UVA Men’s Golf Commits Finish First and Third at Junior PLAYERS Championship

Future Cavaliers Benjamin James and Bryan Lee showed out at Sawgrass

Photo courtesy of the American Junior Golf Assocation

The future is very bright for the Virginia men’s golf program.

Class of 2022 commits Benjamin James and Bryan Lee finished first and third, respectively, at the American Junior Golf Association Junior PLAYERS Championship at Sawgrass this weekend.

James began Sunday’s final round two strokes behind Alabama commit Nicholas Dunlap. James and Dunlap have shared an intense rivalry this year, with both players claiming titles in 2021, including a 20-hole overtime victory for Dunlap over James at the Polo Golf Junior Classic at Liberty National.

James made birdie on three consecutive holes, before placing the ball three feet from the cup with his driver on the par-4 12th hole, setting up an eagle. It was a brilliant four-hole stretch amid a masterful back nine that led James to secure the victory.

“The last day I played a dream back nine,” James said. “The 3-wood on 12 to three feet, I couldn’t do that again if I tried and hit a million golf balls. It was a miracle shot.”

James won the championship by four strokes with an 8-under-par 208 that tied the record for lowest 54-hole total at TPC Sawgrass, which has been THE PLAYERS Stadium Course since the tournament began in 2007.

“Winning this tournament is just awesome,” James said. “I played really solid the first day, okay the second day and today I played a dream back nine. I was three or four back at one point, and to win by four just shows you how crazy golf is and how you’re always in it.”

2021 has been a phenomenal year for James, who also won the Scott Robertson Memorial, Team TaylorMade Invitational, and the Northern Junior Championship for the third time in a row after winning it in 2018 and 2019. The Milford, Connecticut native is currently ranked No. 6 in the American Junior Golf Association rankings.

Bryan Lee, who is from Fairfax, Virginia, is ranked No. 23 in the AJGA rankings and finished tied for third in the Junior PLAYERS Championship. Lee also finished tied for second at the Boys Junior PGA Championship and seventh at the Scott Robertson Memorial this year.

WOW!!! What a weekend for the future of VIRGINIA MENS GOLF 😎😎😎

— Virginia Men's Golf (@UVAMensGolf) September 5, 2021

The UVA men’s golf program is certainly happy to have James and Lee coming to Charlottesville next year.