Wellington resident Jason Shwartz, 17, is one of 46 young men and women golfers who are the recipients of 2023 Rolex Scholastic Junior All-America honors. Shwartz is a senior at American Heritage School in Delray Beach, where he will graduate in May.
Originally created in 1988, the 2023 list recognizes the achievements of top junior golfers who have demonstrated excellence in academics as well as on the golf course. The 46 Rolex Scholastic All-Americans are from 14 states and three countries (Canada, China and the United Kingdom).
The criteria to earn Rolex Scholastic Junior All-America honors include a top-10 finish in an American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) open or invitational event played between Oct. 7, 2022, and Sept. 4, 2023; a minimum test score of 1450 SAT/33 ACT; and a minimum 3.5 weighted grade point average on the 4.0 scale or 90 on the 100 scale.
“Every year, the Rolex Scholastic Junior All-America honorees exemplify the perfect blend of excellence, not only on the golf course but also in the classroom. These young champions are the embodiment of unwavering dedication, demonstrating that success is the synergy of hard work, passion and education,” said Stephen Hamblin, the executive director of the AJGA.
At American Heritage, Shwartz has a 4.76 grade point average. During his three years there, Shwartz has been a three-time Palm Beach County first-team selection. After graduating from high school, he plans to attend the University of Wisconsin in Madison, where he plans to pursue a degree in real estate investment/financing and play on the men’s golf team.
His biggest win in golf this year was capturing the title of the UNIQLO/Adam Scott Junior Championship this past May at the Hammock Creek Golf Club in Palm City. During that three-round, 54-hole event, Shwartz recorded 18 birdies, shot rounds of 69, 65 and 68 (202), and recorded the lowest 54-hole score in tournament history (14 under par). It was his first-ever American Junior Golf Association victory.
“Getting my first win at such a prestigious event with the media coverage, UNIQLO and Adam Scott as the sponsors means a lot,” Shwartz said.
Former Rolex Scholastic Junior All-Americans have gone on to successful amateur and professional golf careers, including: Casey Martin (1989), Wendy Ward (1990), Kellee Booth (1992), Cristie Kerr (1994), Matt Kuchar (1994), Boyd Summerhays (1994), Tiffany Joh (2004), Scott Langley (2005), Patrick Rodgers (2009, 2010) and Lauren Kim (2011).
Of the 46 total recipients, four of the players are based in Florida. In addition to Shwartz, they include three Chinese golfers, all of whom are based in central Florida: Boyi (Barry) Zhang, Yufei (Nancy) Dai and Junyuan Zhang.
