-Class of 2025 Boys Recruiting Class Rankings

*Notable teams:

University of Notre Dame: Liam Pasternak, Peyton Blackard, Pavel Tsar

University of California- Los Angeles: Joshua Kim, Tyler Loree

University of Georgia: John Daniel Culbreth, Will Guthrie

Texas Christina University: Sam Udovich, Nathan Miller, Austin Hofferkamp

University of Oklahoma: Eli Walker Campbell, Preston Albee, Adam Anderson

Arizona State: Bowen Mauss, Kent Karlstrom

University of South Carolina: Andre Zhu, Talan Harrison

Louisiana State University: Daniel Hayes, Hudson Lawson

Texas Tech University: Simon Hovdal, Brady McHenry

Mississippi State University: Jackson Skinner, Jackson Cook, Bryson Hughes

University of Kentucky: Charles Cauthen, Cameron Phillips, Maddox Crowder, Cole Stockard

University of Michigan: Tristan Wieland, Jordan Hwang

Baylor University: Tyler Sanford, Patrick Babb

** Please note that our rankings are subject to change due to impending roster limits and changes in commitments. Our rankings are based off of analysis of all three junior rankings metrics, and WAGR (for int'l athletes) for the athletes which we have received confirmation of commitment/signing.

1. Vanderbilt University: The Commodores easily slot into the #1 position for the class of 2025 with Michael Riebe and Will Hartman, the 2nd and 3rd ranked players in our top-10, and Jon Ed Steed, who has steadily been in the top-20 on JGS. Riebe, a Californian, notched some strong finishes in high-profile events in 2023, then became the model of consistency of top-10 finishes in 2024. Riebe only finished outside of the top-10 in junior events once in 2024, and the Commodores will be hungry to add his consistency to their lineup next fall. His top-5 finishes in the past two years include: the 2024 Junior PGA Championship, 2024 Western Junior, 2023 Junior Jones Cup, 2023 AJGA Invitationals Rolex Tournament of Champions, Ping, and Polo Junior Classic. The top-10s on his resume include the 2024 AJGA Simplify Boys Championship and the Wyndham Invitational, and his lone top-15 in 2024 was at the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley, along with the 2023 AJGA Jack Burke Invitational and 2022 Junior Jones Cup. Riebe narrowly missed qualifying for match play at the 2024 US Amateur and qualified for match play at the 2024 US Junior Amateur. One of his best accomplishments this year was a round of 16 appearance at the North & South Amateur, taking down the number one stroke play seed in the first round. North Carolina native Hartman spent 2023 as the top player across all junior rankings metrics. Although he has slipped a bit in the rankings in 2024, he has consistently carded top-15 finishes in big events. Hartman found the winner's circle at the 2023 & 2022 Bobby Chapman Invitationals, and notched top-5 finishes in the following events: the 2024 & 2023 Junior PGA Championships, 2024 AJGA RLX Ralph Lauren Junior Classic, and the 2023 AJGA Team Taylormade Invitational and Junior Players Championship. Hartman found the top-10 on the leaderboard at the 2024 Junior Players and the top-15 at the 2024 Team Taylormade, Junior Invitational at Sage Valley, Terra Cotta Invitational, and the 2023 AJGA Simplify Boys Championship. Hartman qualified for the 2023 US Amateur and reached the semi-final of the 2023 US Junior Amateur. Adding depth to this class is Steed, who hails from Alabama. He was a back-to-back winner at the 2022 & 2023 Bubba Conlee Tournament, and his best recent finish is 2nd at the 2024 AJGA Team Taylormade Invitational. In 2024 he found the top-10 of the leaderboard at the AJGA Junior at Innisbrook, finished 4th at the Alabama Junior Championship, and was runner-up at the Patriot Open. His 2023 resume includes a 6th place finish at the Future Masters and 3rd place at the AJGA Junior at Canebrake.

