The Making of an Elite Recruit: Class of 2025

1/3 CGC Staff

We continue our yearly tradition by bringing you the stories of many of our top-10 signees of the class of 2025, how they progressed their games through the junior golf rankings, and what led them to become top recruits. Nine different athletes discuss their journey and give the golf world insight into what it takes to become a successful and consistent junior golfer.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from talking to multiple top athletes, it’s that each one has their own journey and there is not a cookie-cutter path to college golf. Some start young, and others are late bloomers who participate in multiple sports. Chloe Kovelesky, a Floridian who will be entering Wake Forest early this semester, began golfing at a very early age, playing in her first US Kids event at four years old. She began playing because her dog liked to retrieve golf balls, and golf was a fun way to play with him. Chloe continued playing in US Kids Worlds and IMG event throughout her youth and transitioned more to amateur events rather than the AJGA circuit. She remembers early on playing in a US Open qualifier, testing herself against much older competitors. Chloe notes being strong mentally at a young age, which allowed her to compete at a high level early, one of her successes being the Florida Women’s Amateur champion as a teenager. She also trained in karate and randori in her youth to fill in time away from the golf course. We were lucky to hear from the #3 ranked amateur in the world and Duke signee Rianne Malixi, who won both the US Amateur and the US Girls Junior in 2024. Rianne, who is from the Philippines, piqued her curiosity in golf at age eight after watching her father taking swings. He took her to the range, and she states, ‘I loved it right away and I kept going to the range every single day. It was like a family activity after school’. Golf became her only sport early on, as she loved it so much. When asked her about her about her progression through events, she says ‘I started playing 18-hole local events then transitioned to international events, then to elite amateur events in the world, and I’m happy to have parents helped me go through the process that helped me grow as a person and as a golfer.’

Several athletes credit parent support as an integral part of their success. Clemson bound Jackson Byrd, whose father Jonathan has five wins on the PGA Tour, started playing golf when he was 7 or 8 and started playing competitively at age 9. He became interested in golf because his dad was on tour and they were constantly traveling, becoming curious about the game.

He notes, ‘When I was starting out, my dad made me play tees that were probably too short for me. I probably played the ladies tees until I was 10 because he just wanted me to get used to breaking 70 to get used to being low.’ Jackson was a busy athlete in his youth, as he played baseball, soccer, and basketball until 6th grade. He adds, ‘My dad always tells parents of junior golfers to try to play other sports as long as possible and I’d agree.’ Another golfer who credits her father for her rise through junior golf is Ryleigh Knaub, who is ready to join LSU in the fall. She began playing golf when she was 8 years old, stating ‘I got into the sport when I saw my dad watching golf on tv and I thought it looked fun, so I asked to try it out.’ Like many others, she eased into competition before getting serious. ‘My dad deserves a lot of credit for how I started. I hit balls for the first 7 months before he put me into 6-hole events, then US Kids and smaller local events. When I turned 11 or 12, he started playing me in the higher age groups, “throwing me into the deep end to see if I would swim” as he likes to say. Playing up taught me how to hit the ball further when I was younger and it gave me the chance to see what golfers at the next level were doing,’ Ryleigh says.

Vanderbilt signee Michael Riebe, likely the most consistent member of the 2025 class, started playing golf competitively when he was 7 years old. He notes, ‘I became interested in golf when I was 5 and it was a great thing to do with my grandparents and an opportunity to drive the golf cart during the holidays. In addition to golf, Michael played soccer growing up in California. He saw benefits of being a dual sport athlete, saying ‘Soccer made my legs a lot stronger and allowed me to do other things besides only golf, which made golf fun. I played soccer for 10 years and stopped after freshman year of high school.’ Like many other successful junior golfers, Michael played against older and tough competition to sharpen his skills. He notes, ‘When I was young the competition was really hard around me, and I felt I was always on the younger side.

The kids were really good, and I knew in order to hang, I’d have to work hard and compete really well. I didn’t do great at the very start, which was great for me, because it made sure I knew what I needed to do to get better. I would not change the route I took because trying to win at a young age made me develop very quickly.’ Michael’s future Commodore teammate Will Hartman hails from North Carolina and started playing in tournaments around the age of 6 or 7, after first picking up a club at age 2. One of the top golfers in his graduating class for several years, Will also played soccer and basketball until the age of 13, then focused solely on honing his golf skills. Playing teams sports helped him learn how to play when things ‘aren’t going your way.’ Although he played several sports, he was lucky enough to have the family support at a young age, participating in bigger golf tournaments and gaining exposure to elite competition.

