Hong victorious at the Haas Family Invitational

Hong victorious at the Haas Family Invitational
Hong finishes tournament 6-under-par, wins by four

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Eugene Hong of Sanford, Florida, shot a final-round 70 and won by four strokes at the Haas Family Invitational. Andrew Kozan of West Palm Beach, Florida, was the only other player to finish under par, as his 2-under-par total gave him a second-place finish.

Hong was bogey-free on the back nine Friday, and a birdie on No. 15 gave him a three-stroke lead with just three holes to play. This is Hong’s first AJGA invitational win, and to win here at Sedgefield Country Club floods Hong with emotion.

“It feels really great because it is my first Invitational win,” Hong said. “I have always wanted to win an Invitational, and to win the Haas Family Invitational, it makes me very thankful.”

With the summer golf season just beginning, Hong has many goals he wants to accomplish.

“I hope to be a part of the Junior Ryder Cup in September and also be a part of the Wyndham Cup team. I hope that I can continue to play well during the whole summer,” Hong said.

Hong credits his strong score to his experience in other tournaments. At the CB&I / Simplify Boys Championship at Carlton Woods, he played in the final group in the final round, but ended up finishing second. He was again in the final group Friday, and this time he came out on top.

“I have been struggling the last couple of tournaments and the experience I have had the last couple of tournaments really helped me with where to attack the pin positions and where to not,” Hong said.

Andrew Kozan of West Palm Beach, Florida, finished second with a tournament total of 67-73-65-73—278. Following Kozan was Kaito Onishi of Irvine, California with a tournament score of 67-72-67-74—280, Karl Vilips of Wesley Chapel, Florida with a tournament score of 70-68-70-72—280 and S.M. Lee of Buford, Georgia, with a tournament score of 75-70-69-66—280.
About the AJGA
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 12-18) of nearly 6,500 members from 49 states and more than 50 foreign countries. Through initiatives like the Achieving Competitive Excellence (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-adidas Golf became the AJGA’s National Sponsor in 2016 after more than 25 years of support. Rolex, which is in its fourth decade of AJGA support, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004. In 2007, after 12 years of support, Ralph Lauren became the AJGA’s second Premier Partner.

AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. Former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 600 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson, Webb Simpson, Sergio Garcia, Hunter Mahan, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Zach Johnson, Justin Thomas, Stacy Lewis, Vicky Hurst, Alison Lee, Lexi Thompson, Inbee Park, Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome, Cristie Kerr and Morgan Pressel.
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Sedgefield Country Club | Boys Par: 35-35–70. Yardage: 7107. Rating: 75. Slope: 143

