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Men’s Golf Inks No.1-Ranked Junior Kelly Chinn
11/11/2020 10:09:00 PM | Men's Golf
DURHAM, N.C. – The Duke men's golf program has announced the signing of the No. 1-ranked junior golfer and the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Player of the Year, Kelly Chinn, who inked his Letter of Intent on Wednesday.
The highly-decorated Chinn, who hails from Great Falls, Va., won multiple state titles for Langley High School. On the junior circuit, Chinn is ranked No. 1 by both the AJGA and Golfweek, was the 2020 AJGA Player of the Year and a first-team Junior All-America pick.
"We couldn't be more proud to name Kelly as our first verbal, and now signed, commit from the Class of 2021," said head coach Jamie Green. "Kelly's ascent to the very top of junior golf has been one of mature, organized, deliberate, passionate, and unyielding, day-by-day hard work. He's a humble assassin. His parents, Eiko and Colin have provided caring and accepting support, but Kelly is unquestionably intrinsically motivated."
Chinn is ranked No. 2 overall on the Junior Golf Scoreboard (JGS), and No. 1 in the Class of 2021, with a -6.78 scoring differential.
In 2020, Chinn claimed the second of two career AJGA tournaments by winning the 2020 PING Invitational at Oklahoma State's Karsten Creek GC. He fired rounds of 70, 70 and 71 to finish at five-under 211 -- three strokes clear of the field and the only player in red figures all three rounds. Closing strong, Chinn birdied six of his final seven holes in the final round to secure medalist honors.
He also won the 2020 VSGA Junior Stroke Play (65-64-65) and the 2020 Middle Atlantic Amateur, while finishing tied for second at the 2020 AJGA Junior Players Championship (71-71-71).
His first career AJGA win came at the 2019 Rolex Tournament of Champions, which was contested at PGA National with rounds of 65, 71, 67 and 71. Getting an early look at his future home course, Chinn was the runner-up at the 2019 Nike Junior Invitational at Duke GC, firing rounds of 72 and 69 to finish at three-under par -- two strokes back of the winner.
His 2019 season also included a win at the Junior PGA Sectional Qualifier (68-67) and a second-place finish at 2019 Jones Cup Junior Invitational (67-69-71). At the 2019 USGA Boys Junior Championship, he finished 16th during stroke play, and reached the match play finals.
"Kelly has been the epitome of growth since we'd had the chance to follow him -- as a golfer and a student," said Green. "It's now been years since we made a mutual verbal commitment, and to have the day finally come when he signed his NLI, this day feels like fireworks on the 4th of July. Kelly is now, officially, a Duke Blue Devil. And everyone involved in our program is thrilled."
Chinn is the first signee of Duke's 2021 men's golf incoming freshman class.
#GoDuke
The highly-decorated Chinn, who hails from Great Falls, Va., won multiple state titles for Langley High School. On the junior circuit, Chinn is ranked No. 1 by both the AJGA and Golfweek, was the 2020 AJGA Player of the Year and a first-team Junior All-America pick.
"We couldn't be more proud to name Kelly as our first verbal, and now signed, commit from the Class of 2021," said head coach Jamie Green. "Kelly's ascent to the very top of junior golf has been one of mature, organized, deliberate, passionate, and unyielding, day-by-day hard work. He's a humble assassin. His parents, Eiko and Colin have provided caring and accepting support, but Kelly is unquestionably intrinsically motivated."
Chinn is ranked No. 2 overall on the Junior Golf Scoreboard (JGS), and No. 1 in the Class of 2021, with a -6.78 scoring differential.
In 2020, Chinn claimed the second of two career AJGA tournaments by winning the 2020 PING Invitational at Oklahoma State's Karsten Creek GC. He fired rounds of 70, 70 and 71 to finish at five-under 211 -- three strokes clear of the field and the only player in red figures all three rounds. Closing strong, Chinn birdied six of his final seven holes in the final round to secure medalist honors.
He also won the 2020 VSGA Junior Stroke Play (65-64-65) and the 2020 Middle Atlantic Amateur, while finishing tied for second at the 2020 AJGA Junior Players Championship (71-71-71).
His first career AJGA win came at the 2019 Rolex Tournament of Champions, which was contested at PGA National with rounds of 65, 71, 67 and 71. Getting an early look at his future home course, Chinn was the runner-up at the 2019 Nike Junior Invitational at Duke GC, firing rounds of 72 and 69 to finish at three-under par -- two strokes back of the winner.
His 2019 season also included a win at the Junior PGA Sectional Qualifier (68-67) and a second-place finish at 2019 Jones Cup Junior Invitational (67-69-71). At the 2019 USGA Boys Junior Championship, he finished 16th during stroke play, and reached the match play finals.
"Kelly has been the epitome of growth since we'd had the chance to follow him -- as a golfer and a student," said Green. "It's now been years since we made a mutual verbal commitment, and to have the day finally come when he signed his NLI, this day feels like fireworks on the 4th of July. Kelly is now, officially, a Duke Blue Devil. And everyone involved in our program is thrilled."
Chinn is the first signee of Duke's 2021 men's golf incoming freshman class.
#GoDuke
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