids Golf World Championship
-Golfweek.com contributed to this story