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SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. (January 27, 2025) – North Carolina is known for producing some of the strongest junior golfers in the nation. Each year, the Tarheel Youth Golf Association (TYGA) and Carolinas Golf Association (CGA) recognize one girl and one boy as the North Carolina Junior Players of the Year. 

For 2024, Elizabeth Rudisill of Charlotte, N.C., and John John Santospago of Charlotte, N.C., have been awarded this prestigious honor in recognition of their exceptional performances in junior golf tournaments at the local, state, regional, and national levels. 

Junior Girls’ Player of the Year 

Elizabeth Rudisill of Charlotte, N.C., has solidified her place as North Carolina’s top junior golfer in 2024 with a remarkable season. 

Rudisill's 2024 campaign was marked by several significant highlights including a victory at the 2024 Rolex Girls Junior Championship with a 54-hole tournament total score of 11-under-par 205. Throughout the summer, Rudisill continued to shine on both national and local stages. At the PGA Junior Championship, she tied for second place with a total score of 4-under-par 283.  

Her success carried into the high school golf season, where she claimed victory at the NCHSAA 4A West Regional Championship and followed up with runner-up finish at the NCHSAA Women’s Golf 4A State Championship. 

Rudisill also demonstrated her strength at invitational events, including tying for first at the CGA HV3 Girls’ High School Invitational with a 68 and placing third at the TYGA Pinecrest High School Girls’ Invitational with another impressive 68. Additionally, she finished tied for 10th at the Scott Robertson Memorial and tied for sixth at The Nelly Invitational, further highlighting her ability to compete with the best junior golfers in the country. Rudisill’s scoring average for 2024 was 71.92. 

Elizabeth Rudisill’s outstanding year exemplifies her dedication to the sport and her ability to excel on the biggest stages. With her strong performances at local, state, regional, and national events, she has firmly established herself as a rising star in golf. 

Rudisill, a senior at Myers Park High School in Charlotte, N.C., will take her talents to Vanderbilt University this fall, where she will continue to build on her impressive golf career. 

Junior Boys’ Player of the Year 
 
John John Santospago of Charlotte, N.C., consistently competed at a high level on local, regional, and national stages throughout his 2024 season, securing his place as the top-ranked junior boys’ player in North Carolina and earning the title of 2024 N.C. Junior Boys’ Player of the Year.  

Santospago’s performances in 2024 CGA junior events included a tie for ninth at the Mimosa Hills Junior Invitational, a tie for 11th at the Creed Boys' Invitational, 21st at the Hope Valley Junior Invitational, a tie for 21st at the Carolinas Junior Boys' Championship and a tie for 28th at the North Carolina Junior Boys' Championship. 

Other notable finishes included second place at the Carolinas PGA Boys Junior Championship, a tie for 24th at the Jones Cup Junior Invitational, and a tie for 31st at the U.S. Kids World Teen Championship (Boys 15–18). In AJGA events, he tied for 12th at the HV3 Foundation Junior Open and the AJGA Junior at Parris Island, tied for 27th at the Greyson Sigg Junior Championship, and tied for 39th at the Wyndham Invitational. Santospago’s scoring average for 2024 was 72.11. 

Santospago, a sophomore at Pinecrest High School in Southern Pines, N.C. also earned the 2024 Carolinas Junior Boys’ Player of the Year honor. 

About the Tarheel Youth Golf Association (TYGA) 

The Tarheel Youth Golf Association (TYGA), a division of the Carolinas Golf Association, a 501 (c) 3 organization, provides playing opportunities for its members, conducts educational seminars and events, acts as a junior golf informational clearinghouse, provides free USGA handicaps to junior golfers in North Carolina, recruits sponsor clubs that grant junior access to golf facilities in North Carolina, publishes monthly North Carolina junior rankings, and awards Junior Player of the Year and All-State awards to the top juniors in North Carolina. Membership is open to any boy or girl who are legal residents of N.C.; are 18 years of age and under; and who have not started college. 

About the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA)  

The Carolinas Golf Association (CGA) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization established in 1909 to promote and protect the game of golf in the Carolinas. The CGA supports golf clubs and golfers by providing competitions, education, resources, and benefits. It is the second-largest golf association in the country, representing over 700 member clubs and 220,000 individuals. Each year, the CGA conducts 48 championships and five team match competitions across various divisions, including men, women, juniors, and seniors. In addition, it organizes more than 150 One-Day events (net and gross) and manages qualifying tournaments for USGA national championships. The CGA offers a wide range of services and programs to support golf in the Carolinas, including the administration of the USGA Handicap System, tournament management software and support, course measurement and course/slope ratings, agronomy consultation, and guidance on the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, and Handicapping. Additional initiatives include Carolinas Golf Magazine, the Interclub series, the Tarheel Youth Golf Association, the Carolinas Golf Hall of Fame, and expense assistance for USGA Junior and Girls' Junior qualifiers from the Carolinas. Through its charitable arm, the Carolinas Golf Foundation (CGF), the CGA has distributed over $3.2 million since 1977 to support golf initiatives in the region, including junior and women’s programs. 

 Media Contact:  
Jackson Sveen  
Carolinas Golf Association  
Phone: (910) 673-1000  
Email: jackson.sveen@carolinasgolf.org  

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