Pouncy and Simoes Seal the Deal at Sun 'N Lake
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SEBRING, Fla. - The Florida Junior Tour returned to Sebring for the Labor Day Weekend *54-Hole Major* at Sun ‘N Lake Golf Club. The (13-15) Division field of 80 of golfers fought the demanding layout over the course of three days of competition. The weather was near perfect, with sunshine dominating the weekend and only a brief rain shower during Sunday’s second round. With its firm greens and plenty of pressure in the major championship environment, the stage was set for an exciting test of golf.
Boys (13-15)
In Round 1, Michael Shane Frasure made the early break at Sun ‘N Lake, which turned out to be a challenging track. Frasure, a 2029 graduate from Clermont, put himself ahead by one shot with a 2-under 70. Clint Lewis, Arnold Pouncy, and Xeve Perez were seated close behind. Lewis, a 2029 graduate from Jupiter, finished the round with a 71 highlighted by an eagle and one birdie. Pouncy, a 2028 graduate from Saint Cloud, joined the group following his four birdies to finish at 1-under. Perez, a 2028 graduate from Port St. Lucie, completed the trio with three birdies of his own.
Day 2 featured rain showers and plenty of movement at the top of the leaderboard. After playing well through the first nine holes, Arnold Pouncy shot a 1-under 71 to take the lead going into the final round. Late in the round, Rhys Cochran and Jeremy Castellanos made big progress, each carding crucial birdies down the stretch. Cochran, a 2028 graduate from Tallahassee, caught fire on the back nine, carding four birdies on his way to a 2-under 70. Castellanos, a 2029 graduate from Windermere, put together one of the day’s most steady rounds, shooting a balanced 35-35 for 2-under 70. With Pouncy at the top and many players in striking distance, the stage is set for a tightly contested final round.
Arnold Pouncy ultimately rose to the challenge and delivered. Pouncy caught fire on the back nine with four birdies to finish with an even-par 72. He finished with a three-day total of 2-under 214, earning his second Florida Junior Tour victory. Finishing runner-up was Michael Shane Frasure. Frasure carded a final round score of 70, which included six birdies. Rounding out the podium is Jeremy Castellanos, who carded a final round 72 to finish 1-over total 217 for the championship.
Girls (13-15)
In the girls' division, Michelle Lu put on the day’s most consistent performance, taking the lead after Round 1. Lu, a 2030 graduate from Orlando, put together a remarkable 1-under 71 that included one birdie on the 3rd hole and 17 pars. Just behind her, Bella Simoes and Victoria Feng both finished at even-par 72. Simoes, a 2031 graduate from Lake Worth, had one of the highlights of the day with an eagle on 14 to go along with her birdie, giving her plenty of momentum going into the next two rounds. Feng, a 2029 graduate from Windermere, carded two birdies in her opening round to match Simoes and secure her spot in the final group.
Moving day for the girls brought plenty of drama on the leaderboard. Michelle Lu held the slim lead through the opening nine after carding a steady 35. But the back nine belonged to Victoria Feng. Feng fired the low round of the day with a 69, highlighted by four birdies and a composed 34 on the closing stretch. The effort vaulted her to 3-under overall and the top spot heading into the final round. Lu stayed in the mix with a 72, finishing the day tied for second with Bella Simoes. Simoes carded two birdies with a final stretch of 12 straight pars to close out her round of 71. With Feng surging to the front and both Lu and Simoes close behind, the final round promises a tight battle for the title.
Bella Simoes delivered a stellar performance in the final round to capture the title with a three-round total of 4-under 212. Simoes found five birdies on the front nine, shooting 32 on her way to a 3-under 69 in the final round. Victoria Feng stayed in contention throughout the round, carding a 34 on the front nine with a claim of the lead. Feng would finish at even-par 72 to shoot a three-day total of 3-under 213. Michelle Lu would finish in the top 3 with a 75. Lu would finish the weekend at 2-over 218.
