Sarasota, Fla. – Heritage Oaks Golf & Country Club played host to 84 juniors for the FJT Heritage Oaks Open (16-18) event. The course provided a fair test over the 36 holes and allowed two players to go home with the crystal.
Boys (16-18)
Heritage Oaks Golf & Country Club provided a challenging but fair test of golf. Starting on the 10th hole in round 1, Wai Lin looked to get off to a hot start to open up his round. The Bradenton native would birdie his first two holes that would lead to an opening nine of four under-par, 31. The 2026 graduate would add three more birdies on his second nine to fire a bogey free seven under-par, 64, to take a three shot lead into the final round. Sitting in second place after firing a four under-par, 67, is Parker Severs. Severs would have an up and down first nine to post a one-under par, 35. Coming down the stretch is what Severs was built for; he came home making birdies on three of his final five holes. Rounding out the top three after firing a three under-par, 68 is Danny Gimbel. Gimbel would fire off six birdies during his round to put him in great position going into the final round.
Sunday's final round would bring some excitement, as the lead would constantly change hands throughout the day. With three players all tied at the turn of the final round, Clipper Salmon, Jack VanderSchuur and Danny Gimbel would show their grit coming in. Salmon would play his final nine in four-under par, 31, to post and be the leader in the clubhouse. After moving up two spots into the T-2 position VanderSchuur posted a solid round of three under-par, 68. Gimbel would be tied for the lead with Salmon going into his 17th hole of the final round but would make an untimely double bogey 5 to fall two shots back into the T-2. Salmon would take home the victory after the round of the day with a five under-par, 66. This is Salmons first title of the year and will use this as momentum going into a summer schedule.
Girls (16-18)
Grace Carter would end round one at the top of the leaderboard after an opening round of three under-par,68. Carter played a very steady round only carding one bogey to set up a three shot lead into the Final Round. In search of her third FJT victory of 2025, the Jupiter native is looking to capitalize on the overnight lead. Dannika Hines and Natalie Angelo would sit in a tie for second place, just three shots back at even-par. Hines and Angelo will be looking to come out hot in Sunday’s final round.
Grace Carter would enter the final round looking to claim another title. Carter would get off to a rough start-making bogey on two of the first three holes but would bounce back with birdies on her last three holes of the front nine. Annie Jin started on a tear going out in four-under par, 31, to put herself into position at the end. Dannika Hines would make birdies on her seventh and ninth holes of the day to put her in position with nine left to play. However, when the final putt dropped, Grace Carter would be the one sitting at the top. The Jupiter, Florida native would play consistent golf with two birdies and one bogey on her final nine holes to claim a three shot victory. This is Carter’s third victory of the year after not placing outside the top-2 all year.
