Blades Brown (USGA Photo)
Blades Brown of Nashville, Tennessee, was named the top male junior golfer in the world with the American Junior Golf Association’s Rolex Junior Player of the Year award. Gianna Clemente of Estero, Florida, was named the top female junior golfer in the world and joins Brown on a historical list of Rolex Junior Players of the Year: Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth, Scottie Scheffler, Morgan Pressel, Paula Creamer, Ariya Jutanugarn, Inbee Park and Rose Zhang.
The Rolex Junior All-America Teams annually recognize the world’s premier junior golfers. The 2024 class includes 48 boys and 48 girls, ages 13-19, from 19 states and three countries.
These young men and women distinguished themselves through exceptional play in 160 national junior golf events, 142 of which were conducted by the AJGA. As of October 17, the teams were determined exclusively through the Rolex AJGA Rankings.
Brown, Clemente and the 2024 Rolex Junior All-America Teams will be honored at the Rolex Junior All-America Awards Banquet on Saturday, November 23, hosted at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa.
‘The Greatest Night in Junior Golf’ will recognize the accomplishments and celebrate the achievements of the Rolex Junior All-America teams, Rolex Scholastic Junior All-America honorees and Jerry Cole Sportsmanship Award recipients. Rolex Junior All-Americans and a field of the top players in the Rolex AJGA Rankings will compete at the Rolex Tournament of Champions, November 13-27 at TPC San Antonio – Canyons Course in San Antonio, Texas.
Blades Brown
In 2024, Brown solidified his status as one of junior golf’s brightest stars after placing inside the top five at four out of five national junior golf events. The Tennessee native finished third at the AJGA Simplify Boys Championship at Carlton Woods after a three-day total of 75-71-65 — 211. The field included 18 of the top 20 ranked players, highlighted by 2023 Rolex Junior Player of the Year, Miles Russell of Jacksonville Beach, Florida.
In March, Brown placed fourth at the Dustin Johnson World Junior and tied for 19th at the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley. By May, Brown’s impressive young career reached new heights as he made his PGA TOUR debut at the Myrtle Beach Classic. At just 16-years-old, Brown shot a 1-over-par 72 in his opening round, followed by a 4-under-par 67 to make the cut. He finished the event with rounds of 5-under-par 66 and 2-under-par 69 to finish at 10-under-par 276, tying for 26th place in his first TOUR event.
Returning to the AJGA circuit, Brown’s momentum continued as he tied for third at the RLX Ralph Lauren Junior Classic. In the Quarterfinals, he defeated Princeton commit Eric Yun of Menlo Park, California, in a commanding performance. A two-time First Team Rolex Junior All-American, Brown played a pivotal role in leading the East Team to victory at the Wyndham Cup, marking the East’s first win since 2021. Brown won his singles match over Kihei Akina of Kahuku, Hawaii, to clinch the cup for the East.
Brown’s standout year continued as he captured medalist honors at the 77th U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, becoming only the third player to earn medalist honors at both the U.S. Junior and U.S. Amateur. The 1991 and 1992 Rolex Junior Player of The Year, Tiger Woods, is one of the three players to share that distinction. Capping off the season, Brown placed second at The Junior PLAYERS Championship presented by Rolex after a three-day total of 71-73-66 — 210.
In recognition of his stellar year, Brown was selected to represent the U.S. Team at the Junior Presidents Cup in Laval-sur-le-Lac, Quebec, helping the team reclaim the cup. His achievements and composure under pressure have solidified his place among the top ranks of junior golfers worldwide.
Brown will end his 2024 campaign with his first appearance at the Rolex Tournament of Champions.
Brown’s 2024 highlights:
Two-time First-Team Rolex Junior All-American
Stroke-play Medalist, U.S. Junior Amateur Championship
Runner-up, The Junior PLAYERS Championship presented by Rolex
T3, RLX Ralph Lauren Junior Classic
Third, AJGA Simplify Boys Championship at Carolton Woods
Fourth, Dustin Johnson World Junior
Member of the United States Junior Presidents Cup Team
Member of the Wyndham Cup East Team
Gianna Clemente
Clemente’s extraordinary 2024 season further solidified her place among the elite in junior golf, earning her the honors of 2024 Girls Rolex Player of the Year. A five-time Rolex Junior All-American, Clemente began the year with a top-10 finish at the Fortinet Girls Invitational at Stanford, posting rounds of 71-72 — 143. In March, she finished tied for 11th at the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley.
