LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. – Four players took home season-ending victories at the Florida Junior Tour Championship on Sunday at Lakewood National Golf Club. Palmer Haynes captured the Boys (16-18) division, while Yuma Nemoto took home the Boys (13-15) title. On the girls’ side, Kayla Bryant won the Girls (16-18) trophy, and Ryan Donaldson secured the Girls (13-15) title.
Boys (16-18)
Haynes fired three under-par rounds and survived a playoff to earn the win in the Boys (16-18) division, carding an 8-under 208 for the two-day championship. This is the first FJT victory of the season for Haynes and his first Tour Championship win.
In Saturday’s first round, Haynes posted a 2-under 70 to sit four shots back of the first-round leader heading into the second round. He fired a second-round 67, with two eagle and four birdies in the afternoon, to sit one shot back of Daniel Enrique Vanososte at 7-under 137.
After a bogey early in the final round on the second, Haynes played the rest of the front nine bogey free, heading to back nine with the outright lead after Vanososte ran into some trouble on the front side. Haynes went birdie-bogey to start the back nine and added another birdie on the 13th to sit at 7 under.
The Orlando native birdied the 17th to head to the final hole of the championship sitting at the top and one shot ahead of Aiden Arce. Arce put together a great back nine, birdieing three of four holes on Nos. 14-17.
Arce birdied the 18th to force a playoff after Haynes finished with a par. On the first playoff hole, Haynes hit his second shot to four feet and rolled the putt in for birdie to secure the victory.
Arce finished in second play, while Cameron Reed carded a final-round 70 to take third place at 6-under 210.
Girls (16-18)
Bryant used a final-round 69 to capture the win in the Girls (16-18) division, finishing the championship at 6-under 221. This is the third Florida Junior Tour victory of the year for Bryant, going wire-to-wire to come away with the season-ending win.
In Saturday’s first round, Bryant carded a 2-under 70 to take a three-shot lead over the field. The Boca Raton native took the 36-hole lead at 3-under 141 with a second-round 71.
Bryant got off to a good start in the final round, with an even-par first nine. The Team Florida member caught fire on the final nine holes with a bogey-free second nine, playing the final five holes at 3 under. She rolled in a birdie putt on the ninth to secure the eight-shot victory with a 3-under 69.
On her way to victory, Bryant was the only player in the division to post three under-par rounds. Her final-round 69 tied the low round of the championship in the Girls Division, with Katelyn Huber who carded a second-round 69.
Huber finished runner-up at 2-over 218, firing a final-round 76. Yingshi (Lydia) Lin finished the weekend with rounds of 73-69-76 to take home a third-place finish.
Boys (13-15)
Nemoto ran away with the Boys (13-15) Division, finishing the weekend with a seven-shot victory at 12-under 204. This is the third-straight win for Nemoto, who captured FJT wins at Highlands Ridge and Eagle Creek.
The Bradenton resident got off to a strong start, posting a first-round 67 to take a one-shot lead in the Bys (13-15) Division. Nemoto followed it up with a 1-under 71 in the afternoon to take a two-shot lead over the field into the final round.
He kept it rolling in the final round of the championship, carding three birdies on his first nine. Nemoto finished the day bogey free with six birdies to secure the win with a final-round 66. He was the lone player in the 13-15 Division to post three under-par rounds for the championship, and his final-round 66 was the low round in his division.
Conor Whalen finished runner-up at 5-under 211, while Clark Mason took third place at 2-under 214.
Girls (13-15)
Donaldson survived a playoff to earn the victory in the Girls (13-15) Division, posting a 7-over 223 for the championship. This is the fourth FJT win of the year for Donaldson.
The Team Florida member opened the weekend a 1-under 71 to take a two-shot lead heading into the second round. Donaldson took a share of the 36-hole lead at 3-over 147 with a second-round 76.
Donaldson got off to a steady start in the final round, taking the outright lead early in the day. Her and Alexandra Snyder battled back and forth all day, with Snyder taking her first lead of the day on their 13th hole. On their final hole of the championship, both players hit their second shot in the greenside bunker.
Donaldson got up and down for par, rolling in a 30-foot putt from just off the green, while Snyder finished with a bogey to send the two to a playoff. On the first playoff hole Donaldson hit her second shot to 10 feet and roll in the putt for birdie to capture the victory.
Snyder finished the weekend in second place, while Ana Boone and Nicole Sardinha tied for third at 10-over 226.
