2021 marked the 8th Annual Gator Invitational hosted at The Country Club of Jackson, in Jackson, Mississippi.

The Gator began in 2013, and continued through 2017, as a regional scale event consisting of both a High School team competition as well as an individual competition.

Select High School teams from Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia were invited, as well as, selected individuals from this region. During this time, The Gator was widely considered one of the top High School Team events in the southeastern United States.

In 2018, The Gator made a transition from a combination high school team/Individual competition, to an elite individual junior invitational. With the seeds sewn in the previous 5 years, The Gator was set to take the event to the next level.

2019 saw the event competed on a course under minor construction and playing as a par 70 instead of the normal par 72.

The 2020 event was cancelled due to flooding and COVID, and the 2022 event wasn't held due to course maintenance issues related to the PGA Tour's Sanderson Farms Championship.

Past Champions

Jake Peacock (2021) - Jake came to the 2021 Gator as the highest ranked player in the field and the 14th ranked player in the country.  Jake began the 3rd and final round in a tightly packed group vying for the title.  Jake took a small lead into the back 9 and used a scorching hot finish to shoot 65 and claim a 6-stroke victory.  Jake moved in at Western Carolina the next week where he went on to be named the SoCon Freshman of the year and was named All-Conference.  Jake transferred to the University of South Florida following his Freshman year.

Jonathan Griz (2019) - Jonathan came into the 2019 Gator as the #1 ranked high school Freshman in the country. Griz wasted no time getting off to a sizzling start with a 1st round 64. The Alabama Men's Golf commit held off his future roommate in the final round and made an eagle on the final hole to secure a 1-shot victory over fellow Freshman, Nicolas Dunlap. Griz's win at The Gator came on the heels of an impressive victory at the Bobby Chapman, and he went on to win the 2019 Nike Junior Invitational as well.  Griz is currently a Freshman at Alabama and a contributing member of the Crimson Tide golf team.

Frankie Capan (2018) – Frankie fired a first round 69 and birdied the 9th hole of a rain-shortened 9-hole final round to get into a playoff with Auburn signee C.J. Easley. In incredibly difficult and rainy conditions, Capan birdied the 2nd playoff hole to take home the victory.  Frankie had a decorated collegiate career at the University of Alabama and, later, at Florida Gulf Coast University.  Frankie is currently playing as a member of the Korn Ferry Tour.

Wilson Furr (2017) – Wilson used rounds of 68-70 to win over a tightly packed top of the leaderboard on his home course. Former Clemson golfer and current LIV player, Turk Petit, again finished in the Runner-Up position. Wilson became the second consecutive Country Club of Jackson Junior to win The Gator. Wilson graduated in 2022  as a member of the Alabama Men’s Golf team, and he is currently competing on the Korn Ferry Tour. His Freshman season saw him play every event in the Spring in helping Alabama to the National Championship match versus host school, and eventual champion, Oklahoma State. Wilson also boasted a stellar Junior golf career—3 times being named a Rolex All-American, competing as a member of the United State’s Junior Ryder Cup team and being named a member to the prestigious Wyndham Cup.

Cecil Wegener (2016) – After coming up 1 shot short in 2015, Wegener closed the deal in 2016 firing rounds of 71-69 to scratch out a 1-shot victory over current Clemson Sophomore Turk Petit. Cecil became the first Country Club of Jackson Junior to win The Gator on his home course.  Cecil recently graduated after playing 4 injury-plagued years on the Ole Miss golf team.

Braden Thornberry (2014-2015) – In 2014, Braden used rounds of 70-70 to finish tied atop the leaderboard with Alabama’s Wilson Furr. Braden prevailed over the hometown hero in a sudden death playoff. In 2015, Braden scorched The Country Club of Jackson with rounds of 64-66 to take home a 1 shot victory over Ole Miss’ Cecil Wegener. Braden has competed the last two years on the Korn Ferry Tour. He had 11 collegiate titles including the 2017 NCAA Men’s Champion. He also scored major Amateur titles at the Sunnehanna Amateur and the Jones Cup. Braden is a 2-time All-American, a Fred Haskins Award winner and the 2019 McCormack Medal winner. Thornberry has competed as a member of the United States team in the Walker Cup and the Arnold Palmer Cup.

Kathleen Gallagher (2013) – In The Gator’s inaugural year, Kathleen became the only female to win the Championship. As a high school team event, girls competed alongside the boys (albeit from different tees), and Kathleen shot 75-74 to take a 2-shot victory over Mississippi State’s Ross Bell. Kathleen has begun her Senior season as a member of the LSU Women’s Golf Team, where she won the 2017 CCLA Spring Break Dual Match and has carded multiple top 10 and top 20 finishes. Kathleen is a two time Women’s State Amateur Champion in Mississippi and is daughter to former PGA player Jim Gallagher and the state of Mississippi’s all-time best amateur golfer, Cissye Gallagher.