BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Bakersfield Country Club hosted some of the nation's top junior golfers over three days, and when the final putts dropped Friday, two champions emerged: Oscar Liang and Kandice Chuang.
Liang, a 15-year-old from Irvine, captured the boys title with a low round of 65. He finished 11-under-par for the tournament with a three-round total of 205 — five strokes ahead of the runners-up.
"It feels great. I had a few good weeks leading up to this. I've been playing well and it just feels good to get it done," Liang said.
Familiarity with the course played a role in his performance.
"I've played here a few times so I know where to hit and just seeing the conditions kinda helped - overall, I felt like I was pretty ready for this course," Liang said.
Kandice Chuang, a 17-year-old from Los Angeles, claimed the girls championship, describing the win as bittersweet.
"This year, it's my last open of the year and last year was my second to last one so this year I just wanted to play my best," Chuang said.
Chuang set a low-round record with a 68 last year. This year, she followed it up with a low round of 69, finishing 13-under-par for the tournament with a total of 203 strokes.
"It feels really good but I wasn't trying to win. I was just trying to play my best like I did last year," Chuang said.
For Chuang, the mental side of the game is just as important as the physical.
"Golf is a lot of mentality but after you cross that barrier of 'Oh I'm not good enough' then I feel like you can really reach your peak," Chuang said.
For Liang and Chuang, the trophies are just the latest milestone as they continue building resumes that could lead to college golf — and beyond.
The next AJGA event will be held in California at Mission Viejo.
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