Three Organizations Emerge as Champions at Junior Team Championship
VERO BEACH, Fla. – The Junior Team Championship has come to a close and the team of Emerald Coast Junior Tour won the Boys (16-18) Division and the Girls (16-18) Division. In addition, the North Florida Junior Golf Foundation won the Boys (13-15) Division, while the Derrick Payne School of Golf won the Girls (13-15) Division.
Sandridge Golf Club played host to this championship and it was competed across two courses, the Lakes and the Dunes course. It consisted of 36 holes of stroke play and the total of the low two gross scores per round of the three gross scores for each team counted per round as the team score.
Boys (16-18)
The first round brought numerous rain delays, yet against all odds, all teams were able to finish their rounds. Upon completion of the first round, North Florida Junior Golf Foundation held a two stroke lead over the field after posting a team total of even par. Barton Abstein led the way carding a one-under-par, 71. Meanwhile, teammate, Ethan Tak, followed close behind carding a round of one-over-par, 73.
Emerald Coast Junior Tour sat in second place only two strokes behind the lead. Hudson Mitchell carded an even-par, 72 and teammate, Mark Piver, carded a two-over-par, 74.
However, the second round brought gusty winds which caused for a dynamic leaderboard. Emerald Coast Junior Tour pulled through to capture the win by five strokes over the rest of the division. Piver posted a two-under-par, 70. He posted three birdies on the back nine to post a 33 and help lead his team to victory. Mitchell posted a 77, for a team total of five-over-par.
North Florida Junior Golf Foundation captured second place, and Claret Junior Golf Tour secured third place.
Girls (16-18) Division
Emerald Coast Junior Golf Tour posted a team score of one-under-par through the first round to hold the lead by one stroke over North Florida Junior Golf Foundation “B”. Julie Waldo posted a round of two-under-par, 70 and teammate, Savannah Goodman, posted a round of one-over-par, 73. In addition, Addy Vogt lead the North Florida Junior Golf Foundation “B” Team after firing an even par round, which included an eagle on the tenth hole, par-five. Yet, teammate, Alexandra Drum, also contributed by firing an even par 72.
Emerald Coast Junior Tour held onto their lead and extended it to grab the victory by seven strokes over the rest of the division. Waldo fired another two-under-par round, 70 and her teammate, Savannah Goodman, fired a 77. North Florida Junior Golf Tour and North Florida Junior Golf Tour “B” secured second and third place respectively.
Boys (13-15) Division
Seeing a theme with Emerald Coast Junior Tour remaining in contention across all divisions throughout the first round. Emerald Coast held the lead firing a team score one-over-par on the first day. Aiden Yang fired a 72, while his teammate, Wilmer Mitchell, posted a 73. Another familiar name at the top of the leaderboard across all divisions is the North Florida Junior Golf Foundation, which held second place after posting a team score of three-over-par.
North Florida Junior Golf Foundation emerged as champions after the second round. Brady Dougan fired a two-under-par, 70 and Jake Cole fired a four-over-par, 76 to lead their team to a five stroke victory over the division.
Girls (13-15)
North Florida Junior Golf Foundation held a six stroke lead over the division after the first round. Sophia Moody posted a one-under-par, 71, which included two eagles. In addition, her teammate, Lily Chiang, fired a three-over-par, 75.
The Derrick Payne School of Golf moved all the way from fourth place into first and captured the win. Danica Ortega fired a two-under-par, 70 to help lead her team to a five stroke victory over the field. In addition, Danielle Hernandez, fired a 78 to contribute to her team victory.
