Golf NIL Movement: 2025-26 High School Season Opening Rankings
- Aug 24, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 17
by Golf NIL Staff
August 25, 2025
High school golf's NIL landscape continues to evolve as the 2025-26 season approaches. Last year's graduating class has opened up prime real estate, while a wave of underclassmen is already capturing attention following a summer of standout performances. Fresh faces are making their mark—here's the latest breakdown.
Golf NIL High School Boys Rankings
Charlie Woods, Benjamin
Miles Russell, Jacksonville Beach, FL
Luke Colton, Wakeland
Tyler Watts, Grissom
Tyler Mawhinney, Fleming Island
Mason Howell, Brookwood
Pennson Badgett, East Surry
Hamilton Coleman, Lakeside
Giuseppe Puebla, Berean Christian
Phillip Dunham, Florida Virtual
Ronin Banerjee, Santa Margarita Catholic
Tommy Morrissey, North Palm Beach, FL
Cameron Kuchar, Jupiter
Jessy Huebner, ILE
Lunden Esterline, Wichita Collegiate
Jaden Soong, St. Francis
Ayden Fynaut, Fresno, CA
Evan Liu, Torrey Pines
Sohan Patel, American Heritage
Chase Hughes, Oklahoma City, OK
Bailey Sutter, West Point
Lev Grinberg, US Performance
Sam Carraher, Auckland Boys Grammar
Luke Ringkamp, Palm Desert
Hampton Beebe, Oxbridge
WATCHLIST
Asher Vargas, Grand Oaks
Drew Woolworth, Lake Oswego
Louis Klein, Prague, Czech Republic
William Lisle, IMG Academy
Dawson Lew, Toronto, Ontario, CA
Golf NIL High School Girls Rankings
Kai Trump, Benjamin
Asterisk Talley, Chowchilla Union
Gianna Clemente, Enlightium
Aphrodite Deng, Wardlaw+Hartridge
Mia Hammond, New Albany
Nikki Oh, California Connections
Anna Fang, Del Norte
Asia Young, Laurel Springs
Zoe Cusack, Winston Churchill
Amelie Zalsman, Albany Academy
Rayee Feng, Pingry
Nicole Sardinha, Devine Savior Academy
Shyla Brown, McKinney, TX
Angela Zhang, Bellevue Digital Disc
Emerie Schartz, Andover
Jenna Kim, Durham Academy
Jude Lee, Orange Lutheran
Clairey Lin, Palos Verdes Estates, CA
Alice Ziyi Zhao, Irvine, CA
Kayla Bryant, FAU
Lily Peng, Carondelet
Eliana Saga, Valencia
Lisa Herman, Jenks, OK
Sofia Cherif Essakali, Westlake Prep
Grace Carter, Veritas
WATCHLIST
Amber Lee, Alta Loma, CA
Clara Ding, White Rock, BC
Alexa Takai, Punahou School
Celina Yeo, London, Ontario
Kelly Zhang, Hillsborough, CA
Charlie Woods enters his junior year at The Benjamin School in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., as high school golf's most visible name, now topping our boards with a $2.5 million Golf NIL Valuation. The Florida native captured his first AJGA title at the Team TaylorMade Invitational in May, firing a final-round 66 to win by three strokes over a field loaded with top-ranked juniors. He followed that breakthrough with a clutch playoff victory to qualify for his second straight U.S. Junior Amateur, capped by a top-10 showing at the 2025 Junior PGA Championships. Riding that wave, Woods steps into fall ranked within the AJGA's top 20.
Beyond the amateur stage, the sixteen-year-old makes up half of one of the most anticipated teams at the annual PNC Championship. Woods' viral hole-in-one at the 2024 event generated record ratings, elevating his profile alongside Tiger's emerging brands Sun Day Red and Jupiter Links.
Even with all the attention, his focus remains sharp and grounded. Woods continues to build his own legacy on the course—no social media required.
Charlie Woods competes in the final round of the 2025 Junior PGA Championships, locking in a T9 finish | David Wegiel/ZUMA Press
The youngest AJGA Rolex Player of the Year winner in history, Miles Russell, 16, has rewritten junior golf's record books while building a $665,000 Golf NIL Valuation that ranks No. 2 in the Golf NIL High School Boys Rankings. Russell has dominated 2025 with wins at the AJGA Simplify Boys Championship and the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley, before advancing to the quarterfinals at the U.S. Junior Amateur and reaching the round of 16 at the U.S. Amateur.
Beyond junior competition, Russell's crossover appeal extends to professional tours, where he competed in his third professional event in July at the PGA Tour's ISCO Championship. With 116,000 social media followers, the Jacksonville Beach native commands one of amateur golf's largest audiences across high school and college ranks.
Russell's commitment to Florida State this summer ended speculation about turning professional, with the Seminoles landing one of college golf's top recruits. His NIL portfolio includes TaylorMade, Nike, Transcend Capital Advisors, The Perfect Putter, Liberty National Golf Club, and Golf and Body.
Amateur golf's most powerful social media presence belongs to Kai Trump, 18, whose $1.5 million Golf NIL Valuation leads all high school girls and ranks No. 2 overall among our amateur players. The Benjamin School senior has built a 7-million-follower empire across Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube, making her the most-followed female amateur golfer while commanding audiences that rival professional athletes.
Trump's influence translates to groundbreaking partnerships, including an equity deal with Accelerator Active Energy alongside Travis Kelce and Livvy Dunne, plus collaborations with TaylorMade, Leaf Trading Cards, Greyson Clothiers, and EasyPost. She currently sits at No. 516 in the AJGA rankings and is set to join the University of Miami women's golf team in the fall of 2026.
Topping 700,000 views and counting, Kai Trump takes viewers inside her custom club fitting at TaylorMade Headquarters | Kai Trump You Tube Channel
From Central Valley, California, 16-year-old Asterisk Talley has dominated amateur golf in 2025, holding the No. 2 spot in the Golf NIL High School Girls Rankings. The Chowchilla High School junior has won three AJGA events this year, including the Junior PGA Championship, ANNIKA Invitational, and Fortinet Stanford Invitational. In April, she finished runner-up at the Augusta National Women's Amateur, making history by eagling the par-4 first hole in the final round—a tournament first.
At No. 14 in the world amateur rankings, Talley has already showcased her game on the biggest stages, making impressive starts in the Chevron Championship, one of five women’s golf majors, and the JM Eagle LA Championship on a sponsor exemption, competing against the LPGA’s top names.
A member of the U.S. National Junior Team, Talley is represented by WME Sports and boasts a long list of NIL partners, including TaylorMade, Adidas, Transcend Golf, Foresight Sports, and NorCal Golf Academy. Set to graduate in 2027, Talley is gearing up for the U.S. Junior Ryder Cup this fall while weighing college options with the potential to turn pro.
Rankings and analyses published in Golf NIL Movement reflect competitive performance, verified brand partnerships, and public visibility indicators. Insights focus on observable market outcomes rather than internal valuation methodology or scoring criteria.
