GU and Lee Claim Victory at FJT Heritage Oaks
SARASOTA, Fla. - Heritage Oaks has been an amazing host for the several FSGA Championships, and this FJT event was no different. With a slight chill in the air and not a cloud in the sky, Heritage Oaks was ready for play this weekend.The course’s penalizing rough, and quick greens provided the perfect challenge for the players. At the end of the day however, it was Eddie Gu and Iris Lee who would succeed and conquer the course.
Boys (13-15)
Round one brought out some amazing golf, with five players shooting under par. However it was Eddie Gu, who would sit on top after round one. With Saturday being a shotgun start Gu would start with five consecutive birdies on holes 16, 17, 18, 1, and 2. This would put Gu at 5-under par after five holes. Gu on the way in would make two more birdies and bogey, putting him at 6-under shooting 65 on the day. Gu would lead the field by four shots, with Nathan Erikson sitting in second at 2-under par.
Eddie Gu stepped up on the first tee this morning and never looked back. Gu lengthened his lead by three. Shooting another stellar under par round of 1-under. Gu had one hiccup early on in the day, but retaliated and finished with all pars and 3 birdies from hole five until he finished. Gu won the boys division by eight shots in turn winning his first FJT event. Jude Johnson would go on to capture second at a 1-over par, followed along Nolan Deforest, who captured third.
Girls (13-15)
In the girls division it was Catalina Dolan who took charge earlier in the day, carding three birdies on her first three holes. However as the day went Iris Lee would strike. With consistency, Lee would play solid golf posting 16 pars and carding birdies on two holes. This solid play would push Iris into the lead. Dolan would finish at even to leave her just one stroke off the lead. With more golf left to play it was anyone's game.
After an unfortunate start for Lee this morning, Natalie Angelo saw room to make a move. Angelo was four strokes off the lead after the turn, but birdies on hole 3 and hole 4, would bring her only two strokes off the lead. Iris would answer back, by also birdieing hole 4. This birdie would ensure Iris Lee would maintain the solo lead coming into the clubhouse. Natalie Angelo would secure the solo second place, while Mikayla Arold, Keira Shavitranuruk, and Xiyao Zhang would each take a piece of third.
