Myrtle Beach has hosted a number of high-profile tournaments over the years, ranging from the U.S. Women’s Open to the Senior PGA Tour Championship, with the granddaddy of them all – the PGA Tour – on the way in 2024.
More quietly, the area has also hosted a number of premier amateur events, and the Elite Invitational, one of America’s premier junior tournaments, is ready to add its name to the list of prominent events that call the area home.
Featuring a star-studded field, the fourth annual Elite Invitational will be played November 3-5 at Tradition Golf Club. The 54-hole tournament will feature a field of 66 boys and 42 girls, many of whom have already signed Division I golf scholarships or verbally committed to some of the nation’s most prominent programs.
The boys’ field is highlighted by Nashville, Tenn., resident Blades Brown, the No. 1 junior boy in the world, according to Junior Golf Scoreboard. The sophomore has won three American Junior Golf Association tournaments this year, but the competition, led by Tyler Watts (Huntsville, Ala.), the world’s seventh-ranked junior, will be fierce.
Toronto, Canada native Vanessa Borovilos, the No. 7 junior in the world, will lead the girls field. Borovilos, a senior, has committed to play golf at the University of Houston.
Tradition Club, a highly regarded Ron Garl design, will provide a memorable test for the game’s rising young stars. The course stretches to nearly 7,000 yards and the ninth and 14th holes will be played as daunting par 4s, making Tradition a par-70 for the tournament.
While power will be important, so will decision making, particularly on No. 3, a 329-yard par 4 that will offer the opportunity to drive the green, but with water on the left and a waste bunker on the right, an aggressive approach isn’t without risk.
While the players in the Elite Invitational have the ability to go low on any course, the back nine at Tradition will put everyone to the test, playing nearly 3,600 yards.
Located in Pawleys Island, Tradition Club is one of the Myrtle Beach area’s hidden gems, treating golfers to a layout that is equal parts classic and modern. Now, some of America’s best juniors will discover the virtues that have made Tradition so popular with traveling golfers over the years.
(Spectators are welcome to come watch these future stars!)
Below are the boys and girls fields, including year of graduation and the college each player has committed to, when applicable.
Elite Invitational 2023 Boys Field
Jake Albert – Blacksburg, VA Class of ’25 – Committed: Auburn University
Carson Baez – Windermere, FL, Class of ’24 – Committed: The University of Richmond
Cameron Baez – Windermere, FL, Class of ’25 – Undeclared
Griffin Barke – Crestwood, KY, Class of ’25 – Undeclared
Jackson Benge – Omaha, NE, Class of ’24 – Committed: The University of Nebraska
Jake Birdwell – Blaine, MN, Class of ’24 – Committed: The University of Illinois
Andrea Birolini – (Italy) Southlake, TX, Class of ’26 – Undeclared
Blades Brown – Nashville, TN, Class of ’26 – Undeclared
Jacob Blanton– West Point, MS, Class of ’24 – Committed: The University of Mississippi
Conner Brummitt – Abingdon, VA, Class of ’25 – Undeclared
Brody Burgess – Victor, NY, Class of ’25 – Undeclared
Eli Walker Campbell – Richmond, TX, Class of ’25 – Committed: The University of Oklahoma
Joseph Canitano – Milton, GA, Class of ’24 – Committed: Michigan State University
