Robert Melendez may only be 10 years old, but the Ann Arbor native is already playing golf well beyond his years.
And last week, he put forth a strong performance to finish second in one of the world’s most prestigious golf tournaments for kids.
Melendez took second out of 146 golfers at the US Kids Golf World Championships for the 10-year-old boys group after a clutch performance in the final round of the event.
The young golfer shot an 8-under par 64 in the final round to rally from a five-stroke deficit and force a 6-hole playoff and finished the three-day tournament at 12-under par, second only to Austin, Texas golfer Beckett McLaughlin.
If you’re unfamiliar with the significance of the US Kids Golf Word Championships, the tournament was highlighted in the 2013 Netflix documentary called “The Short Game”.
In addition to his strong showing last week, Melendez has been on a tear since he started playing at the age of 6 and recently picked up some impressive victories.
He won the Callaway/Meijer Junior Tour Championship for ages 11-12 two weeks ago, followed by the Notah Begay III Regional Qualifier and the Veteran Golfers Association World Championship to earn his spot in the US Kids World Championships.
And his performance at the Notah Begay III Regional Qualifier also helped him secure a spot in the esteemed NB3 National Championship scheduled for November.