Her performance took another leap when Clemente finished an impressive fifth place at the prestigious Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship (ANWA), competing against the top female amateurs from around the world. This strong finish set the tone for her summer season and propelled her to her fifth AJGA win and third Invitational title at the Mizuho Americas Open in May. In this unique stableford event, Clemente tallied 149 points to win by two. With the AJGA field playing alongside a full 120-player LPGA field, Clemente found herself in a final round pairing with LPGA stars Nelly Korda and Hannah Green.
Immediately following her Mizuho victory, Clemente competed in the LPGA ShopRite Classic presented by Acer, finishing 47th with an impressive three-day total of 68-70-71 — 209, again proving she can hold her own among the best in the game.
In June, Clemente tied for 15th at the Rolex Girls Junior Championship and played an integral role on the victorious East Team at the Wyndham Cup. Her summer continued with a deep run at the 75th U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship, advancing to the Semifinals before falling to PING Junior Solheim Cup teammate Asterisk Talley of Chowchilla, California. She also reached the match play portion of the U.S. Women’s Amateur, advancing to the Round of 32.
At the PING Junior Solheim Cup, Clemente was part of a historic U.S. Team performance, where they earned 18.5 points – the highest score in tournament history – crushing their European counterparts 18.5. to 5.5. Clemente contributed to the team’s dominant win with a commanding 5&4 victory in her singles match against Europe’s Paris Appendino.
Rounding out the summer, Clemente finished as runner-up at The PING Invitational. A two-time champion of the event, she holds the distinction of being the youngest champion in the tournament’s history, having won it in 2021 at just 13 years, 6 months and 18 days old.
Clemente’s 2024 highlights:
Five-time Rolex Junior All-American
Four-time First Team Rolex Junior All-American
Won, Mizuho Americas Open
Runner-up, The PING Invitational
Two-time member of the United States PING Junior Solheim Cup Team
Three-time member of the Wyndham Cup East Team
For more information, please contact Angela Ding (ading@ajga.org) in the AJGA Communications Department at (678) 425-1786 or visit ajga.org.
About Rolex
An unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise
Rolex is an integrated and independent Swiss watch manufacture. Headquartered in Geneva, the brand is recognized the world over for its expertise and the quality of its products – symbols of excellence, elegance and prestige. The movements of its Oyster Perpetual and Perpetual watches are certified by COSC, then tested in-house for their precision, performance and reliability. The Superlative Chronometer certification, symbolized by the green seal, confirms that each watch has successfully undergone tests conducted by Rolex in its own laboratories according to its own criteria. These are periodically validated by an independent external organization.
The word ‘Perpetual’ is inscribed on every Rolex Oyster watch. But more than just a word on a dial, it is a philosophy that embodies the company’s vision and values. Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of the company, instilled a notion of perpetual excellence that would drive the company forward. This led Rolex to pioneer the development of the wristwatch and numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism, invented in 1931. In the course of its history, Rolex has registered over 600 patents. At its four sites in Switzerland, the brand designs, develops and produces the majority of its watch components, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Furthermore, the brand is actively involved in supporting the arts and culture, sport and exploration, as well as those who are devising solutions to preserve the planet.
About the American Junior Golf Association
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.
TaylorMade and adidas are the AJGA’s National Sponsors, supporting the AJGA for more than 25 years. TaylorMade has served as the Official Ball of the AJGA since 2016. adidas has been the Official Apparel and Footwear of the AJGA since 2017. Rolex, in its fourth decade of AJGA sponsorship, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004.
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.
