McKeel's Ava Bustos wins 50th annual Junior Citrus Open golf tournament on birthday

Ava Bustos didn't think that the 50th annual Junior Citrus Open at Cleveland Heights on her birthday was any different than a normal tournament.

But it was. After all, this was the last big tournament of the Central Florida junior summer tour, pitting the top Polk County players against one another. And in the end, Bustos, who led McKeel to the area's top finish at state in 2023, placed first at Cleveland Heights Golf Course with a score of 76-79-155 to win the girls 16-18 age group.

And she took the crown on July 21, her 17th birthday.

“I knew that there was always the chance I could win it on my birthday, so that was my goal,” Bustos said.

How did this movie script develop? The all-county selection by The Ledger executed multiple exceptional shots that helped her take the lead. That resulted in a six-shot lead after Round 1, so the second day she knew she had to stay comfortable and competitive in her technique.

“I knew the first day mattered a lot in order for me to get a good enough lead on my competitors so that on Sunday, I would have a good cushion,” she said.

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2022: High school state golf: McKeel's Ava Bustos finishes strong; McKeel places seventh

Bustos returned to this event for the first time in three years. With it and the Teen World Championship, recently held around Pinehurst in North Carolina on back to back weeks in late July, she arduously worked with her swing coach, Eaglebrooke professional golfer Gil Foushee, to ensure she was ready.

Bustos tied for 36th in North Carolina out of a field of 113 girls ages 16-18.

At Cleveland Heights, her putting was really strong, which helped her to sink par and birdie putts to keep a lead. A recent change to her putting grip has been working well.

"Ava had played on varsity here at McKeel since her 7th grade year. From that time to now, she has developed better in every facet of the game: distance, iron play, short game and the mental side," McKeel coach Jeremy Bohnenstiehl said. "She has played extremely well for the high school team, and I cannot take credit for her development as she works with her swing coach weekly. I provided her with words of encouragement on the course and she has done phenomenal things."

Her mother, Jillian Bustos, said it was a weekend of perfection.

“Some very notable names have won this award in the past and it’s an honor to win the huge trophy in our community,” Jillian Bustos said. “Ava turned 17 years old … and it was the perfect birthday gift.”

Coming into her senior year of high school, Bustos is looking to play golf in college. Right now she is talking to multiple Division II colleges and universities in Florida, and she is hoping to commit to one of them in the near future.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: McKeel's Ava Bustos wins 50th annual Junior Citrus Open golf tournament on birthday