Owen Kinnunen capped off a stellar high school golf season by winning the South Carolina AAAA championship—and shortly after, punched his ticket to the prestigious U.S. Junior Amateur. 

Kinnunen, was one of four golfers to now advance to the USGA Junior championship to be played at Trinity Forest Golf Club, in Dallas starting on July 21st.

It’s a remarkable one-two punch for the senior standout from Blue Ridge, who’s game has grown and has been laser focused in 2024.

Reflecting on the past year, Kinnunen called it “awesome” and “grateful” to have achieved both goals. It’s especially meaningful after narrowly missing out on the U.S. Junior the year before.

“I was leading my U.S. Junior qualifier through 12 holes last year and then just caught a really bad break,” Kinnunen said. “It left a bitter taste in my mouth, and I really didn’t want that to happen again.”

This year, things went differently. 

He stayed calm and steady, refusing to let small mistakes or nerves distract him. His qualifier was played at the Quixote Club in Sumter, a course he said reminded him of Palmetto Golf Club.

“I didn’t really know what to expect going in, but I loved it. It felt like a longer Palmetto, and I thought it fit my game really well,” he said.

Kinnunen also took momentum from his state championship win into the qualifier. 

At state, he shot even par in the first round and was two shots back of his teammate, Dawson Szabo. 

He described his play as “boring golf—just hitting greens and not making much with the putter.” But he stayed patient and focused on putting himself in position for the final round.

That patience paid off. 

On a windy second day at Cross Creek Plantation, Kinnunen found his rhythm.

 “It was howling out there, but I figured it out and caught a few good gusts of wind. I wasn’t even keeping track of where I stood individually because I was locked in on helping my team.”

Ultimately, he walked away with the individual state title—just ahead of some of South Carolina’s best, including Dylan Park from Wren, who finished second and his teammate Szabo who finished third.

After coming up short last year, Kinnunen said this season was all about buying into the team concept. 

“Everyone really bought into doing it for each other, not just for themselves,” he said. “Even our five-man, Andrew Ward, stepped up huge at state. That’s what made the difference.”

Now, the focus shifts to the summer. 

Alongside his appearance at the U.S. Junior Amateur, Kinnunen plans to compete in several South Carolina Golf Association and Carolinas Golf Association events, including the Beth Daniel Junior Azalea and the SCJGA State Junior at Forest Lake.

As for downtime to just be a kid? “Honestly, my kid time has kind of become golf time,” he laughed. “But I’m doing it with my buddies, and we’re having fun.”

With college golf at Southern Wesleyan University ahead and a strong junior summer lined up, Kinnunen is playing with confidence—and humility.

“With how I’m playing right now, I feel like I can compete with anybody,” he said. “I’m just going to keep believing, grinding, and working hard at my craft.”