BELLEAIR, Fla. – Jack VanderSchuur and Valentina Hurtado outlasted the competition at Belleair Country Club’s West Course. VanderSchuur picks up his first Florida Junior Tour win while the victory is Hurtado’s first of 2023.
Boys (13-18)
In a field of only exempt players each player knew they could not get off to a slow start Saturday in Round 1. Konner Kubica took the early lead as he made the turn at 2-under 33 with birdies on Holes 3, 5, and 9 with his only bogey coming at the par-3 4th. Jack VanderSchuur also would sit at 2-under par at the turn after starting two under through three holes.
Reigning Boys’ Junior Champion Colton Swartz didn’t get off to the start he was looking for with bogeys on Holes 3 and 4. Sitting at 2-over, Swartz would play the last 14 holes in 7-under par including three straight birdies to finish his round. His 5-under 67 would finish the day tied for the lead. Sitting at the top with him would be the aforementioned VanderSchuur. The Lutz native made an eagle on the par-5 16th to cement himself with a share of the overnight lead.
Also playing in the final group, Konner Kubica would make the first move on Sunday. After a 2-under 70 in Round 1, Kubica birdied the third hole while Swartz bogeyed Holes 2 and 3 to tie for second while VanderSchuur remained steady.
VanderSchuur wouldn’t stay silent for too long. The 2025 graduate made an eagle on the par-5 5th hole to take a four shot lead. Kubica would continue to make birdies throughout the day, adding them on 10, 16, and 17. His bogey-free round of 68 would be the round of the day on Sunday.
However, VanderSchuur would not be caught as following his lone bogey on Saturday on 15 he would make his third eagle of the weekend on the 16th. Vanderschuur played the par-5 16th in 4-under for the weekend and would finish with a 3-under 69 to bring his total to 8-under 136 for the weekend. Kubica finished second at 6-under with rounds of 70-68 and Colton Swartz finished third with rounds of 67-73.
Girls (13-18)
Coming off a strong showing at the Junior Florida Cup, Youyang Li was looking to make it four straight Exempt Only event victories. The Orlando native would have an up-and-down day as she got it to 1-under through 15 holes but finished with three bogeys in her last five to shoot 2-over 74. Valentina Hurtado had a similar day as she made four birdies, like Li, but a triple bogey on the 10th left her with a 2-over 74 as well.
Like Li and Hurtado, Katie Yang would turn in a 2-over 74. Yang’s round was a little more steady than the other players in Sunday’s final group. Yang’s two birdies coupled with four bogeys on Saturday would put her in position for another Florida Junior Tour victory.
Round 2 was a shotgun start Sunday morning with the Girls Division leaders beginning on Hole 13. Katie Yang and Valentina Hurtado would both bogey the 14th hole to relinquish the lead to Youyang Li. Li would make birdie on the 16th and the 4th hole to take a two shot lead.
The 3-time FJT Champion would find trouble on the par-5 5th, Li found the penalty area with her second shot but attempted to play out of the penalty area unsuccessfully. Li would make a triple-bogey 8 on the 5th and find herself back with Valentina Hurtado.
The duo stood on their final hole, the par-5 12th tied for the lead in the event. Hurtado would make a comfortable par forcing Li to make birdie for the victory. Li would find trouble on the 12th, leading to a double-bogey 7 and a two-shot victory for Valentina Hurtado The win is Hurtado’s first of 2023 after her most recent victory coming at Okeeheelee last year. Youyang Li, Maggie Potash, and Junyuan Zhang would all finish in a tie for second.
