2014 Thunderbird International Junior champions – Andy Zhang, Boys Division and Maddie Szeryk, Girls Division

Maddie Szeryk and Andy Zhang

The 2014 Thunderbird International Junior championship took place over Memorial Day Weekend at Grayhawk’s Raptor course in Scottsdale, Arizona. 

Andy Zhang slammed the door on fellow competitors with a final-round 9-under-par 63 on his way to 17-under-par (199) and a win at the 2014 Thunderbird International Junior, his first AJGA victory.

After a string of five birdies and an eagle on the front nine, the Reunion, Florida resident (by way of China) made the turn at a sizzling 29, 15-under-par for the tournament. Zhang added another eagle and birdie on Nos. 11 and 12 before finishing in style with a tap-in birdie on the 18th hole to match a tournament record 9-under-par 63. He finished the tournament four strokes ahead of the closest challenger.

In the Girls Division, Maddie Szeryk of Allen, Texas took the title after a two-hole playoff. Both Szeryk and fellow competitor, Andrea Lee of Hermosa Beach, California finished regulation play with a tournament-total 2-under-par 214 on Grayhawk’s Raptor Course. After they pushed the first playoff hole with pars, Szeryk struck her approach shot on the second playoff hole to set up the winning birdie putt. The victory marks Szeryk’s fourth career AJGA title and first Invitational win.