Rocky Khara has always dreamed of winning an American Junior Golf Association tournament. The best finish he had experienced was seventh place.
That was before this week.
On Thursday, Khara won the Mayakoba Junior Golf Classic near Cancun, Mexico. Khara won the tournament by two strokes, shooting a 6-over 216 for the three-day tournament.
“This win is really big,” Khara said. “Since I won this tournament, I get to play in the invitationals, which only people who win get to play in. Coming into this tournament, I was playing well, so I said, ‘I might as well go for the win’”
Khara, who finished 10th in the Class 2A state golf tournament last fall, made his plan become a reality.
Khara shot a 75 in the first round, something he said he wasn’t happy with. But in the second round, he shot a 66 — the best round in the tournament — and took a two-shot lead into the final round Thursday, holding off Sebastian Vazquez of Mexico City, who finished at 8-over 218.
Andrew Gain of Bradenton finished at 17-over 227, good for 12th place.
It’s Khara’s fifth tournament win this year, including district and regional crowns.
“It feels like a big pressure just lifted off (me),” Khara said. “It feels like I belong on top again.”
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