2025 Georgia golf commit talks Bulldogs and more from Junior Invitational at Sage Valley
GRANITEVILLE, S.C. – The first round of the Junior Invitational may have been a struggle for John Daniel Culbreth, but he’s taking much more away from Sage Valley than a scorecard.
The 2025 University of Georgia commit made his first Junior Invitational start this week and shot 6-over-par 78, highlighted by a tough stretch through the second nine. Culbreth carded double bogeys on the Par-3 No. 12 and the Par-5 No. 14.
While it was his first junior invitational appearance, the Thomasville native is no stranger to the big stage. He previously recorded top-five finishes in the 2023 Georgia Amateur Championship (runner-up), Jones Cup Junior Invitational (T-3) and the South Carolina Junior Golf Association Bobby Chapman (T-4).
Still, the first tee at Sage Valley felt different. It's important to keep in mind names like Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, Wyndham Clark, Viktor Hovland, Collin Morikawa and Will Zalatoris all played in this tournament. That's a lot to think about in the days leading up to the first round.
“I was pretty nervous, to be honest with you. I don’t usually get super nervous before tournaments, but this one was a different feeling,” Culbreth said. “That wasn’t my problem today; I had a few loose shots and it got away from me. That can happen out here. If it’s not your day, it can definitely get away from you and that’s what happened. You’ve got to be on your game and if you’re not, it’s tough. If breaks don’t go your way, then it’s going to be a long day.”
Regardless of where he finishes on the leaderboard come Saturday, Culbreth isn’t taking a week around the world’s best junior golfers for granted.
“It’s awesome. I played terrible today, but at the end of the day it’s an amazing place. I think everybody is having a great time. I don’t know how you couldn’t,” he said. “Even playing bad, you’re still learning a lot. We’ve still got two more days, so there’s a lot of learning left to do.”
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J.D. Culbreth’s path to Georgia golf
It wasn’t a stretch for Culbreth to set his sights on Athens, but the nature of college recruiting can fluid until the 11th hour. Nothing is guaranteed until an offer is made. That wasn’t the case for the Brookwood School rising senior.
“I’ve always been a Georgia fan my whole life. I thought that was where I wanted to go, but I never knew until I started the recruiting process. I knew all the coaches and a bunch of the players that went there and it was the right fit for me.”
It’s one thing to grow up a fan of a school, but that doesn’t hold much weight if the relationship with the current coaching staff isn’t there. Chris Haack and his staff is what sealed the deal for Culbreth, who verbally committed to Georgia in September.
“They trust what your game is and they’re not going to change it,” he said. “Seeing how many people have made it out of there was definitely a big thing for me.”
The Georgia golf program has a lot going for it these days. Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson, 2023 Open Championship winner Brian Harman and the countless names across multiple professional tours around the world makes it an easy sell to recruits, but there’s something more. The fraternity of former Bulldogs doesn’t fade away once they leave Athens.
“I love that,” he said, “And that was definitely a big reason why I chose Georgia.”
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Georgia golf commit JD Culbreth struggles, but learns at Sage Valley
