On August 1, 13-year-old Lunden Esterline from Andover secured the Junior PGA Championship title by shooting an even-par 71 in the final round, finishing at an impressive 19-under par. Esterline’s outstanding performance granted him a six-stroke victory over runners-up Giuseppe Puebla and Tyler Mawhinney, cementing his dominance in the tournament.
Heading into the last round at the Ackerman-Allen course, Esterline maintained a commanding seven-stroke lead. Although his performance in the final round was his weakest of the championship, with three birdies and three bogeys, it was enough to hold off strong challengers like Charlie Woods and Pennson Badgett, who could not mount a significant comeback. Badgett finished tied for fourth at 12-under, while Woods lagged behind by ten strokes.
In the girls’ division, Asterisk Talley matched Esterline’s even-par 71 to capture her own Junior PGA Championship crown. Talley closed the tournament at 12-under, narrowly edging out Zoe Cusack by a single stroke, who also posted a 71 in the final round. Several other competitors, including Ying Xu, Cienna Lee, and Anna Fang, shared third place, finishing at 9-under.
Detailed Review of the Final Standings at Junior PGA Championship 2025
The final leaderboard highlights the top performers in the widely watched Junior PGA Championship 2025, showcasing remarkable young talent across both boys and girls divisions.
For the boys:
- Lunden Esterline dominated with a score of -19.
- Giuseppe Puebla and Tyler Mawhinney tied for second at -13.
- Ayden Fynaut, Zenghao Hou, and Pennson Badgett tied for fourth place at -12.
- Sam Carraher took seventh place at -11, followed by Drew Woolworth at eighth with -10.
- A group of seven players, including Kailer Stone, Spencer Harrison, William Chang, Max VanderMolen, Mason Howell, Luke Balaskiewicz, Ronin Banerjee, and Charlie Woods, shared ninth place at -9.
- Further down, Austin Shelley and Jessy Huebner held the seventeenth position at -8, with other notable participants like Chase Yenser at nineteenth with -7, and several players tying between twentieth and twenty-fourth notching scores from -6 to -5.
For the girls:
- Asterisk Talley clinched first place with -12.
- Zoe Cusack narrowly missed the top spot, finishing second at -11.
- Anna Fang, Cienna Lee, and Ying Xu shared third place at -9.
- Elizabeth Rudisill and Arianna Lau tied for sixth at -7, with additional players like Yujie Liu and Lily Peng placing eighth at -6.
- Others, including Lisa Herman, Niuniu Zhao, and Kathryn DeLoach, finished tied for tenth at -5.
- The leaderboard extends to participants inside and beyond the top 30, with Alexandra Phung at +2 and Sophia Lee at +4 marking the latter end.
Analyzing the Championship and Its Future Implications
Lunden Esterline’s commanding performance at such a young age highlights an extraordinary level of skill and poise under pressure, signaling a promising future in competitive golf. His ability to maintain composure even when not playing his best in the final round suggests resilience that may prove crucial in upcoming competitions.
The close contest among many players throughout the leaderboard, especially notable golfers such as Giuseppe Puebla, Tyler Mawhinney, and Pennson Badgett, demonstrates the deep pool of emerging talent ready to challenge the established leaders soon.
In the girls‘ bracket, Asterisk Talley’s slim margin of victory over Zoe Cusack underscores the increasing competitiveness in junior women’s golf, with several contenders poised to push for titles in future seasons.
The Junior PGA Championship Winners 2025 have set a high bar this year, drawing attention to the next generation of golfers who will likely shape the sport’s landscape in years ahead. As these young athletes continue to develop their skills and experience, fans and scouts alike will be eager to watch their progress in national and international tournaments.