Big Week

On back-to-back days, Hadley Ashton of Erie helps score medalist honors in U.S. Women’s Four-Ball qualifier, then is named to AJGA 12-15 All-Star team

By Gary Baines – 9/30/2022

From “Future Famer” to USGA championship qualifier (again), to Junior All-Star, Hadley Ashton of Erie keeps racking up the accolades.

The sophomore at Erie High School has had a notable last month or so. 

After receiving an award as a Future Famer from the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame late in August, Ashton and partner Brynn Kort of Henderson, Nev., shared medalist honors in Albuquerque-based qualifying for the 2023 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball, set for May 13-17 at The Home Course in DuPont, Wash. Ashton and Kort posted a 6-under-par 66 best ball, then earned a national berth by prevailing in a three-teams-for-two-spots playoff as Ashton birdied the second extra hole. (It should be noted that another Coloradan, Lauren Lehigh of Loveland, along with Napat Lertsadwattana, were the second alternates from the site after firing a 67.)

It was Ashton’s third time qualifying for a USGA championship after previously making the grade for the 2022 U.S. Women’s Four-Ball — where she barely missed advancing to match play with Kort — and the 2022 U.S. Girls’ Junior. 

Then a day after qualifying this week, Ashton gained the distinction of being one of 10 girls — to go along with 10 boys — named to the 2022 AJGA Junior All-Star teams, which recognize many of the top golfers in the world, age 12-15.

Ashton, the 2022 4A state high school individual (and team) champion, won the AJGA Hale Irwin Junior at Walnut Creek Golf Preserve in June as well as the AJGA Junior All-Star presented by Golf+ in Austin, Texas in early April.

Ashton and the other Junior All-Stars receive invitations to compete in the final event of the 2022 Junior All-Star Series, the Ping An Bank Junior All-Star Invitational Nov. 20-23 in San Antonio.

Ashton is currently ranked No. 85 nationally/internationally among girls by Rolex/the AJGA.

This is the 21st year the AJGA has named Junior All-Star teams. Among the prominent players who have landed spots on the teams are Jordan Spieth (2007), Rickie Fowler (2004), Will Zalatoris (2009) and Cheyenne Woods (2005).