Southern California Wins 49th Annual Junior America’s Cup by 25 Strokes

Southern California won the 49th Annual Junior America’s Cup, hosted by the Wyoming State Golf Association, at the Powder Horn Golf Club, in Sheridan, Wyoming. Southern California fired a 2-under par team score of 211 during the final round, during rainy and windy conditions, to finish at 19-under par for the three days (200-209-211=620). It was a dominating performance as Southern California won by 25 strokes over 2nd place Utah. The last time they captured the team title was in 2015, at Pine Canyon, in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Leading Southern California was the Sally Pini medalist Luciano Conlan, who fired rounds of 65-71-68 (204) to finish at 9-under par. His teammate Eric Lee finished one stroke back at 8-under par (68-68-69-205). The two other Southern California players were Dalin Piao who finished in 10th (70-70-74=214) and Lincoln Melcher who placed 26th (67-80-75=222).

Utah, co-champions in 2019, placed 2nd as a team at 4-over par 643 (215-207-221) for the three-day competition. Utah was lead by Boston Bracken who finished 3rd, with rounds of 69-69-69 (207). Bracken was one of only two players to shoot under par every round (Eric Lee, of Southern Cal being the other player). Rounding out the Utah team, Cooper Jones finished 10th (70-67-78=215), Kihei Akina finished 28th (76-71-76=223) and Tanner Telford who finished 45th (78-76-76=230).

Nevada took 3rd place honors, at 6-over par 645 (216-214-215). Leading Nevada was Ian Gilligan who finished 6th (69-68-72=209) and Jackson Parrish who finished 8th (68-71-73). Host Association Wyoming finished in 11th place, and were paced by Parker Paxton with rounds of 72-70-78= 220, good enough for 19th place individually.

Like a collegiate event, the Junior America’s Cup features 18 teams of four boys representing their state, province or country. The competition takes place over 3 days with 18-holes played each day for a total of 54-holes played to determine the winning team. Each team counts its best three scores each round with the low scoring team after 54-holes being crowned the 2021 champions and presented with the champion’s medals & trophy.

The 2021 competition marked the 49th anniversary of the Junior America’s Cup championship and the second time it will be held in Wyoming. The previous time the event was hosted in Wyoming was 2005 which was also at Powder Horn Golf Club. The teams from Oregon and Washington were co-champions that year. Team Washington featured PGA Tour Player Joel Dahmen, who was also the low individual at the event with scores of 70-67-67= 223. Another PGA Tour player who participated that year was Tony Finau who was on team Utah.

In a glorious valley facing the Big Horn Mountains near Sheridan, Wyoming, the Powder Horn is a fun, family-friendly, social golf club and community on over 900 acres in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. The Powder Horn Golf Club is proudly managed by Troon Privé, the world’s leader in private upscale club management. With a 27-hole golf course, swimming pools, tennis courts, walking trails, fishing ponds, and a beautiful clubhouse, it’s easy to see why so many choose to call The Powder Horn home.

Past Junior America’s Cup participants who have gone on to successful professional careers include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Fred Couples, Corey Pavin, Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Cantlay, Rickie Fowler, Ryan Moore, Kyle Stanley and Tony Finau.

Andrew Columbro
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