CA Teen Triumphs At Tiger Woods Junior Golf Tournament

India-West Staff Reporter

IRVINE, CA – Karina Jadhav, a 13-year-old golf star, achieved a wonderful victory at the Annual Tiger Woods Junior Golf Invitational Tournament. The prestigious event took place at Pebble Beach Golf Links from October 7-9.

Karina’s outstanding performance secured her the first-place trophy in a challenging competition that featured both stroke and match play formats. Remarkably, she was the youngest participant in the 13-15 girls’ division.

One of the highlights of Karina’s tournament experience was the opportunity to meet the legendary golfer Tiger Woods, as well as his compete with his son, Charlie Woods.

Karina’s journey to victory was not without its challenges. Over the course of three demanding rounds, she showcased her exceptional short-game skills. In the match-play phase, which was played on the scenic links course of Spanish Bay on Day 2, Karina demonstrated her unwavering determination and resilience. Despite having no prior experience with the tough, ocean-facing, and windy Spanish Bay links course, she managed to overcome a 6-hole deficit at one point during the match.

In a thrilling turn of events, Karina battled her way back to tie the match on the final hole. The intense competition ultimately extended to a total of 20 holes, including two playoff holes. Karina emerged victorious with a spectacular, long downhill curvy birdie putt.

In a heartwarming moment, Tiger Woods himself provided motivation to the young golfer. During the welcome reception at the Beach Club on Day 1, Woods recounted one of his most iconic moments—a historic 7-shot comeback at Pebble Beach in 2000. He shared this story with Karina, who found inspiration in it during her own challenging match.

Throughout the year, Karina has participated in various local, national, and international tournaments including qualifying for her first AJGA Open tournament this summer. She also gained valuable experience by competing in the LPGA Monday qualifier for the CP Women’s Open at Point Grey Country Club in Vancouver, Canada, and the Mexican Women’s Amateur at Guadalajara Country Club in Guadalajara, Mexico.

The young golfer takes her academics seriously too said her parents Amit and Smeeta Jadhav who list off a series of awards she has won at school at Pegasus Private School in Huntington Beach, CA. She has also been actively involved in Earth Day events.