2. University of Florida: The Gators were a late arrival into our rankings with the summer 2024 addition of Joshua Bai, who is rumored to be heading to Florida in January but will stay in the class of 2025 discussion. Bai has an extensive international resume. For several years he has been a fixture in the Elite Amateur Series, making cuts in several events in 2023 & 2024. He recently made it to the round of 16 in match play at the North & South Amateur. Bai solidified his position as the top international recruit when he was runner-up at the 2023 US Junior Amateur and made it to the round of 16 in 2024. In 2024 he finished 3rd at the prestigious Junior Invitational at Sage Valley, and won the 2023 Auckland Stroke Play Championship. The next member of this recruiting class is Nebraska’s Trevor Gutschewski, who shocked the junior golf world by taking down two of the field’s biggest names to win the 2024 US Junior Amateur. Other than a 10th place finish at the North & South Junior Amateur, Gutschewski hasn’t had top placements in other big events. In 2024, he finished 2nd at the Nebraska Junior Amateur and 3rd at the LJT Byron Nelson Junior Championship. He has proven he is a force in match play, winning the Nebraska Junior Match Play Championship this year. The third member of this class is local product Parker Severs, who has one AJGA 2nd place finish on his resume in 2024, along with a top-10 showing at the AJGA Team Taylormade Invitational. Severs placed 8th at the 2024 Florida Junior Amateur and was runner-up at the 2023 Dixie Amateur.

3. Auburn University: The 2024 NCAA champions will reload again in the fall of 2025 with a solid class of three that includes two members of our top-10 recruit list. Number four on our list, Virginia native Logan Reilly had a steady start to 2024 and continued to play better and better as the year went on. He was arguably the best player in this class in the 2024 calendar year. He made winning a habit, taking home the trophy at both the 2024 Virginia Men's Amateur and the Virginia Open professional event, as well as the Scott Robertson Memorial. He found himself in the top-5 at the 2024 AJGA Junior Players Championship and the AJGA Team Taylormade Invitational, with as additional top-10 at the 2024 AJGA Simplify Boys Championship. Reilly was in the top-15 at the 2024 Junior PGA Championship and qualified for the 2024 US Amateur. He won the 2023 AJGA Junior at Penn State and found success at the 2023 & 2024 Fox Puss Invitationals, an amateur event in Virginia. Auburn landed their first commit in Virginia's Jake Albert (#9 on our list), fresh off his win at the 2023 AJGA Jack Burke Junior Invitational. From November 2022 through April 2023, he carded four wins in regional tournaments. In 2024, Albert placed in the top-5 at the 2024 Junior PGA Championship and the 2023 Elite Invitational and found the top-10 at the 2024 Western Junior, 2024 Scott Robertson Memorial, 2023 Wyndham Invitational, and the 2023 North & South Junior Amateur. His top-15 finishes include the 2024 Junior Players Championship and the 2023 AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions. Albert was a strong 2nd at the 2023 Virginia Men's Amateur and won the 2024 AJGA Lanto Championship. Auburn looks forward to adding these lineup challengers to their competitive group of players. The third member of this recruiting class is Georgia’s Jack Roberts, who made a splash on the junior scene back in 2021, when he won the Southern Junior. Roberts had some success in the summer of 2023, with top-10 finishes at the AJGA Wyndham Invitational and the Western Junior and a round of 32 appearance at the US Junior Amateur. In 2024, his recent finishes are promising, taking 8th at the Bobby Chapman Invitational and 15th at the Western Junior.

4. Oklahoma State: #1 2025 recruit Henry Guan surprised everyone by reclassing from 2026 to 2025 and announcing his commitment to play for Oklahoma State. The Cowboys will welcome his talent in their lineup. Guan arrived on the scene back in 2022, with a victory at the 2022 AJGA Wyndham Invitational at age 13, following that up with 2nd at the South Beach International Amateur against a strong collegiate field. Over the past two years he has amassed a long resume of successes in high profile events. They include top-5s at the 2024 AJGA Mayakoba Invitational, and the following 2023 events: Jack Burke, Wyndham, and Terra Cotta Invitational, along with the Dustin Johnson World Junior. His notable top-10s include the 2024 AJGA Team Taylormade Invitational and Simplify Boys Championship, and the following AJGA Invitationals in 2023: Team Taylormade, Mayakoba, Simplify, and Rolex Tournament of Champions. Guan also found the top-15 on the leaderboards at the 2024 Terra Cotta, 2023 AJGA Ping Invitational, and the 2023 Junior Players. His most notable results in 2024 include a semi-final appearance at the Western Amateur and the round of 64 at the US Amateur. Guan also reached the round of 32 at the 2023 & 2024 US Junior Amateurs. The second member of this class is Texan Jaxon Bandelier, a player who has steadily improved to become a top-50 recruit. In 2024, Bandelier showed solid play from March-June, his highlight being a runner-up finish at the Southern Junior. He also notched a 2nd place finish at a Legends Junior Tour event and reached match play at the US Junior. Jaxon started 2024 with a top-5 finish at the AJGA Discover Puerto Rico Junior Championship and earned an invite to two late season AJGA Invitationals.

