The top boys and girls in the U.S. who are coming for the Dustin Johnson World Junior

The field for the Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship is nearly set, and 28 of the top 100 junior boys and 16 of the top 100 girls in the United States will be competing in the fourth annual event March 1-3 at TPC Myrtle Beach.

“Dustin wants to create the best junior golf tournament in the world, and we have certainly taken another step toward fulfilling that goal this year,” said Scott Tomasello, tournament director for tournament operator Golf Tourism Solutions. “This year’s field is on par with the best junior tournaments in the country.”

The field of 90 players features 66 boys and 24 girls and will be headlined by the return of defending champions Michael Brennan of Leesburg, Va., and Alexa Pano of Lake Worth, Fla., who is America’s sixth-ranked girl, according to Golfweek.

Brennan captured the 2018 title in dramatic fashion, making eagle on TPC’s par 5 18th hole to finish the final round and hold off Akshay Bhatia, currently the country’s top-ranked junior.

Other headliners on the boys side include No. 15 Jackson Van Paris (Pinehurst, N.C.), No. 22 Nick Dunlap (Greer), who is the highest ranked South Carolinian in the field, No. 27 Gavin Noble (Ringgold, Ga.) and No. 28 George Duangmanee (Fairfax, Va.).

On the girls side, No. 11 Ashley Menne (Surprise, Ariz.), last year’s runner-up, is returning, along with No. 30 Latanna Stone (Riverview, Fla.), No. 43 Jensen Castle (Columbia) and No. 44 Erika Smith (Orlando, Fla.).

The lone representative from the Grand Strand is Smith Knaffle of Murrells Inlet, though two boys spots and one girls spot will be determined by a one-day qualifier at TPC Myrtle Beach on Feb. 9.

The tournament is sponsored by TPC owner Founders Group International, Golf Tourism Solutions and the Dustin Johnson Golf School.

Through the Dustin Johnson Foundation, which is headquartered in Myrtle Beach, Johnson has donated more than $250,000 to junior golf, sponsoring numerous events throughout the state and helping cover entry costs for kids who need financial assistance.