FJT Lake City Open (9-12)

Lake City, Fla. – After heavy rain washed out Saturday’s round forcing the round to be cancelled, players battled the cold and windy conditions on Sunday, crowning three champions – Niko Gordic-Ronderos (Boys 11-12), Alexandra Snyder (Girls 11-12), Benny Ossi (Boys 9-10).

Boys (11-12)

Niko Gordic-Ronderos fired a round of 70 (-2) to take home a four-shot victory in the Boys (11-12) Division and his fourth career FJT victory.  After Saturday’s rainout, players woke up to find cold and windy weather early on Sunday morning, however the weather didn’t slow Gordic-Ronderos down.  The Bradenton native, opened with a 32, including four birdies and no bogeys on his opening nine.  By the time the back nine rolled around, the lead was substantial allowing him to coast in with a two-over 38 and a four-shot victory.  Darren Zhou finished in solo second after his round of 74 (+2) and Jeremy Castellanos rounded out the top three with a round of 76 (+4).

Girls (11-12)

Alexandra Snyder, of Orlando, cruised through the Girls (11-12) Division with round of 71 (-1) giving her an eight shot victory.  Snyder played solid golf on her opening nine, turning at even par after two birdies and two bogeys.  She would go on to birdie her 10^th hole of the day and never waiver from there, parring the remaining 8 holes en route to her big win.  This is her first FJT victory of her career.  Xiyao Zhang posted a 79 (+7) to finish in second place, and Boonyanuch Smitasin & Danica Becker finished tied for third at 80 (+8).

Boys (9-10)

Benny Ossi, of Ponte Vedra, took home the Boys (9-10) Division after he shot a round of 74 (+2), putting him four-shots clear of the field.  Ossi made a plethora of birdies to offset some bogeys scattered throughout the round and it led to a consistent 37-37 on each nine.  This is his second FJT win of his career, his previous coming in the spring of 2022 in DeBary.  Tobias Gordic-Ronderos finished in solo second after his round of 78 (+6) and Carl Hitchner & Zachary Netz finished tied for third at 80 (+8).

Divisions and Approximate Yardages

• Boys (11-12) - 5,500 yards (gross only)

• Boys (9-10) - 5,000 yards (gross only)

• Girls (11-12) - 5,000 yards (gross only)

• Girls (9-10)- 4,200 yards (gross only)

How Entries are Accepted

• Entries will be accepted on a first-come-first-serve basis.
• Late entries will be accepted if space is available ($10 late entry fee).
• If entries have reached capacity, additional players will be placed on an alternate's list.
• The alternate's list will be posted to the FJT website under "Tee Times & Player Information."
• Entries close approximately 2 1/2 weeks prior to the tournament.
• At the close of entries, if the 9-10 division (boys or girls) has 3 or less entrants, those players must choose one of the following options: 1) Play up into the 11-12 division   OR    2) Withdraw from the event and receive a full refund.

Schedule of Events

Saturday, March 18th

11:30 AM - 1:45 PM - Tournament Registration (near pro shop)
12:00 PM - 1:57 PM - Round one tee times off the 1st and 10th tees

Mandatory Meeting - 30 to 45 minutes prior to tee time, 15 minutes long (more information below)

Sunday, March 19th

8:00 AM - 9:57 AM - Final round tee times off the 1st and 10th tees
Awards presentation immediately following the completion of play

Mandatory Educational Meeting - Saturday

• Each golfer MUST attend a mandatory meeting with FSGA staff prior to their tee time on Saturday. 
• Topics to include: Etiquette, rules, pace-of-play, how to feel comfortable playing in events, care for the course, appreciation of club staff and volunteers.
• Meetings will generally take place near or on the practice putting green.
• Each player MUST attend the meeting associated with his/her tee time.
• Meetings will be approximately 15 to 20 minutes long. 
• Parents are encouraged to attend.
  *If a players fails to make the meeting at their scheduled time, they will not be allowed to participate in the event.*

Five FJT Standards

Competing at beautiful clubs around the state is a privilege and it is important for all of our players and parents to place value on the following five duties:

• Say please and thank you to the club staff and our volunteers
• Rake bunkers
• Fix ball marks
• Step on/repair your divots
• Throw away your garbage! There should never be trash on the ground anywhere on the course (place trash in waste receptacles, golf carts or even your bag if no other place is available).

Showing Appreciation and Proper Manners - At all courses where juniors play, they should show appreciation to the members and staff. To all of our junior players, let's show the clubs that you are not only the most talented golfers in the country, but also the most respectful. A "thank you" to the club and taking care of the course are the best ways to make a positive impression on the club, fellow players, coaches and spectators.

How to Enter

Entries are submitted through the FSGA website. To enter, each player must create an FSGA account on this website (free to set-up), purchase a current Junior Membership ($40), and have an active Florida GHIN Handicap (included in membership if golfer does not already have one). To proceed, click the "Enter" button above once entries have opened.

Late Entry Fee: A late fee of $10 will be applied to entries submitted after the close of entries date. The entry fee and late fee will only be applied if the player gets accepted in to the tournament field.

Practice Rounds

Practice rounds are available one week prior to the tournament on a space-available basis. Tee times are only available after 12:00 noon the weekend prior.  The price for a practice round is $35.00 + tax. Please call (386) 752-2266 to arrange your practice round. The proper place to practice your golf swing is on the driving range, hitting multiple shots on the course, not filling divots, and not repairing ball marks are unacceptable and may cause removal from the tournament without a refund.

National Rankings

Florida Junior Tour Policies

• Tournament & Entry Policies
• Hard Card
• Pace of Play
• Code of Conduct
• Spectator Policy

Host Hotel

There is currently no host hotel for this event. 

Directions

The Country Club at Lake City
717 NW Fairway Drive.
Lake City, FL 32055

Click here here for directions.