5. University of Texas: The Longhorns have a small but mighty class of two steady performers who can go low. Brooks Simmons, #10 on our recruit list, has had some strong tournament results in the past two years. Simmons has a collection of top-5 finishes in big events, including the Western Junior and AJGA Mayakoba Invitational in 2024, and the North & South Junior Amateur and the Mayakoba again in 2023. He recorded a top-10 finish at the 2023 Jack Burke Invitational and top-15s at the 2024 Wyndham and Ping Invitationals and the 2023 Junior PGA Championship. Simmons made a good run at the 2024 US Junior Amateur, reaching the quarterfinals, after he reached match play in 2023. Though he shows some inconsistency, he balances out his weaker tournaments with the strong finishes mentioned above. The Longhorns’ second home-state recruit, Adam Villanueva, earned an honorable mention nod on our list, recording numerous rounds under par in 2024. He recorded one win and two top-5 Legends Junior Tour finishes, along with a 3rd place finish at an AJGA open event. Most impressive was his top-10 finish at the Junior PGA Championship. Though Villanueva has a history of playing locally, he played two late season AJGA Invitationals and we look forward to seeing him play nationally before heading to Austin.

6. University of Tennessee: The Vols jumped made a late push into the top-10 with the commitment switch of Alabama native Chase Kyes, who clocks in at #8 on our recruit list. Though Kyes does not compete as much as some of the other 2025 graduates, he shows consistency of solid finishes. He finished in the top-5 at the 2024 Western Junior, and carded top-10 finishes at the 2024 AJGA Team Taylormade Invitational and the 2023 Wyndham Invitational. Kyes found himself in the top-15 at the 2024 Dustin Johnson World Junior and qualified for the 2023 US Amateur. In 2023, he advanced to the round of 16 at the US Junior Amateur, and followed that with a round of 64 appearance in 2024. In 2023 he also had a top-3 finish in an open AJGA event, in addition to several open wins in previous years. Joining Kyes is Canadian Luke Smith, an accomplished player in his home country. Smith has been a steady presence in the top-50 in the JGS rankings over the past two years, carding a win at the 2024 Golf Ontario Super Camp & Tour Championship, and had two other top-5 finishes in Canada in 2024. Smith’s best national showing this year was a top-5 at the AJGA Wyndham Invitational, along with a top-10 at the 2023 Junior Jones Cup. Smith carded two AJGA open top-10 finishes and had an impressive 11th place finish at the AJGA Ping Invitational

7. Clemson University: The Tigers bring in a class of three in 2025, led by our #7 ranked recruit, Jackson Byrd. It was widely expected that Byrd, a Georgia native, would end up at Clemson, where his uncle is the head coach. Byrd is no stranger to success in big tournaments, as he burst unto the junior scene in 2021 by finishing 4th at the Junior Jones Cup and had respectable 11th place showings at the 2022 AJGA Team Taylormade and Wyndham Invitationals. Byrd broke through this fall with a big win at the AJGA Ping Invitational. He has carded top-5 finishes at the 2024 AJGA RLX Ralph Lauren Classic and the 2023 Junior PGA Championship. His top-10 finishes include the 2024 Toyota Junior World Cup, 2024 Junior Invitational at Sage Valley, and the 2023 Junior Players Championship. Byrd also finished in the top-15 at the 2024 Junior Players Championship, qualified for the 2023 US Amateur, and reached match play at the 2023 US Junior Amateur. The next recruit, Samuel Duran of Panama, has had tremendous success in his home country, winning four straight events this fall, in addition to three wins earlier in 2024. However, Duran has not replicated his success when competing against competition in the US, with no finish better than 27th in four events in 2024. How his talent translates to college golf remains to be seen. The final recruit in this class is Tip Price, who was in the top-50 of the JGS rankings in 2023. Price hasn’t seen as much competitive action in 2024 and looks to return to his prior form before heading to college.