Texas A&M signee Brynn Kort started playing golf at the age of 4 and began tournament play at age 6. She explains, ‘My dad had me try every sport before golf. We had this thing called “driveway time” and he taught be how to play all kinds of sports and learn hand eye coordination. I wasn’t really interested in those sports, so he bought me a set of clubs, took me out to the course, and I fell in love with it.’ Brynn eased into competition, starting with 9-hole local U.S. Kids tour events, then moved into leagues like Future Champions, JGAA, and SNJGA which were 18 holes. She sometimes played up an age division which ‘I think really helped, because I learned from the more experienced players. I then moved into AJGA opens and qualifiers for USGA events and now into AJGA Invitationals, USGA events, and amateur events.’ Her future Aggie teammate, Natalie Yen, followed a similar path, beginning with 9-hole events between ages 5-10, then progressing to 18-hole Oregon Golf Association events.

She adds ‘I think that the travel I did when I was very young, such as to Pinehurst to play the U.S. Kids Worlds and to San Diego for the IMG Academy World Juniors, was beneficial, if only to meet other golfers my age who were playing all the time and were interested in golf like I was. My progression to higher level events came from needing to play in bigger fields outside of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, but it wasn't necessarily mapped out; I started by playing events that I could get into and worked toward "bigger" events as I gained a golf resumé.’ Natalie participated in fencing, starting competitively starting at age 8 until September of 2022. She notes, ‘When Covid restrictions started affecting indoor activities, golf turned into one of the only activities I could continue, and the more I pursued it, the more it became my main focus. My fencing training was very beneficial in helping me learn to think clearly under pressure, so I am greatly appreciative of the time I spent competing. I also play the violin, and learning to play well has helped build my focus and discipline. They say golf is hard, but so is violin!’ Being well-rounded is always beneficial for an athlete. Last but not least, we heard from Tennesse signee Madison Messimer, who began golf at the age of 5, playing weeklong summer camps from a young age. She waited until age 9 to start playing in local US Kids Tour events, stating ‘Once I started doing well in those, I began playing in regional tournaments. After this, I tried to earn status and stars in AJGA tournaments.’ Madison also played other sports such as tennis, swimming, and gymnastics, but stopped them by the age of 8 to focus on golf.

‘My dad deserves a lot of credit for how I started. I hit balls for the first 7 months before he put me into 6-hole events, then US Kids and smaller local events. When I turned 11 or 12, he started playing me in the higher age groups, “throwing me into the deep end to see if I would swim” as he likes to say. Playing up taught me how to hit the ball further when I was younger and it gave me the chance to see what golfers at the next level were doing,’ : Ryliegh Knaub, LSU signee

When Covid restrictions started affecting indoor activities, golf turned into one of the only activities I could continue, and the more I pursued it, the more it became my main focus. My fencing training was very beneficial in helping me learn to think clearly under pressure, so I am greatly appreciative of the time I spent competing' : Natalie Yen, Texas A&M signee

Photo: amateurgolf.com

Each athlete gave us some insight into their in-season and off-season training routines, and there are many similarities between athletes. Currently in the off-season, Jackson Byrd is able to set aside time to work on different parts of his game that he may not be able to dedicate as much time to while playing in numerous tournaments, and he is able to hit the gym with four workouts per week. In-season, his routine is quite regimented, as he explains, ‘It’s more maintenance work, on both my body and my golf swing. (Daily correctives and being very specific with my set up in each part of my game). I get out of school at 3:20, so after that I’ll either workout and get around 2 hours of putting and short game work in, or I’ll just go out and play 9 holes. But if it’s a Saturday I’ll do a gym warmup, try to spend 3-4 hours practicing, and maybe play 9 or 18. The key is to have a plan each day for what you are going to do even if you don’t have a ton of time.’ Rianne Malixi’s training routine has evolved over the years, and what she is doing has helped her succeed in the past year. ‘I think the main difference when I first started to what I’m doing now is that I have a better understanding of a purposeful training. When I was younger, it was much easier to hit balls without really knowing what I was trying to work on. Now, I practice every day, five times on the course, and two times on a simulator. On the two days where I practice on a simulator, I usually have an online session with my conditioning coach,’ she says.

