The juniors arrived at Southwood Golf Club dressed in layers of clothing, wearing winter hats, and gripping hand warmers. The weather conditions in Tallahassee consisted of temperatures in the low to mid 40’s with 35 mile per hour winds gusting all day on Saturday. Due to the amount of rain received the day prior, the course played wet and long causing the players to show off their low ball flight shot making skills. Despite the brutal conditions, impressive scores were posted in round one.
Michael Cestone from Oldsmar played incredible golf posting an opening round 71, one under-par in the boys’ division. The conditions didn’t stop Cestone from carding three birdies on the front nine and nine straight pars on the back nine. Brian Richards, of Gulf Breeze and Greyson Porter, of Clearwater tied for second place with a steady one over-par, 73. Porter and Richards will join Cestone in the final group during the second round. Cole Castro and Logan Membrino finished round one three strokes back, tied for fourth, with a two over-par 74.
In the girls’ division, Clearwater resident Haydyn Gibson opened her first round with two straight birdies on holes one and two and finished with a birdie on the par three, 17th hole. Gibson just came off of a win at Belleair Country Club in early January and keeping that momentum posted a 75 to lead by one after Saturday’s round. Lauren Miller from Niceville finished one stroke behind in second place with a 76 and Alison Armstrong, of Tampa posted a 78 taking third place.
A 30 minute frost delay started the final round on Sunday but the sun was shinning and the winds died down for more tolerable weather conditions. 
Michael Cestone struggled during round two falling to third place with a 77, tournament total 148. As Cestone fell out of the lead, Greyson Porter climbed up the leaderboard carding three birdies on the front nine for a 34. He overcame a double bogey on the 14th hole to capture his first 16-18 FJT victory by three strokes with a 144 total! Logan Membrino, a familiar name near the top of FJT leaderboards, shot a second round 73 to finish second with a tournament total 147.
Haydyn Gibson continued her winning streak in 2016 by posting a second round even par, 72 en route to a 147 tournament total and one-stroke victory! She had an impressive three birdies in a row on her final nine holes and finished the day with a total of five birdies. Both Lauren Miller and Alison Armstrong finished the tournament with an even par score as well to finish second and third respectively. Miller finished one stroke behind with a total 148 and Armstrong took third place at a 150 total.
The 13-15 juniors travel farther south for the next FJT event, February 6-7, at River Wilderness Golf and Country Club in Parrish!