8. University of North Carolina: North Carolina native Carson Bertagnole headlines the class of two that will be calling themselves Tarheels in 2025. He has proved worthy of that commitment with a string of top-10 finishes in big events and a win at the 2024 AJGA Team Taylormade Invitational. He finished in the top-5 at the 2023 Junior Jones Cup, and his top-10 finishes include the 2024 AJGA Wyndham Invitational, 2022 Junior Jones Cup, 2023 Western Junior, 2023 Dye Junior Invitational , 2023 AJGA Mayakoba Invitational, 2023 Team Taylormade, and the 2023 AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions. Bertagnole also notched top-15 finishes at the 2024 Junior Players Championship and the 2024 Terra Cotta Invitational, and qualified for the US Amateur. While he may not be a consistent as some of his competitors, he has come up with big results in many tournaments, and has earned the #6 spot in our rankings. The UNC staff has kept their recruits close to home, as Mack Edwards, another North Carolina Native, adds talent to this class. Edwards has crept into the top-25 in the JGS rankings this year, with a strong showing at the US Junior Amateur, finishing 3rd in stroke play. In 2024, he also carded top-10 finishes at the AJGA Wyndham Invitational and an AJGA open event.

9. Brigham Young University: BYU’s class of two is led by our 5th ranked recruit, Kihei Akina. Akina, who hails from Utah, has followed in his brother's footsteps and committed to BYU. Named the 2023 USA Today high school player of the year, Akina has shown very consistent golf in big-stage tournaments in the past two years. He has been a model of consistency in 2024, with only two finishes outside the top-15 in junior events. His top-5 finishes include the 2024 Terra Cotta Invitational, the 2024 Junior Invitational at Sage Valley, the 2023 Junior PGA Championship and AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions, and the 2022 Junior Jones Cup. He has found success in amateur competition with top-5 showings at the 2023 & 2024 Hawaii Match Play Championships, and a top-15 finish at the Sunnehanna Amateur. He made it to the round of 32 at the 2024 US Junior Amateur, and carded regional tour wins in his home state in 2024. Last but not least, Akina made the cut in a Korn Ferry event in his home state this year. BYU is making a habit of recruiting siblings of current or former players, as they received a commitment from Jackson Shelley, whose older brother is a Cougar. Shelley has climbed in the junior rankings this year, currently in the top 60. Shelley picked up a win at the AJGA Salt Lake Junior, qualified for the US Junior Amateur, and found the top-5 at the Nike Junior Invitational. Shelley picked up Utah PGA wins in 2023 & 2022 and has two Utah high school 5A titles to his name.

10. Princeton University: The Tigers bring in a class of three to New Jersey in 2025. Canadian Eric Zhao found success in late 2022 & early 2023 with a win at the AJGA Junior All-Star Invitational and a 2nd place finish at the AJGA Spot X Hotel Junior Championship. He has racked up top-10s at the 2023 & 2024 Junior Orange Bowls, the 2023 Elite and AJGA Ping Invitationals, and two Canadian events in 2024. Zhao was runner-up at the 2023 NextGen Selection Camp and made match play at the 2023 US Junior Amateur. Next in this class is Luke Brandler, a multi-sport athlete who is from both Hong Kong and California. Brandler won the 2024 AJGA Brandon Wu Championship and had a top-5 finishes at the 2024 & 2023 IMG Junior World Championships. The runner-up finishes on his resume include the 2024 & 2023 Hong Kong Junior Opens, and the AJGA Junior at Copper Valley. His top-10 results in 2024 include an open AJGA event and the NCGA Amateur Championship. Canadian James Lee rounds out the 2025 class. He had a successful 2023, with wins at the British Columbia Junior Championship and the Northern California Junior and runner-up finishes at the Bayonet Amateur and Canadian Junior Boys Championship. 2024 was quieter for Lee, with a runner-up showing at an open AJGA events and an appearance at the US Junior Amateur.