GRANITEVILLE, S.C. – Fifteen-year-old Asterisk Talley captured her first gold jacket going wire-to-wire to win the girl’s title at the 2024 Junior Invitational at Sage Valley Golf Club setting a scoring record along the way. Italy’s Giovanni Daniele Binaghi, 16, erased a three stroke deficit with a sizzling 8-under 64 to win the boy’s title by two shots over 36-hole co-leader Louis Klein of the Czech Republic.
Talley, playing in her first Junior Invitational, took control of the tournament early with a blistering 5-under on the front nine on her way to a round of 67. She finished six strokes ahead of Rianne Malixi, who shot a 3-under 69. Talley, from Chowchilla, Calif., now owns the Junior Invitational 54-hole scoring record at 9 under par, surpassing Anna Davis, who shot 7-under in her 2023 victory.
“It’s exciting to win an event like this against the top girls in the world,” said Talley. “Even though I had a 4-stroke lead, I came out playing like we were even. The course was softer which allowed me to be aggressive. Even when I was 5-under at the turn, I knew I had to continue to play for birdies and pars.”
Binaghi also took advantage of the conditions with eight birdies and no bogeys in the final round. His 64 is the second-lowest third round score since Justin Thomas’ 62 in 2011. This is the 13th Junior Invitational for boys, and Binaghi joins an exclusive group of winners that includes Scottie Scheffler, Austin Eckroat and Joaquin Niemann, among others.
“I’m honored to be a part of that group. This now gives me confidence that I can take with me in the future,” Binaghi said. “I was fine starting two or three behind. I’m a hunter. I hit the ball well and also putted well. Even after shooting a 74 in the first round, I felt like I was going to have a chance.”
Two awards were also presented to players for their accomplishments off the course. Nicholas Gross, playing in his third Junior Invitational, and Miles Russell, playing in his first, were awarded the Paul S. Simon Boys Character Award. Yana Wilson, competing in her second Junior Invitational, was honored with the Dr. Joe Bowden Girls Character Award.
The 13th annual Junior Invitational featured 24 of the top junior boy players and 36 of the top girls in the world. Recognized by Golfweek as the No. 1 junior event in golf, the Junior Invitational welcomes the best golfers from around the world to Sage Valley Golf Club in Graniteville, S.C. Founded in 2011, the Junior Invitational has become one of the most desired invitations in the world of competitive junior golf. Past participants have included some of the top names in golf: Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland, Cameron Young, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Anna Davis, Megha Ganne and more. More information about the event can be found at www.juniorinvitational.com.
Top Five Boys Results
1. Giovanni Daniele Binaghi – 74-67-64=205; 2. Louis Klein – 70-68-69=207; 3. Joshua Bai – 65-74-69=208; 4. Gerardo Gomez – 71-68-70-=209; 5. Kihei Akina – 72-69-70=211
Top Five Girls Results
1. Asterisk Talley – 70-70-67=207; 2. Rianne Mikhaela Malixi – 73-71-69=213; T3. Yana Wilson – 75-70-71=216; T3. Eila Galitsky – 73-75-68=216; T3. Jasmine Koo – 76-71-69=216