Nico Canitano – Milton, GA, Class of ’27 – Undeclared
Brady Catalano – Upper Arlington, OH, Class of ’24 – Committed: Oklahoma State University
Frederick Chappell – Bogart, GA, Class of ’24 – Committed: Columbus State University
Jackson Cook – West Point, MS, Class of ’25 – Committed: Mississippi State University
Thomas Crane – Mobile, AL, Class of ’25 – Undeclared
Michael Crocker – Mobile, AL, Class of ’24 – Committed: The University of Alabama
Jack Crousore– Bluffton, SC, Class of ’24 – Committed: The University of Minnesota
Major Ewing – Blacksburg, VA, Class of ’26 – Undeclared
Jayden Freedman – Boca Raton, FL Class of ’24 – Committed: Colgate University
Clark Xander Goboy – Chesapeake, VA, Class of ’24 – Committed: North Carolina State University (NC State)
Tyler Greenspahn- Winnetka, IL, Class of ’24 – Committed: The University of Southern California
Will Guthrie – Charlotte, NC Class of ’25 – Undeclared
Aidan Gutierrez – Valpariso, IN, Class of ’24 – Committed: Baylor University
Max Halflants – Belgium, Class of ’24- Committed: Furman University
Talan Harrison – Kannapolis, NC, Class of 25′ – Undeclared
Drake Harvey – Las Vegas, NV, Class of ’26 – Undeclared
Bryant Hernandez – San Marino, CA, Class of ’24 – Committed: Colorado State University
Jackson Herrington- Dickson, TN, Class of ’24 – Committed: The University of Tennessee
Mason Howell- Tallahassee, FL, Class of ’26 – Undeclared
Isaiah Ibit – Ontario, Canada, Class of ’24 – Committed: Kent State University
Matthew Javier – Ontario, Canada, Class of ’24 – Undeclared
Zachary Johnson – Maple Grove, MN, Class of ’26 – Undeclared
Bradford Lacefield- Versailles, KY, Class of ’26 – Undeclared
Hudson Lawson – Haleyville, AL, Class of ’25 – Undeclared
Ryan Leach – Williamsburg, VA, Class of ’24 – Committed: West Virginia University
James Lee – Canada, Class of ’25 – Undeclared
Caden Lester – Bastrop, LA, Class of ’24 – Committed: The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Grant Lester – Washington, D.C., Class of ’24 – Committed: Columbia University
Carson Looney – Bethesda, MD, Class of ’25 – Undeclared
Jackson McLaughlin – Little Rock, AR, Class of 24′ – Committed: The University of Arkansas
Daniel McBrien – Holly Springs, NC, Class of 26′ – Undeclared
Brody McQueen – Marietta, GA, Class of 26′ – Undeclared
Jack Michael – Huntington, WV, Class of 25′ – Undeclared
Drew Miller – East Lansing, MI, Class of ’24 – Committed: Michigan State University
Corbin Null – Waco, TX, Class of ’24 – Committed: Baylor University
Anthony Purcea – Buford, SC, Class of ’24 – Undeclared
Morgan Riley – Raleigh, NC, Class of ’25 – Undeclared
Travis Robertson – Jupiter, FL, Class of ’24 – Committed: Lafayette College
Drew Sacia – Milton, GA, Class of ’24 – Committed: The University of Wisconsin
Harry Satterlee – Joplin, MO, Class of ’24 – Committed: The University of Cincinnati
Jackson Skinner – Birmingham, AL, Class of ’25 – Committed: Mississippi State University
Ethan Smith – Marietta, GA, Class of ’24 – Committed: Mississippi State University
Luke Smith – Ontario, Canada, Class of ’25 – Committed: The University of Tennessee
Bailey Sutter– Cullman, AL, Class of ’26 – Undeclared
Ryan Stendahl – Maple Grove, MN, Class of ’24 – Committed: The University of Minnesota
Charlie Tucker– Castle Pines, CO, Class of ’24 – Committed: Colorado State University
Clark Van Gaalen – Turlock, CA, Class of ’24 – Committed: The University of Oklahoma
