The Winter Has A New Champion

This year’s Winter Classic was one to remember! We finally got “snow” since the inaugural season back in 2016, though it was only a dusting. The Winter Classic isn’t just about putting. It’s more about overcoming the conditions and with a combination of light snow, wind, and freezing temperatures, the weather was effecting all the players. This year had the most players competing with a total of 18. They traveled from Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and throughout the state of New Jersey to meet at Jersey Devil Golf & Fun Center in Winslow Township, NJ.

After two rounds, there was a tie between Wendy Torroni and Griffin Weiss. Wendy has been a dominating player with O-Street Mini Golf and Griffin has only competed in two AMA tournaments. Griffin’s consistency was the key to his success as he finished with 41’s in both rounds and shot 2’s throughout the playoff, becoming the 2023 Winter Classic Champion and the youngest winner of an AMA tournament at 12 years old. 

Don’t let age fool you! Griffin is a beast on the course. He comes from a family who plays golf and mini golf in their free time, with his brothers making names for themselves in prior tournaments. His brother Landon placed 3rd overall at the 2022 $1,000 Tournament and his other brothers Kevin and Ryan have finished in the Top 15 at Farmington and this year’s Winter Classic respectfully.  

With Griffin’s age and current skill level, it would be no surprise to see his name at the top of the leaderboard in future tournaments!