Class of 2024 Boys Individual Rankings
American
*All rankings and rankings metrics at the time of signing day, 2024.
1. Billy Davis, Auburn
JGS: 5 Rolex: 1 Golfweek: 1 US WAGR: 3
California's Davis has had a fantastic 2023, which has brought him to the #1 ranking in both Rolex and Golfweek, and 3rd among 2024 American players in WAGR. Since December, 2002, he inked the following top-3 finishes on his resume: 2nd at the Jones Cup Junior Invitational, a win at the AJGA Mayakoba Invitational, 3rd at the Toyota Junior World Cup, semi-finalist at the US Junior Amateur, and 2nd at the Junior PGA Championship. Davis represented the US at the Junior Ryder Cup in 2023 and should be a strong contributor to Auburn lineups. He is our #1 pick due to his success in 2023.
2. Nick Gross, Alabama
JGS: 1 Rolex: 4 Golfweek: 6 US WAGR: 1
Pennsylvania's Gross held the number one spot across several rankings metrics in 2022, with top-5 finishes at the AJGA Simplify Boys Championship, Dustin Johnson World Junior, Junior Invitational at Sage Valley, and the Junior PGA Championship. He made headlines as a quarter-finalist at the 2022 US Amateur. In 2023, he snagged the title at the Simplify, and was a semi-finalist at the AJGA Polo Junior Classic. Nick again made match play at the 2023 US Amateur, and was a member of the US Junior Ryder Cup team. He is part of the top-ranked Alabama recruiting class for 2024.
Photo: AJGA
Photo: @nickgrossgolf X
3. Jay Leng, Stanford
JGS: 3 Rolex: 3 Golfweek: 2 US WAGR: 2
California's Leng sits in the top-3 across all rankings metrics. Leng's success in 2022 included a win at the AJGA Ping Invitational, and 5th place finishes at the AJGA Jack Burke Junior Invitational and the Junior PGA Championship. He continued his solid play in 2023 with a win at the AJGA Polo Junior Classic, and top-5 finishes at the AJGA Wyndham, Ping, and Mayakoba Invitationals and the Junior PGA Championship. His successes led him to represent the US at the Junior Ryder Cup, and he will be a formidable challenger for lineups at Stanford.
4. Wheaton Ennis, Texas A&M
JGS: 2 Rolex: 2 Golfweek: 3 US WAGR: 6
Arizona's Ennis made a move from Idaho, and the consistent opportunity to play year round has lifted his game to be a top-5 2024 recruit, occupying a top-3 top in all three junior rankings metrics. Ennis owns three AJGA titles in 2023, including the recent Ping Invitational in commanding fashion. The 2021 & 2022 Idaho Junior Amateur champion also found the top-5 in 2023 in the Junior PGA Championship and the W.E. Cotton States Amateur, and owns several JGAA event titles.
Photo: @jaylengjr instagram
Photo: @wheaton_ennis instagram
5. William Jennings, Alabama
JGS: 4 Rolex: 6 Golfweek: 4 US WAGR: 11
Jennings has had a steady presence in the top-10 in all class rankings for the past two years, with 2nd-place finishes at the 2023 & 2022 Bobby Chapman Invitational a highlight. He has collected top-5 finishes at the 2022 & 2023 AJGA Wyndham Invitationals, and the 2023 Team Taylormade Invitational. William finished a solid 7th at the 2023 Terra Cotta Amateur Invitational. He and Gross will make a dynamic lineup duo for Alabama.
Photo: Gwinn Davis
Photo: @kespergolfcommits
6. Byungho Lee, Pepperdine
JGS: 9 Rolex: 5 Golfweek: 7
Originally from Korea, Texan Lee had a successful 2022 season, with wins at the Scott Robertson Memorial and the AJGA Polo Junior Classic, 8th at the AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions, and 11th at the Junior PGA Championship. His strong play continued into 2023, with a runner-up finish at the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley, 7th at the Terra Cotta Invitational, and two AJGA Invitational top-10s. Lee made an appearance at the 2023 US Amateur, and has been a consistent top-10 presence in all junior rankings in the past two years.
Photo: @ethan_paschal instagram
7. Ethan Paschal, North Carolina
JGS: 7 Rolex: 8 Golfweek: 8 US WAGR: 5
Paschal, a North Carolina native, climbed up all of the junior rankings after a hot spring, with a 3rd at the Dustin Johnson World Junior, 2nd at the AJGA Junior at Canebrake, and 6th at the AJGA Team Taylormade Invitational. Although his game cooled a bit over the summer, he was able to nab a match play spot into the round of 64 at the 2023 US Amateur. Early career highlights include top-5 finishes at the 2021 & 2022 Elite Invitational, and a win at the 2021 Creed Boys Invitational.