1. Eugene Hong, Sanford, Fla. (2018) 69-67-68-70–274
2. Andrew Kozan, West Palm Beach, Fla. (2017) 67-73-65-73–278
3. S.M. Lee, Buford, Ga. (2016) 75-70-69-66–280
3. Karl Vilips, (Australia) Wesley Chapel, Fla. (2020) 70-68-70-72–280
3. Kaito Onishi, (Japan) Irvine, Calif. (2017) 67-72-67-74–280
6. Reese Ramsey, Austin, Texas (2017) 75-66-71-69–281
7. Dan Erickson, Whittier, Calif. (2017) 68-71-77-66–282
7. Nate Menon, Wyomissing, Pa. (2017) 72-68-73-69–282
7. Wilson Furr, Jackson, Miss. (2017) 73-68-71-70–282
7. Joshua McCarthy, Danville, Calif. (2016) 69-73-71-69–282
7. Michael Sanders, Davidson, N.C. (2018) 74-70-66-72–282
12. Chandler Eaton, Alpharetta, Ga. (2016) 68-71-73-71–283
13. Tyler Strafaci, Davie, Fla. (2016) 69-71-76-68–284
14. Spencer Ralston, Gainesville, Ga. (2016) 71-73-72-69–285
15. Andy Spencer, Prairie Village, Kan. (2016) 76-69-71-70–286
15. William Nottingham, Kingsport, Tenn. (2016) 69-75-71-71–286
15. Noah Norton, Chico, Calif. (2017) 71-69-73-73–286
18. Trent Phillips, Inman, S.C. (2018) 73-75-71-69–288
18. Joshua Gliege, Eagle, Idaho (2016) 73-75-70-70–288
20. Kyle Cox, Carrollton, Texas (2018) 68-77-73-71–289
20. Spencer Soosman, Westlake Village, Calif. (2016) 76-70-72-71–289
20. Sen (Tommy) Cao, (China) Lake Mary, Fla. (2017) 72-70-74-73–289
20. Pierceson Coody, Plano, Texas (2018) 70-75-71-73–289
24. Mason Nome, Houston, Texas (2019) 75-70-76-69–290
24. Devondeep Bling, Ridgecrest, Calif. (2017) 73-72-70-75–290
24. John Pak, Scotch Plains, N.J. (2017) 71-71-73-75–290
27. Garrett Barber, Stuart, Fla. (2018) 71-70-77-73–291
27. Davis Shore, Knoxville, Tenn. (2017) 73-74-73-71–291
27. Andrew Spiegler, Abingdon, Va. (2017) 71-78-71-71–291
27. Andrew Walker, Battle Creek, Mich. (2016) 71-69-76-75–291
31. Hayden White, Benton, La. (2018) 76-70-72-75–293
31. Varun Chopra, Champaign, Ill. (2017) 76-71-75-71–293
31. Shiso Go, Hiratsuka, Japan (2017) 75-75-73-70–293
31. Zack Justice, Orlando, Fla. (2016) 75-74-75-69–293
35. Youxin (Robin) Wang, (China) Lake Mary, Fla. (2017) 76-73-69-76–294
35. Josef Dransfeld, Huntington, W.Va. (2018) 71-71-79-73–294
35. Eddy Lai, San Jose, Calif. (2017) 74-74-76-70–294
35. Yash Majmudar, (India) Singapore, Singapore (2016) 79-72-76-67–294
39. Walker Lee, Houston, Texas (2017) 71-71-77-76–295
39. Sachin Kumar, (Trinidad and Tobago) Port Saint Lucie, Fla. (2017) 69-77-71-78–295
39. Joseph Chun, (South Korea) Irvine, Calif. (2017) 75-75-77-68–295
42. David Laskin, Elk Grove, Calif. (2016) 71-79-73-73–296
43. Chase Furey, Newport Beach, Calif. (2017) 78-71-71-77–297
43. Aman Gupta, Concord, N.C. (2017) 72-74-76-75–297
43. Goodman Rudolph, Cordova, Tenn. (2017) 72-74-76-75–297
43. Ryan Gerard, Raleigh, N.C. (2017) 73-73-77-74–297
43. Michael Saccente, Edgewater, Fla. (2016) 74-80-71-72–297
48. Rij Patel, Hunt Valley, Md. (2016) 76-70-79-73–298
48. Will Dickson, Providence, R.I. (2017) 79-76-71-72–298
48. Christian Fanfelle, San Antonio, Texas (2018) 83-72-72-71–298
51. Ryan Hall, Knoxville, Tenn. (2018) 71-73-76-79–299
51. Brendan O’Reilly, Hinsdale, Ill. (2017) 80-73-73-73–299
53. McClure Meissner, San Antonio, Texas (2017) 74-78-70-78–300
53. Sean Maruyama, (Japan) Encino, Calif. (2018) 74-72-77-77–300
53. Parker Gillam, Cary, N.C. (2017) 72-73-80-75–300
56. Ben Smith, Novi, Mich. (2017) 76-71-77-78–302
56. Ethan Ng, New York, N.Y. (2018) 74-76-74-78–302
58. Koichiro Ishika, (Japan) Bradenton, Fla. (2017) 74-73-71-85–303
59. Zhengkai (Bobby) Bai, (China) Lake Mary, Fla. (2016) 77-73-75-79–304
59. Andy Mao, Johns Creek, Ga. (2019) 74-76-76-78–304
61. Carlos Tercero, Xalapa, Mexico (2017) 78-74-75-82–309
Missed Cut
MC Sam Bennett, Madisonville, Texas (2018) 74-82-73–229
MC Jake Milanowski, Peachtree City, Ga. (2017) 81-75-73–229
MC Luka Karaulic, Dacula, Ga. (2018) 76-76-77–229
MC Cooper Dossey, Austin, Texas (2016) 75-77-77–229
MC James Piot, Canton, Mich. (2017) 76-70-83–229
MC Sam Tidd, Meridian, Idaho (2018) 76-80-74–230
MC Brock Goyen, Gilbert, Ariz. (2017) 75-72-83–230
MC Thomas Hogan, St. Simons Island, Ga. (2018) 77-76-78–231
MC Brandon Yoon, Brambleton, Va. (2017) 79-73-79–231
MC Devin Hua, Barrigada, Guam (2016) 71-80-80–231
MC Harrison Ott, Brookfield, Wis. (2017) 81-78-73–232
MC Greyson Porter, Clearwater, Fla. (2016) 83-76-74–233
MC Pone Pyae Han, Yangon, Myanmar (2017) 81-77-75–233
MC Ryan Grider, Lewisville, Texas (2017) 76-81-77–234
MC Russell Matos, Lombard, Ill. (2016) 81-72-81–234
MC Charlie Miller, Jackson, Miss. (2017) 73-78-83–234
MC Evan Sun, Wesley Chapel, Fla. (2019) 81-81-76–238
MC Tobin Niblett, Austin, Texas (2016) 82-71-85–238
MC Chase Cutshall, Melbourne, Fla. (2016) 79-78-82–239
MC Garett Reband, Fort Worth, Texas (2016) 71-77-91–239
MC Sean Yi, Auburn, Wash. (2017) 81-74-86–241
MC Ahmed Ali, Palo Alto, Calif. (2018) 84-83-91–258
— Brandon Mancheno, Jacksonville, Fla. (2017) 70-74-74-JWD


Chris Richards, Senior Communications Director