Golfweek

Patrick Rodgers, of Avon, Ind., shot a final-round 65 and rallied to win the 93rd Western Junior Championship on Friday.

Rodgers, No. 8 in Golfweek’s junior rankings, began the day four strokes back, but played the final 36 holes in 5-under par to win by three shots over Michael Kim at Blue Mound Golf and Country Club in Wauwatosa, Wis. Rodgers finished at 5-under 275.

“This is a huge tournament,” said Rodgers, a rising senior who has given a verbal commitment to Stanford. “I was a little bit nervous but I tried to keep breathing ... focusing on the shots I had. This is obviously very special. It’s the biggest win of my career. It’s just awesome.”

Rodgers, who turns 18 next week, made six birdies and just one bogey in the final round, his 65 matching the lowest score of the tournament.

“The key is not to make any mistakes, and I only made one (over the last 18 holes),” said Rodgers, who also won the Indiana state high school championship on June 16.

Kim, who said he recently underwent “major surgery” on his swing, shot a third-round 66 to vault into contention, but was unable to keep up with Rodgers in the final round and settled for a 69 and 2-under 278 total.

“What a day, what a week,” Kim said. “I felt pretty good this week. It was all about putting. I knew I was going to hit the ball well. ... I hit a lot of greens and made a bunch of 5-footers for par.”

Wyndham Clark and Ryan Zech tied for third at 1 under, and Marshall Talkington was fifth at even par.