8. William Ma, Harvard
JGS: 6 Rolex: 13 Golfweek: 5
Californian Ma announced his commitment to Harvard in December of 2023. He has been a steady competitor on the junior circuit over the past two seasons, with two AJGA Open event wins and a 4th place finish at the 2023 AJGA Jack Burke Junior Invitational. Ma's resume highlights also include two AJGA Open top-3 finishes and a runner-up finish at the 2023 Sonoran Amateur.
Photo: AJGA
9. Ryan Downes, Vanderbilt
JGS: 10 Rolex: 14 Golfweek: 9 US WAGR: 4
Downes, 4th ranked American 2024 in WAGR, has risen up the rankings in 2023 this year with a win at the AJGA Justin Thomas Junior Championship, 8th at the AJGA Jack Burke Junior Invitational, and medalist honors in stroke play at the Massachusetts Junior Amateur. His Amateur tournament resume includes a win at the 2023 Massachusetts Amateur Championship, following a runner-up finish in 2022. He won the Ouimet Memorial Tournament in 2023 & 2022, and made the cut at the Northeast Amateur this year.
Photo: @ryandownes_1 instagram
T10. Charlie Wylie, TCU
JGS: 12 Rolex: 7 Golfweek: 15
Texas native Wylie has made a quick ascension into the top-10 of the 2024 class this year. He began the spring of 2023 with top-10 finishes at the AJGA Spot X Hotel Junior Championship and the Southern Junior, and added a 3rd place finish at the Byron Nelson Junior Championship. Late season 3rd place finishes at the AJGA Jack Burke Junior Invitational and the AJGA Ping Invitational solidified his name in the conversation with this group, as he made a late commitment to TCU.
T10. Boston Bracken, Arizona St.
JGS: 16 Rolex: 10 Golfweek: 12 US WAGR: 12
Bracken is another Arizona native to appear on this list, and has the ability to produce top finishes in big events. In 2022, he registered 2nd place at the IMG Junior World Championship and 9th at the AJGA Jack Burke Invitational. Although his 2023 results have been inconsistent, Bracken placed 3rd at the AJGA Simplify Boys Championship, 7th at the Wyndham Invitational, and 10th at the Junior PGA Championship. He also reached the round of 32 at the US Junior Amateur and qualified for the 2023 US Amateur.
Photo: @kespergolfcommits
Photo: @bozjack_27 instagram
International
*There are a clear #1 and #2. After that, it is difficult to compare events & tours in different continents. The remaining 9 are in alphabetical order, with Moto added 12/12/23.
1. TK Chantananuwat, Stanford
WAGR: 46
Stanford recruiting class stock rose to #2 with a late commitment of Chantananuwat in early November. He owns the highest WAGR ranking in this class, due to success in multiple amateur and professional events. In 2023, TK qualified for both the US Amateur and the US Junior Amateur, making the round of 64 in the latter. Top finishes include 3rd place at the Amateur Championship and 5th at the Southeast Asia Games. In 2022, he finished 13th in the Asia-Pacific Amateur, 8th at the Thailand Open, and 2nd at the R&A Junior Open. He also owns one win on the Asian Tour.
2. Albert Hansson, Georgia Tech
WAGR: 53
Hansson is one half of a Swedish tandem heading to Georgia Tech to play for coach Heppler. He has proven his worth in Europe with a win at the European Nations Cup, 2nd place finishes at the Spanish Amateur, St Andrews Links Trophy, and Stora Hotellet Fjallbacka Open in 2023. Hansson, at 20 years old, qualified for the 2023 US Amateur. In 2022, he captured wins at the Swedish Golf Team Invitational, R&A Boys Amateur, and the Toyota World Cup. Quite the resume to bring to the US in 2024, and he brings significant talent to the Tech lineup.
Matej Baca, University of Arizona
WAGR: 355
Baca, of the Czech Republic, has had recent success in a mix of European amateur, professional, and junior events. 2023 saw Baca in the winner's circle at the APS Junior and the SKGA Tour IV. He was runner-up at the Czech Open and the German International Amateur. In 2022, he carded two 2nd place finishes on the Slovak Amateur Tour, with one win on the junior circuit. Sixth place at the 2022 Czech Open was another highlight on his resume. The Wildcats will be lucky to have him in their lineup.