Madison Messimer doesn’t really schedule too much of an off-season; therefore, her practice routine follows the same schedule year-round unless she is playing in a tournament. She offers, ‘I work out three times a week with my personal trainer to become stronger and have more mobility. I have a lesson with my golf coach once a week. When I am not with them, I try to play on the course as much as I can. When I am practicing on my own, I try to make it as fun as I can by playing games and challenging myself.’ Natalie Yen has a similar training routine philosophy that remains the same throughout the year, and she makes sure she remains disciplined and adds injury prevention exercises to her routine. Michael Riebe finds that he develops better by playing more on the course instead of beating balls on the range. ‘I have learned I do not get better by hitting lots of balls on the range unless I am working on a change in my swing. In- season practice looks very similar to off-season. I hit even less balls because I am playing tournaments and in-season is not the right time to make a swing change. I used to hit a lot of balls and get really frustrated so now I try and make my practice as fun as possible by playing and doing different games.’

Chloe Kovelesky has dealt with some injuries over the years, so her strength and conditioning routine includes agility and cross-fit exercises to maintain her health. She likes to split her time between hitting on the range and playing on the course and plays as much as possible. For Ryleigh Knaub, in-season training ‘can get a little crazy,’ as she and her family spend long hours in the car driving to tournaments, but she always finds time to work on her swing and is able to contact her swing coach when needed. In-season, Ryleigh tries to workout in the gym 2-3 times per week, and her off-season plan is very structured. ‘I go out on the course three times a week, hitting a ton of shots doing block practices. Mondays I always take off, using that day to try and gain speed and distance. Then the other three days I’m working on technical changes, whether that’s hitting with my coach for three hours or sitting on the putting green trying to hit my line,’ she explains. Brynn Kort incorporates strength training into her routine, with 2-3 days with her trainer in-season, and 3-4 days in the gym in the off-season, targeting specific goals and gaining swing speed. On the course, she is practicing every day, whether it be in and off-season, and Brynn adds ‘I will try and get out and play friendly matches against friends to keep the competitive mentality. My routine has definitely changed over the years, and I find myself getting more out of my practices as I have gotten older, as I have switched my mentality to quality over quantity.’

‘Understanding my game by using statistics helped me spot the areas I need to improve on, which helped my scoring average. My putting and mental game have improved drastically,’ : Rianne Malixi, Duke signee and 2024 US Women's Amateur champion

We asked each golfer what two or three things have helped them improve their scoring and overall game the most as they’ve progressed through junior golf. Will Hartman had dedicated a lot of time to chipping and putting, which has contributed to scoring improvement over the years. Chloe Kovelesky notes the same two area of her game, as she is a long player and having a strong wedge game is important for scoring. Madison Messimer notes an improvement in her putting, par five scoring, and focusing on improvement of the last holes of each round, which we found interesting. Many athletes can let a round get away from them as they fatigue, and ‘last six holes scoring’ is an important thing to target. Natalie Yen has dedicated time to looking at her statistics to help identify the weaknesses in her game. She offers some excellent advice, saying ‘I highly recommend finding a statistics program to collect your own data. You'll probably find things there that you didn't realize were weaknesses. Find out where you're not as strong and work on those areas.’ Rianne Malixi has also learned to analyze statistics to her benefit. ‘Understanding my game by using statistics helped me spot the areas I need to improve on, which helped my scoring average. My putting and mental game have improved drastically,’ she says. Michael Riebe has also learned how to identify his strengths and use them to his advantage on the course. Learning to have fun on the course and keeping his game natural has led to less tension and not as much pressure on his golf game, which has helped improve his overall success.

‘When I was younger, I would get really upset and sad when I would play poorly, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve become calmer when bad shots are hit. This is important because I hit a lot of bad shots, as does everyone, so you I have to remember that and try to forget them. Another thing that has helped improve my game is just enjoying golf. This should be the most important thing juniors focus on. No junior golfers are professional golfers, and we are just trying to get better at what we enjoy doing so that one day maybe we could be good enough to play professionally. So just trying not to get so worked up about bad results and enjoying the day is important.’ : Jackson Byrd, Clemson signee

