FJT Palm Harbor Open (9-12)

PALM COAST, Fla. – After a rainy start to the day followed by strong wind in the afternoon, three Florida Junior Tour champions were crowned on Sunday at the Palm Harbor Golf Club. Jude Desmond and Marley Pedrique took home the win in the 11-12 division, while Danilo Custer was victorious in the Boys (9-10) division.

Boys (11-12)

It was a close race going into the final round on Sunday, with three players within four shots of Christian Koen, who held the lead with a first-round 72. Jude Desmond fired a 74, while Nolan DeForest shot 75 followed by Vasili Gianakas at 4-over 76.  

Desmond started the final round behind Koehn and picked up one shot after the front nine. He made a birdie on the 15th to take the lead heading into the final three holes.  After Koehn’s approach shot came up short on the 18th, Desmond’s par secured a three-shot victory.

The Pompano Beach native played very steady through strong gusty winds earning his third FJT victory. Koehn finished runner-up at 7-over 151, while Jude Johnson moved up four spots to finish tied for third with DeForest with a two-day total of 153.

Girls (11-12)

Marley Pedrique added another win to her already impressive resume.  The Palm Beach Gardens native didn’t finish out of the top two in any event she played in 2021, including a win at the Futures Championship.  Pedrique led by a close margin after shooting an opening round of 74, with Callie Nelson and Sahana Chokshi only two shots back with rounds of 76.

Pedrique got the final round started with an even par front nine, while Nelson made a push on the back nine with birdies on the 14th and 16th. Pedrique was able to hold off the competition in the end with a final round 74 to win by two shots over Nelson.  Tavares shot a final round 75 to move up two spots and finish in third place at 10-over 154. 

Boys (9-10)

Danilo Custer, playing in his first FJT, went wire-to-wire to capture victory in the Boys (9-10) Division by three shots, finishing the weekend with a 15-over 159.

Heading into the final round with a two-shot lead over the field, Danilo started out strong playing the first five holes at 1-under. Jack Zejda gave him a run for his money with two birdies, propelling him into the lead by one shot at the turn. In the end, Custer was victorious with only one bogey in his last six holes to secure his first FJT win.

Jack Zejda took home a runner-up finish at 18-over 162, while Gerard Basteiro finished the weekend with a 26-over 170 to earn third place.

Divisions and Approximate Yardages

• Boys (9-10) - 5,000 yards (gross only)
• Boys (11-12) - 5,500 yards (gross only)
• Girls (9-10) - 4,200 yards (gross only)
• Girls (11-12) - 5,000 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, January 15th

7:00 AM - 9:30 AM - Tournament Registration (near pro shop) 7:45 AM - 9:42 AM - 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, January 16th

7:45 - 9:42 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 $30.00 + tax. Please call 386-986-4653 to arrange your practice round. Only one child may ride in a cart with an adult. If you have multiple children you must have multiple adults to drive golf carts for them, otherwise they will need to walk. Players wishing to walk must do so after 3:00. 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
• Caddies are NOT permitted in FJT events

Host Hotel

There is no host hotel.

Directions

Palm Harbor Golf Club
20 Palm Harbor Drive
Palm Coast, FL 32137
386-986-4653

Click here for directions.