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AGE: 18
HOME CLUB: The Country Club
of Virginia
HOMETOWN: Richmond
FUN FACT: Johnson was the first
Virginian to win the Scott Robert-
son Memorial Golf Tournament in
26 years
one with the best players from the state of
Virginia. Coach (Jay) Hardwick and Coach
(Brian) Sharp have obviously made it their
priority to recruit the best players from Vir-
ginia, and I am excited to be a part of it and
hopefully take the program to the next level.
TOP
DOG
VG: What’s the biggest piece of advice
you’d give to a young player looking to
play college golf?
CJ: The most important advice I would give
is to get started in the process as early as
possible. I didn’t really start the whole col-
lege recruiting process until ninth or 10th
grade, so I was behind the 8-ball early. Espe-
cially now, coaches are looking at younger
and younger players to fill their rosters, so
getting in contact with college coaches as
early as possible is very important.
CONNOR JOHNSON JR. , a VSGA member at The Country Club of Virginia,
cemented his spot as one of the top juniors in Virginia by winning the Scott Robertson
Memorial Golf Tournament at Roanoke Country Club in May. A national level event
filled with top juniors from around the country, the Scott Robertson boasts an impressive
list of past champions that includes professionals like Webb Simpson, Paula Creamer,
Hunter Mahan, Kevin Na, Brooke Henderson and Jessica Korda. Johnson posted a
4-under-par 103 to win the rain-shortened event by one stroke.
We caught up with Johnson to reflect on his win and his golf career in general.
Virginia Golfer: No Virginian had won the
Scott Robertson in 26 years. What does
that victory do for your confidence and
what kind of boost does it give you going
into the summer?
Connor Johnson Jr.: It was an honor to
win such a prestigious tournament like
the Scott Robertson. It definitely gives me
a lot of confidence going into the summer,
knowing I can compete and win against the
10
best juniors in the country. With this being
my last summer of junior golf, winning a
national tournament like the Robertson
was a goal I have had since I started playing
junior golf tournaments in ninth grade.
VG: You’ll be starting your college career
at Virginia Tech soon. Why did you choose
the Hokies?
CJ: The program they have in Blacksburg is
V I R G I N I A G O L F E R | J U LY / A U G U ST 2 0 1 8
VG: Golf is a huge part of your life, under-
standably. What other hobbies do you
have, and what do you like to do when
you’re not on the course?
CJ: I really just love to have fun. Whether
it is hunting, fishing, skiing, playing pickup
basketball, or hanging out with buddies, I
would say having a good balance between
golf and social life is very important to not
burning out at an early age.
VG: You’ve played in VSGA champion-
ships and events for several years now.
What has being a VSGA member meant
to you, and why would you encourage
other young players to join and compete
in championships?
CJ: Being a VSGA member has meant
everything to me. There is such great
junior golf competition in the state of
Virginia, and the VSGA runs their events
and championships unbelievably well.
Working my way up the ranks in VSGA
events has shaped me into the player I
am today. Without the VSGA, I would not
be going to a Division I golf program.
vsga.org
After a prestigious tournament victory, Connor Johnson Jr. is
riding a wave of confidence into Blacksburg by CHRIS LANG