Jackson Byrd notes that his maturity on the course has helped him tremendously over the years. ‘When I was younger, I would get really upset and sad when I would play poorly, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve become calmer when bad shots are hit. This is important because I hit a lot of bad shots, as does everyone, so you I have to remember that and try to forget them,’ he says. That’s a great piece of advice for younger players, and he also has other good points to share, ‘Simply being on the range for three hours and putting green for two hours doesn’t make you a good golfer. I think it’s how you use your time that makes you a good golfer, which is also a great life lesson. Playing certain games are okay on the golf course and making the range and putting and chipping games fun and enjoyable is a necessity. Another thing that has helped improve my game is just enjoying golf. This should be the most important thing juniors focus on. No junior golfers are professional golfers, and we are just trying to get better at what we enjoy doing so that one day maybe we could be good enough to play professionally. So just trying not to get so worked up about bad results and enjoying the day is important.’ Ryleigh Knaub also offers good perspective on specific reasons her game has improved, stating ‘The thing that has helped my scoring the most was working on hitting shots. Your swing is never going to be “perfect” and what I really had to learn is no matter what, the ball has to go in the hole. You’re going to get into trouble you have to know how to minimize the damage and not have your score blow up. Additionally, I’ve been really working on feeling comfortable over my birdie putts. I have a lot of chances every round and had to get over a mental block when it came to making those.’

Photos: USGA & AJGA

Each elite golfer has gotten to this point in their career by moving up through the rankings by challenging themselves in higher level competition, whether it be Invitationals, national, amateur or professional events. They all note benefits from these tournaments that open and regional events may not offer, including the staff, harder course set-up, and stiffer competition, which have helped each player prepare for the college game. Brynn Kort’s take on these events is ‘In invitationals and national events you are playing against the best of the best and these will most likely be the people you are playing against in college. The courses are longer, and the course conditions are harder and very similar to what we are going to play in college.’ Jackson Byrd feels the main difference between invitationals and the higher-level junior tournaments is the consistency of play. ‘Nobody really plays poorly, and you have to play really well to run away with a golf tournament. I think these types of events prepare you for college because they teach you how to prepare properly beforehand, because if you don’t you aren’t going to excel.

Rianne Malixi, who has experience with the highest level events around the world, offers ‘Playing in stronger events helps you overcome the tremendous amount of pressure, which is very prevalent in college golf and the professional tours. It simulates the competitive atmosphere and pressure that serves as a pathway to the higher level,’ she notes. Both Michael Riebe and Madison Messimer appreciate the effort from staffing at more prestigious events, with Michael saying ‘The difference between opens and invitationals is the hospitality. We get meals before and after every round as well as better facilities to use. The kids are a lot closer because they play every tournament together and see each other and travel together.’ He also notes the harder course setup helps prepare him for the college game. Madison states ‘Bigger events are separate because you can tell the staff is more involved with the players. The bigger events also have more publicity and gets your name out there for more people to see. This helps with my confidence by letting myself know that I can compete with talented players.’

Chloe Kovelesky has taken a different path than many of her competitors, as she has only played in one AJGA event, which was an Invitational. She offers her opinion, ‘I am not the greatest fan of the AJGA due to the process being extremely strict and favoring players who compete significantly. This takes lots of time, is very expensive, and conflicts with a lot of other tournament scheduling. I believe national amateur events help provide a nice, intertwined field of collegiate and junior players which allows juniors to not only gain perseverance but also insight on what’s to come for their future.’ This path has been beneficial for Chloe, who was the #1 recruit in her class for some time. Natalie Yen offers a different perspective than her fellow competitors, saying ‘The invitational/national events aren't actually that much different than regional and pen AJGA events. At the end of the day, you have to go out and play the course as it lies. If you play well, more opportunities will present themselves. Be focused on the process; the event that you play doesn't matter.’

Photos: CNN, USA Today, Golf Magazine & Golf.com

The last question we asked the athletes was ‘Who do you most look up to in the professional game and why, and what have you learned from them that has helped your own game? Scottie Scheffler and Tiger Woods were each favored by two athletes, with Will Hartman and Rianne Malixi choosing Tiger. Will has learned from him how to try to patient, levelheaded, and play smarter. Rianne says ‘Growing up I always watched Tiger Woods. I loved how he was able to pull off a lot of comeback shots after mishaps. Additionally, he is a very clutch putter which is fascinating because not everyone does it like he did. I did try to simulate what he was doing whenever I practiced.’ Both Madison Messimer and Michael Riebe look up to Scottie, as Michael notices he seems to have a lot of control of himself and his golf game. ‘I have learned a lot about utilizing your strengths and doing what’s right for your game, not what might be best for others,’ he states. Madison likes his overall values and attitude, saying ‘I don’t just look up to him because he is the number one golfer in the world, but because I notice how he controls his mental game and how he values others and his family above golf. He is patient and tries everything he can to become better. He notices how important putting is and always tries new things to become better.’ A great person to emulate!