2024 Rolex Junior All-Americans
Boys – First Team
Pennson Badgett of Pilot Mountain, North Carolina
Ronin Banerjee of Irvine, California – 2nd honor
Carson Bertagnole of Pinehurst, North Carolina – 2nd honor
Blades Brown of Nashville, Tennessee – 2nd honor, 2024 Rolex Junior Player of the Year
Jackson Byrd of Saint Simons Island, Georgia – 3rd honor
Luke Colton of Frisco, Texas
Tyler Mawhinney of Fleming Island, Florida – 2nd honor
Logan Reilly of Lovettsville, Virginia
Michael Riebe of Encinitas, California – 3rd honor
Asher Vargas of Spring, Texas
Tyler Watts of Huntsville, Alabama – 2nd honor
Eric Yun of Menlo Park, California – 2nd honor
Girls – First Team
Vanessa Borovilos of Toronto, Ontario, Canada – 2nd honor
Sofia Cherif Essakali of Orlando, Florida
Gianna Clemente of Estero, Florida – 5th honor
Aphrodite Deng of Short Hills, New Jersey – 2nd honor
Anna Huang of Coto De Caza, California – 2nd honor
Jasmine Koo of Cerritos, California – 4th honor
Jude Lee of Walnut, California
Avery McCrery of Wilmington, Delaware – 2nd honor
Nikki Oh of Torrance, California – 2nd honor
Elizabeth Rudisill of Charlotte, North Carolina – 3rd honor
Scarlett Schremmer of Birmingham, Alabama – 2nd honor
Asterisk Talley of Chowchilla, California – 3rd honor
Boys – Second Team
Kihei Akina of Kahuku, Hawaii – 2nd honor
Bowen Ballis of The Woodlands, Texas
Hamilton Coleman of Augusta, Georgia – 2nd honor
Billy Davis of Spring Valley, California – 2nd honor
Wheaton Ennis of Eagle, Idaho – 2nd honor
Will Hartman of Marvin, North Carolina – 3rd honor
Mason Howell of Thomasville, Georgia – 2nd honor
Chase Kyes of Birmingham, Alabama – 2nd honor
Jay Leng Jr of San Diego, California – 3rd honor
Miles Russell of Jacksonville Beach, Florida – 2nd honor
Parker Sands of Edmond, Oklahoma
Cole Stockard of Dalton, Georgia
Girls – Second Team
Kayla Bryant of Boca Raton, Florida
Clara Ding of White Rock, British Columbia, Canada
Anna Fang of San Diego, California
Mia Hammond of New Albany, Ohio
Thanana Kotchasanmanee of Rome, Georgia – 3rd honor
Amy Lee of Langley, British Columbia, Canada – 2nd honor
Clairey Lin of Palos Verdes Estates, California
Madison Messimer of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Kristina Xu of Claremont, California
Natalie Yen of West Linn, Oregon – 2nd honor
Amelie Zalsman of Saint Petersburg, Florida – 2nd honor
Alice Ziyi Zhao of Irvine, California – 4th honor
Boys – Honorable Mention
Jake Albert of Blacksburg, Virginia – 2nd honor
Benjamin Baker of Broadlands, Virginia
Nicholas Canitano of Milton, Georgia
Brady Catalano of Upper Arlington, Ohio
John Daniel Culbreth of Thomasville, Georgia
Matthew Diehl of Redlands, California
Phillip Dunham of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida – 2nd honor
Henry Guan of Dallas, Texas – 3rd honor
Talan Harrison of Kannapolis, North Carolina
Alex Huang of Plano, Texas
Chase Hughes of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Sterling Hurd of Austin, Texas – 2nd honor
Joshua Kim of Danville, California – 2nd honor
Logan Kim of Altadena, California
Charles Nelson of Dallas, Texas
Jackson Ormond of Webster, New York
Aadi Parmar of Selma, Texas
Tyler Sanford of Montgomery, Texas
Brooks Simmons of Dallas, Texas – 2nd honor
Jaden Soong of Los Angeles, California
Jon Ed Steed of Enterprise, Alabama – 2nd honor
Bailey Sutter of Cullman, Alabama
Adam Villanueva of Austin, Texas
Daniel Zou of The Woodlands, Texas
Girls – Honorable Mention
Adrienne Ahn of Dallas, Texas
Kallyn Black of Greensboro, Georgia
Dresden Bounds of San Antonio, Texas
Shyla Brown of McKinney, Texas
Yu-Chu Chen of Allen, Texas – 2nd honor
Zoe Cusack of Potomac, Maryland
Rayee Feng of Short Hills, New Jersey
Jodie Han of Lewis Center, Ohio
Lisa Herman of Jenks, Oklahoma – 2nd honor
Maye Huang of Katy, Texas – 2nd honor
Katelyn Huber of Gainesville, Florida
Ryleigh Knaub of Debary, Florida – 2nd honor
Brynn Kort of Henderson, Nevada – 2nd honor
Mi Li of Orlando, Florida – 2nd honor
Shauna Liu of Maple, Ontario, Canada
Yujie Liu of Beijing, China – 2nd honor
Megan Meng of Pennington, New Jersey – 3rd honor
Kinsley (Zixin) Ni of Los Angeles, California
Lily Peng of San Ramon, California – 2nd honor
Eliana Saga of Stevenson Ranch, California – 2nd honor
Emma Wang of Palo Alto, California
Michelle Xing of Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
Celina Yeo of London, Ontario, Canada
Donina Zhou of Trabuco Canyon, California – 2nd honor