Blades Brown, the 2024 Rolex Junior Player of the Year from Nashville, Tennessee, has earned an exemption into the 2025 Butterfield Bermuda Championship. The 18-year-old secured the prestigious American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) award following a remarkable season highlighted by a third-place finish at the AJGA Simplify Boys Championship, tied for third at the RLX Ralph Lauren Junior Classic and a runner-up finish at The Junior PLAYERS Championship presented by Rolex.
“Being named the 2024 AJGA Player of the Year is one of the greatest highlights of my junior golf career — a moment I’ll always carry with me,” said Blades Brown. “From the moment I learned I would be receiving the award, the opportunity to play in Bermuda has been at the forefront of my mind. I have heard nothing but incredible things about the tournament, the staff, the course, and the entire experience. I mean, who wouldn’t want to play golf in paradise? I’m truly grateful to the AJGA and the Butterfield Bermuda Championship for extending this invitation. It’s an honor to compete in 2025, and I sincerely hope it won’t be my last time teeing it up in Bermuda.”
The Butterfield Bermuda Championship continues its partnership with the AJGA, offering an annual exemption to the Rolex Junior Player of the Year. This collaboration provides a direct pathway for top junior golfers to compete at the professional level.
“We’re incredibly proud to continue our partnership with the AJGA and to welcome Blades Brown to Bermuda,” said Danielle Carrera, Tournament Director of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. “Blades represents everything this exemption is meant to highlight — exceptional talent, dedication, and maturity beyond his years. His rapid rise through the ranks is inspiring, and we’re thrilled that Bermuda will be part of his journey. Fans can look forward to watching one of golf’s brightest young stars compete on one of the most breathtaking stages in the sport.”
In a historic milestone for the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, Blades Brown, the 2024 Rolex Junior Player of the Year, will be the first recipient to accept the tournament’s exemption as a professional rather than a junior golfer. Having turned professional in December 2024 at age 17, Brown’s transition to the pro ranks has been marked by rapid success, including earning Special Temporary Membership on the Korn Ferry Tour after accumulating over 237.718 points, the threshold for the No. 100 player on the 2024 Points List, with a runner-up finish at the Veritex Bank Championship and strong subsequent performances. This status, officially accepted after turning 18 on May 21, 2025, grants him unlimited sponsor exemptions, allowing him to accept the Butterfield Bermuda Championship exemption despite having already used all seven of his allotted PGA TOUR sponsor exemptions for the 2025 season.
Brown’s 2024 season was exceptional. In addition to his standout AJGA performances, he made his PGA TOUR debut as an amateur at the Myrtle Beach Classic, finishing an impressive T26. His 2025 season marked a significant transition as he turned professional in December 2024, forgoing college golf to pursue a full-time career on the PGA TOUR and Korn Ferry Tour. His professional debut came at The American Express in January 2025, where he carded an 8-under-par 64 in the second round, the third-lowest score by a player under 18 in a PGA TOUR event in the past 40 years. He has played in six PGA TOUR events and eight Korn Ferry Tour events since his pro debut, with his best finish coming in April at the Veritex Bank Championship, where he finished T2.
The AJGA has hosted the Butterfield Bermuda Junior Championship at Port Royal Golf Course since 2023. The 2025 event, held from January 16-19, featured 54 holes of stroke-play and welcomed top junior golfers from around the world. The tournament included three Bermuda natives, seven countries and 17 states represented. Phillips Swift of Macon, Georgia and Kayla Black of Ontario, Canada both claimed their first AJGA wins at the 2025 event.
“Blades embodies everything the Rolex Junior Player of the Year award represents — talent, hard work, and the ability to rise on the biggest stages,” said Patrick Cansfield, Director of Development at the American Junior Golf Association. “His exemption into the Butterfield Bermuda Championship is a well-deserved next step in his journey, and we are proud that the AJGA and the PGA Tour continue to provide a pathway for the game’s next generation to showcase their abilities at the highest level. This partnership with the Butterfield Bermuda Championship highlights our shared commitment to creating opportunities for juniors to chase their dreams.”
The Rolex AJGA Rankings is the proprietary system created to identify and rank the top junior players who have competed in the premier junior golf tournaments in the United States. Several notable Rolex Player of the Year winners include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Scottie Scheffler and Jordan Spieth, among others.
The 2025 Butterfield Bermuda Championship, part of the FedExCup Fall, is scheduled for November 13-16 at Port Royal Golf Course in Southampton, Bermuda. The event promises to deliver a thrilling showcase of talent, with Brown joining a field of established professionals and rising stars.
For more information about the Butterfield Bermuda Junior Championship, please contact Director of Development, Patrick Cansfield (pcansfield@ajga.org).
About the Butterfield Bermuda Championship
The Butterfield Bermuda Championship, Bermuda’s first-ever PGA TOUR event, is an annual stop on the PGA TOUR calendar each fall. The 2025 tournament will take place November 13-16 at Port Royal Golf Course in Southampton, Bermuda, and the field will feature a minimum of three local Bermudian players. This official FedEx Cup Fall event will showcase Bermuda to its worldwide spectators with live broadcasting brought to you by Golf Channel. For more information on the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, please visit the Butterfield Bermuda Championship website.
About Bermuda Tourism Authority
The Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) is an independent, non-government entity and the official destination marketing organization for the island country. The Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) promotes Bermuda globally as a world-class destination for leisure and group travel and tourism investment. For more information visit: https://www.gotobermuda.com/bta
About the AJGA
The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. The AJGA provides valuable exposure for college golf scholarships and has an annual junior membership (boys and girls, ages 12-19) of more than 10,500 members from 50 states and 60 foreign countries. Through initiatives like the Liberty National ACE Grant, a financial assistance program, and Leadership Links, a service-oriented platform that teaches juniors charitable-giving skills, the AJGA fosters the growth of golf’s next generation.
TaylorMade and adidas are the AJGA’s Global Sponsors, supporting the AJGA for more than 25 years. TaylorMade has served as the Official Ball of the AJGA since 2016. adidas has been the Official Apparel and Footwear of the AJGA since 2017. Rolex, in its fourth decade of AJGA sponsorship, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004.
AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. Former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 1,000 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Patrick Cantlay, Billy Horschel, Collin Morikawa, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Tiger Woods, Paula Creamer, Jessica Korda, Nelly Korda, Cristie Kerr, Stacy Lewis, Inbee Park, Lexi Thompson and Rose Zhang.
