PALM COAST, Fla. – Players endured frost and chilly conditions throughout the weekend at Palm Harbor Golf Club. After a 90-minute frost delay during round one, players were finally able to hit the course to put their winter golf skills to the test. After two rounds, Reed Abdelnour captured the Boys (11-12) division after a two-hole play-off, while Jayden Wei captures the Boys (9-10) division. Bella Simoes raised the trophy for the Girls (11-12), and Enya Chavitranurak captured the Girls (9-10) division.
Boys (11-12)
The cold and frosty start didn’t hold back the players in the Boys (11-12) division. Axel Monssoh fired an impressive 3-under 33 on his front nine, while Jack Smith sat one shot behind with a 2-under 34 heading into the final nine holes of the day. Smith led the way posting a 1-under par total, with Benni Ossi and Reed Abdelnour one shot behind at even par looking to make a move on Sunday.
Ossi started off his second round with an impressive 1-under par to move himself to the top of the leaderboard with Abdelnour just one shot behind. Ossi maintained his lead through 16 holes, but Abdelnour made a clutch birdie on hole 17 to tie for the lead heading into 18. Both missed birdie attempts to force a play-off. After two holes, it was Abdelnour who came out victorious and captured his second FJT win.
Ossi captured his second place finish with scores of 72-71, while Zachary Netz took home third place with scores of 74-71.
Boys (9-10)
Jayden Wei dominated the first round at Palm Harbor taking a ten shot lead over the rest of the field. The Lake Mary native stayed steady throughout the day carding three bogies and three birdies for a solid score of even par.
Wei continued his great play in the second round. He stayed steady throughout the whole day posting scores of 38-38 on each nine for a 4-overe par 76 total, which helped him capture a 9-shot victory and his second FJT win.
Victory Monssoh took home second place with scores of 82-75, while Julian Sepulveda captured third place with scores of 84-77.
Girls (11-12)
Through the first nine holes of round one, Michelle Lu and Bella Simoes went back and forth vying for the top spot. Lu stayed steady and posted an impressive 1-under 71 total, while Simoes posted a 73 for the day which included an eagle on hole 15.
Simoes started her second round off strong with a 1-under 35 on her front nine to jump into the lead heading into the back nine, with Lu not far behind. Simoes posted a bogey free back nine with three birdies to extend her lead and capture her third FJT victory by and impressive six shots. The Lake Worth native posted scores of 73-68.
Lu captured solo second place with scores of 71-76. In a three way tie for third place, Chloe Audrey Chen, Mia Heuburger, and Honor Donaldson posted two-day totals of 153.
Girls (9-10)
It was anyone’s game after the first nine holes in the Girls (9-10) division on Saturday. However, it was Enya Chavitranurak who took charge of the back nine with an impressive 1-under 35 to post a score of 79. Lydia Lu sat three shots behind Chavitranurak and looked to make a charge on Sunday.
Chavitranurak maintained her lead throughout the second round, and posted scores of 79-78 to capture her second FJT victory. Lu took home second place with scores of 82-82, and Thaylin Jaraplasan took home third place with scores of 88-80.
