Annabell Fuller of London, United Kingdom, leads the ANNIKA Invitational USA presented by Rolex by one after an opening-round, 3-under-par 69.
The 11th ANNIKA Invitational USA presented by Rolex boasts a field featuring the best female junior golfers from around the world. The 72-player field includes seven of the top-25 girls in the Rolex AJGA Rankings and two of the top 10. The champion will receive a Symetra Tour exemption into the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic in March.
Fuller, started her round with a bogey at No. 1 but quickly recovered with birdies at Nos. 2 and 4, making the turn at 1-under-par 35. The 16-year-old, playing in her first AJGA event, tallied two more birdies on Nos. 10 and 11. She had no bogeys after the turn and finished with a 2-under-par 34 on the back nine.
Lexanne Halama of Knoxville, Tennessee, is tied for second after carding a 2-under-par 70. She had three birdies and just one bogey during her round. Currently No. 106 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings, Halama recently finished runner-up at the 2018 AJGA Junior at RiverWatch and has four top-5 finishes in her AJGA career.
Also tied for second is Yuka Saso of Manila, Philippines. She had four birdies in the first round on her way to a 2-under-par 70, one back from Fuller. The University of Georgia verbal commit finished runner-up twice at the Rolex Tournament of Champions in November as well as the inaugural ANNIKA Invitational Australasia last month. She has one win in her AJGA career at the 2018 Thunderbird International Junior.
Valentina Rossi of Rosario, Argentina, Mika Jin of Fremont, California, and Nicole Whiston of San Diego, California are tied for fourth at 1-under-par 71.
The second round will take place Sunday, January 20, on Nos. 1 and 10 from 8:15 a.m. to 10:05 a.m.