Tyler Watts– Huntsville, AL, Class of ’26 – Undeclared
Leo Wessel– Indianapolis, IN, Class of ’24 – Committed: The University of Cincinnati
Ethan Whitaker– Knoxville, TN, Class of ’24 – Committed: The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Drew Woolworth– Lake Oswego, OR, Class of ’26 – Undeclared
Alex Zhang – Richmond, BC, Canada, Class of ’26 – Undeclared
Eric Zhao – Ontario, Canada, Class of ’25 – Undeclared
Elite Invitational 2023 Girls Field
Gabriella Albert – Delray Beach, FL, Class of ’25 – Undeclared
Kate Barber – Savannah, GA, Class of ’25 – Committed: Auburn University
Emerson Blair – 2020 Champion – West Point, MS, Class of ’24 – Committed: The University of Mississippi
Elisabeth Borsheim – (Norway) Sarasota, FL, Class of ’25 – Undeclared
Vanessa Borovilos – Toronto, Canada, Class of ’24 – Committed: Texas A&M University
Chiara Brambilla – (Italy) Southlake, TX, Class of ’24 – Committed: The University of Houston
Sawyer Brockstedt – Rehoboth Beach, DE, Class of ’25 – Committed: The University of Notre Dame
Samantha Brown – Westfield, IN, Class of ’24 – Committed: Purdue University
Maggie Carlson – Inverness, IL, Class of ’25 – Undeclared
Lucy Cook – West Point, MS, Class of ’26 – Undeclared
Regan Dusenbery – Wichita, KS, Class of ’26 – Undeclared
Sophia Dyer– St.Petersburg, FL, Class of ’26 – Committed: Undeclared
Sophia Ellested– Houston, TX, Class of ’25 – Committed: Undeclared
Bella Flores– Kingwood, TX, Class of ’24 – Committed: James Madison University
Savannah Van Gaalen -Turlock, CA, Class of ’25 – Undeclared
Caroline Hawkins-Columbia, SC, Class of ’26 – Undeclared
Michaela Headlee– Carmel, IN, Class of ’24 – Committed: Purdue Univeristy
Harper Hinckley– McComb, MS, Class of ’25 – Undeclared
Katleyn Huber– Gainesville, FL, Class of ’25 – Undeclared
Anna Huang– BC, Canada, Class of ’27 – Undeclared
Isabella Johnson- Murfreesboro, TN, Class of ’25 – Undeclared
Yeji Kwon – Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada Class of ’24 – Committed: Baylor University
Lindsay Lee – San Antonio, TX, Class of ’25 – Undeclared
Shauna Liu – Ontario, Canada, Class of ’25 – Undeclared
Luna Lu – Burnaby, BC, Canada Class of ’25 – Undeclared
Ellison Lundquist – Furlong, PA, Class of ’25 – Committed: The University of Oklahoma
Sophia Macias– Denham Springs, LA, Class of ’25 – Undeclared
Jenna Madden– McKinney, TX, Class of ’24 – Committed: Furman University
Avery McCrery– Wilmington, DE., Class of ’25 – Committed: Duke University
Lindsay McGrath– Oakville, ON, Canada, Class of ’25 – Undeclared
Carlee Meilleur – Lansdowne, ON, Canada, Class of ’26 – Undeclared
Eileen Park– Alberta, Canada, Class of ’27 – Undeclared (UNC)
Hannah Rabb -Watsontown, PA, Class of ’24 – Committed: James Madison University
Scarlett Schremmer – Birmingham, AL, Class of ’25 – Committed: The University of Miami
Raleygh Simpson – Kerrville, TX, Class of ’24 – Committed: The University of Kentucky
Emma Thompson – McKinney, TX, Class of ’24 – Committed: New Mexico State University
Lauren Timpf – Macomb, MI, Class of ’24 – Committed: Purdue University
Angelina Tolentino – Mount Laurel, NJ, Class of ’25 – Committed: Vanderbilt University
Savannah Van Gaalen– Turlock, CA, Class of ’25 – Undeclared
Bridget Wilkie– Bluffton, SC, Class of ’24 – Committed: The University of Notre Dame
Michelle Xing– Richmond Hill, ON, Canada, Class of ’26 – Undeclared
Natalie Yen– West Linn, OR, Class of ’25 – Committed: Texas A&M University