Natalie Yen chose her longtime favorite as Annika Sorenstam, adding ‘I have learned so much from her demeanor and attitude on the course, and how to best handle adversity on the course. She also has been an incredible ambassador for the junior and women's game.’ Jackson Byrd predictably has some personal experience to draw from, saying ‘I obviously most look up to my dad and other pros that live where I live in Sea Island. People like Davis Love III, Zach Johnson, and Keith Mitchell have just been really kind to me and taught me a lot about the game. I’d say the biggest thing I’ve learned from them is just how they practice and how they manage their time, which is what separates the good from the great.’ Ryleigh Knaub has some personal experience with her role model, Angel Yin. ‘I met her at the Mizuho Invitational. Each junior got a mentor/ LPGA player that week and I never met mine, and Angela wasn’t assigned to a junior. However, we played a practice round together and we clicked instantly. Her personality on the course was contagious, she’s just so happy to be out there, and she could make any putt she looked at. I look up to her confidence on the green and her attitude,’ Ryleigh says. What a great experience the AJGA offers to the top juniors, creating memories and lasting relationship with someone to look up to. Brynn Kort has also met the golfer she looks up to, Justin Thomas, as she has won the AJGA event that he sponsors and also has two other top-3 finishes. She adds, ‘I really look up to Justin Thomas and learning how he goes about his practices and how disciplined he is during practice and in tournament play. Also seeing how he continued to push through the times when golf really wasn’t going his way was a good learning experience. I take lessons from his dad Mike Thomas, so it was a lot of inside information!’ Lastly, another player who draws from personal experience is Chloe Kovelesky, who looks up to Morgan Pressel, her main influence growing up. ‘Her passion for golf is incredible along with her motivation in other aspects of life. My motto has always been “you have to be a great person before a great champion” and she really fits that motto. She allotted time for me when I was younger, and I got to play with her and have continued to keep in touch throughout the years. She commentated the 76th U.S. Women’s Open Championship, which I competed in, and she was out at the 18th green to give me a hug once I finished.’ What a surreal experience for Chloe!

The elite crew finishes off with offering advice to those who aspire to be like them and play collegiate golf at a high level. Thank you from CGC for giving the golf world a great read and best of luck in your final junior season and in college!

CHLOE: Work hard and enjoy the process. It’s easy to get caught up in everything you should have done, everyone’s process is different and do what’s always best for you. If there’s a coach you really want to hear from, reach out to them. They can’t respond until June 15th, but know you put yourself out there, trust me… I got mine.

BRYNN: Realize that this journey is a marathon not a sprint, trust the process, have fun with it, your coaches and family just want the best for you, and hard work is something no one can take away from you.

JACKSON: I would just say that a lot of golf is earned which is so great. So I think for the most part you can determine how good you become by the work you put in, so just enjoying golf for what it is and enjoy the process of getting better rather than tying your identity to your golf score is really important. If you shoot 90 or 65 you are still the same human being and you shouldn’t think more or less of yourself either way. Just have fun with it.

RIANNE: I’d say it’s important to have coaches and the school that aligns with your values and goals. If they’ll be able to have that connection, then the process to grow as a person and as a player is tremendous.

RYLEIGH: I would say have fun but so many people will say that to you. My best advice would be to always try and become better than you were the day before. Whether it’s making one more putt or hitting one more drive in the fairway. Just slowly try to improve something in your game and it will add up.

MADISON: The advice I would give is to always have fun because that is the most important. Also, control your emotions on the golf course. If you have a bad hole, it’s not a big deal, just birdie the next hole.

NATALIE: Big picture, take care of your game, which is important. If you do that, and work at it in the right way by focusing on the process, you will get results that will put you on the recruiting radar. But even more important, develop yourself as a person and a student-athlete, because when you start talking with coaches, you want to make sure you have something to offer besides your golf scores. They want to know you will be a good teammate, a good student, and a good citizen.

MICHAEL: Advice would be to have fun in junior golf, as you meet so many great people. Understand your self and who you are on the golf course. Pressure is not needed in golf cause it is already hard enough, so just enjoy the opportunity to compete and let it happen. Learn who you are on the course and use it to your strength.