Daniel Bennett, University of Texas
WAGR: 334
South African Bennett is part of an international class of two that is heading to Austin. He has three wins in the past two years: the 2023 Northern Amateur Open, 2022 Capetown Junior, and the 2022 Kwazulu-Natal Open Strokeplay. Top finishes include runner-up finishes at the 2023 Nedbank Junior Challenge and 2022 Ekurhuleni Open. He placed 8th in the 202 Toyota Junior World Cup and had three top-10 finishes in 2023 South African amateur events.
Gerardo Gomez, University of Arkansas
JGS: 12 Rolex: 15 Golfweek: 10
From Mexico, Gomez has been a fixture in US events for the past two years, with successful results. He closed out 2022 with a runner-up finish at the AJGA Ping Invitational and 4th place at the AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions. In 2023, he recorded one top-10 and two top-20 finishes in AJGA Invitationals, and made the round of 32 at the US Junior Amateur. Gomez recently notched wins at the Junior Americas Cup and the IJGT National Championship.
Zackary Swanwick, University of Florida
WAGR: 256
Hailing from New Zealand, Swanwick is half of Florida's 10th ranked recruiting class of 2024. Swanwick is fresh off an impressive 12th place finish at the Asia Pacific Amateur, and won both the 2023 Australian Boys Amateur and the New Zealand U19 Championship. He qualified for the 2023 US Junior Amateur Championship, and has two wins and three top-4 finishes in New Zealand Amateur events since mid-2022. He will add to the international flavor of the Gators team.
Peer Wernicke, Arizona State University
WAGR: 421
Germany's Wernicke was a member of the winning 2023 European Junior Ryder Cup team. Among his 2022 accomplishments are champion of the German International Amateur and 7th at the German National Boys Championship. In 2023, Wernicke carded top-3 finishes at the German Boys Open and the Spanish Amateur Copa S M El Rey. He challenges himself in various Amateur events and has represented his country in numerous team events.
Zihang (Mike) Qiu, University of Notre Dame
WAGR: 116
Notre Dame extended this year's recruiting to Asia, catching one of the top recruits in China's Qiu. Qiu boasts seven wins in 2022 & 2023, including two professional CLPGQ events, the China Amateur and the China Amateur Golf Open in 2022. In the US, he finished 2nd at the IMG Junior World Championship, 5th in an AJGA Open event, and reached the round of 64 in the US Junior Amateur. He should see considerable time in the Notre Dame lineup when he arrives in South Bend.
Connor Graham, Texas Tech University
WAGR: 158
Texas Tech has picked up an excellent recruit in Graham of Scotland. He recently competed in both the 2023 Walker and Junior Ryder Cups, with good success. Graham lifted the winner's trophy at the 2023 Scottish Men's Open Championship, and finished 5th in the Scottish Men's Amateur. He finished 2nd at the 2023 Internationaux De France U18, won the 2022 R&A Junior Open, and recorded a runner-up finish at the 2022 Lythan Trophy and 3rd at the 202 Scottish Boys Open Championship.
Taishi Moto, University of Arizona
WAGR: 179
Japan's Moto is a late addition to Arizona's international class of two, a month after the signing period began. His list of accomplishments includes a win at the 2022 IMG Junior World Championship, a 5th place finish at the 2023 Australian Men's Amateur, and 3rd at the 2023 Toyota Junior World Cup. Moto recently began playing in professional events in Japan, with a stellar 5th place showing at the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament Challenge.
Ziqin Zhou, University of California- Berkeley
WAGR: 111
China's Zhou is another Chinese competitor who focuses on professional events in his home country, with four CLPGQ wins in 2022 & 2023. In the US, he recorded two AJGA top-8 finishes in 2022, and made an appearance at the 2022 US Junior Amateur. Zhou finished 4th in both the 2022 & 2023 Asia Pacific Amateur. Cal is hoping that his international success translates to collegiate results.
June highlights: Nick Gross made the quarterfinals at the North & South Amateur, Jay Leng had a top-20 finish at the Sunnehanna Amateur, and Ryan Downes made the cut at the Northeast Amateur and finished 12th at the Massachusetts Open. Wheaton Ennnis survived the cut at the Sunnehanna and emerged victorious at the Arizona Men's Amateur. Billy Davis represented the US at the Toyota Junior World Cup and was the individual runner-up in the event, with William Jennings finishing behind him in 3rd. William Ma nabbed a 5th place finish at the AJGA Wyndham Invitational. Byungho Lee nabbed his final AJGA open event victory.