Dustin Johnson World Junior Alumni Achieving Next-Level Excellence

When pointing to the annual strength of field of the Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship Presented by LA Golf at TPC Myrtle Beach, the proof in the pudding can be found with just one glance at the most recent achievements of this event’s high-powered alumni.

They now include 14 past DJWJ participants who’ve risen steadily in the competitive ranks: one PGA TOUR winner, nine of the top players in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), and one of these top WAGR players also among five junior golfers in the top 10 of the Rolex AJGA Rankings.

In the world’s top professional circuit, 2019 DJ World Junior boys champ Akshay Bhatia just earned his first PGA TOUR victory with a win last month at the Barracuda Championship. It’s been an adventurous ascent for the four-year pro, whose ability to overcome adversity along the way is highlighted in this piece from PGATOUR.com’s Kevin Prise.

Eight of the world’s top amateur men appear in prime position to join Bhatia in the pro ranks very soon. Each of these DJWJ alumni occupies a spot among the top 14 players in the latest WAGR Men’s Rankings, including three past DJWJ champions among these current college stars:

No. 4 David Ford (North Carolina);
No. 5 Austin Greaser (North Carolina);
No. 7 Benjamin James (Virginia; 2022 DJWJ champion);
No. 8 Caleb Surratt (Tennessee);
No. 9 Nicholas Gabrelcik (North Florida);
No. 10 Nicholas Dunlap (Alabama; 2021 DJWJ champion);
No. 12 Michael Brennan (Wake Forest; 2018 DJWJ champion); and
No. 14 Luke Clanton (Florida State)

The five juniors in the top 10 of the Rolex AJGA Rankings include two boys:

No. 1 Jackson Koivun (2023 DJWJ champion and Auburn commit); and
No. 6 Nicholas Gross (2024 high school grad with a verbal commit to Alabama)

And three girls:

No. 2 Gianna Clemente (HS class of 2026);
No. 3 Anna Davis (HS class of 2024, a verbal commit to Auburn who also holds fourth place in the current WAGR Women’s Rankings); and
No. 8 Alice Ziyi Zhao (HS class of 2027)

More players are sure to follow a similar path. The Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship Presented by LA Golf has proudly hosted an international field comprised of the game’s best junior golfers in each of its past eight events. The tournament, for boys and girls ages 13-18, features 90 players from around the world and is contested each March at TPC Myrtle Beach, a renowned venue with an illustrious history of hosting elite events featuring the world’s top senior (2000 Senior Tour Championship), collegiate (2019 NCAA Division I Men’s Regional Championship) and junior golfers.

With the support of Johnson, the world’s top-ranked player for more than two years, the tournament provides participants a TOUR-like experience, and the chance to test themselves against premier players from across the globe.

Stay tuned to PlayGolfMyrtleBeach.com for future announcements of 2024 DJ World Junior dates, qualifying information, player fields and more.

Click an icon below to browse photos of the 14 players highlighted here