Two Rise Above at Deerwood
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The weekend tournament was characterized by blustery conditions. Miles Russell secured a steady lead, while Honorine Nobuta Ferry emerged victorious after securing a birdie on her first playoff hole.
Boys (16-18) Division
The Deerwood Country Club served as a challenging 36-hole course for our competitors, with the round starting amidst 15-mile per hour winds. Miles Russell emerged as the early leader, shooting an impressive 4-under 68, with his scorecard featuring an eagle on the par-5 seventh hole, alongside three birdies and a single bogey. One shot behind Russell was Reed Krosse, who shot 3-under 69, while Konner Kubica trailed by two shots, firing a 1-under 71.
The final round proved even tougher with swirling winds, with Russell's early momentum taking a hit with a bogey on the second hole and a subsequent double bogey on the third. Krosse also struggled, slipping out of contention with bogeys on his first two holes, followed by a double bogey on the third. Meanwhile, Kubica held his ground, weathering the tough conditions with a few bogeys on the front nine and locking in a bogey-free back nine with a single birdie on the 12th hole. Luke Balaskiewicz emerged as a dark horse, shooting an even par 73 and creeping his way into contention with consecutive birdies on the seventh, eighth, twelfth, and thirteenth holes. His momentum was interrupted with bogeys on holes 14, 15, and 16, but he finished strong with a birdie on the last hole. Russell continued to battle the course, finishing with a bogey on the last hole but still managed to emerge as the champion with a round score of 75.
Luke Balaskiewicz and Konner Kubica would finish the tournament as tied, both shooting a total score of 145.
Girls (16-18) Division
In the Girls division, Ryan Donaldson emerged as the solo leader with an impressive even-par 72 after Round 1, despite the challenging course conditions. Her skill on the greens, where she made several clutch putts to save par, contributed significantly to her success. However, with other players aiming to dethrone her, the competition was still far from over. Braydn Smith, only one shot behind Donaldson, also put in a solid performance in Round 1, shooting a 1-over 73, and remained in contention for the top spot with her strong iron play and accurate drives.
Round 2 brought exciting twists as the current leaders fell back, and three new players, Honorine Nobuta Ferry, Ann-Sophie Bourgault, and Katie Yang, battled for the title. All three had exceptional performances, setting up a thrilling final round. Bourgault, who had a slow start to the tournament, found her stride and shot an even-par 72. Her short game was particularly impressive, as she made several clutch putts to save par and birdie. Nobuta Ferry played steady golf throughout the day, hitting fairways and greens with impressive consistency. She finished the round with a 1-over 73, putting her tied with Bourgault. Yang was also a steady contender for the title, battling the conditions. However, she fell short and ended up tied third with Ryan Donaldson.
In the end, Nobuta Ferry defeated Bourgault with a birdie on the first play-off hole to secure the title of champion.
