Orlando, Fla. - Yana Wilson of Henderson, Nevada, leads the 14th Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex by one-stroke after the first round. The No. 5 player in the Rolex AJGA Rankings went 4-under-par 69 today.
The 14th annual Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex boasts a field featuring the best female junior golfers from around the world. The 72-player field includes twenty-nine Rolex Junior All-Americans, 13 of the top-25 girls in the Rolex AJGA Rankings and six within the top 10.
Wilson's day included five birdies and a bogey. She closed out the round with a birdie run on hole Nos. 16 through 18. She chipped-in for birdie from the back of the green on No. 18 to move into the solo lead.
The 2024 graduate is coming off an impressive 2021 season that included a win at the Sean Foley Performance Junior Championship, a T6 finish at the Rolex Girls Junior Championship, two runner-up finishes and two team appearances on the PING Junior Solheim Cup United States team and the Wyndham Cup West team. She is looking for her first AJGA invitational win this week.
Seven girls share a place of second, one stroke back of Wilson at 3-under-par 70.
Sky Sudberry of The Woodlands, Texas
Anna Davis of Spring Valley, California
Meja Ortengren of Stockholm, Sweden
Karen Tsuru of Carlsbad, California
Yunxuan (Michelle) Zhang of (China) Plano, Texas
Jasmine Koo of Cerritos, California
Summer Lee of Plano, Texas
Headlining the group of seven in second place include Davis who is currently No. 2 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings and Ortengren who won the year end annual Rolex of Tournament of Champions.
Ten girls share the T9 spot at 2-under-par 71, two strokes back of Wilson.
The second round will take place at Eagle Creek Golf Club on Monday, January 17, from 8:30 to 10:20 a.m.