ATLANTIS, FL – The South Florida PGA Junior Tour, presented by the Honda Classic, visited Abacoa Golf Club this weekend to host the sixth Challenge Tour Event of the 2013 season. 84 players from across South Florida came to compete in the Challenge Tour’s first stop in Jupiter for the 2013 season. With stormy and humid weather, all junior players were able to successfully complete 36-holes over the course of the two-day tournament.
Phillipe Urriztieta of Wellington claimed his first Boy’s Overall title of 2013 after sinking a birdie putt in the first hole of a sudden death playoff with Abacoa’s own Brian Becker. Both boys shot a two-day 151 to vie for the title in the playoff early Thursday afternoon.
Becker, of Jupiter, and employee at Abacoa Golf Club, claimed the Boys 16-18 Division title after battling Urriztieta for the overall title. Blake Yodlowski of Wellington clinched second place in the division after winning a scorecard playoff with round one leader, Brent Graham of Stuart. Both boys fired two-day 152’s, one stroke behind scoring leaders, Urriztieta and Becker. Graham secured third place in the Boys 16-18 Division.
In the Boys 14-15 divisional title race, Tim Graham of Stuart claimed first place honors with a two-day 157. Justin Friedman of Boca Raton won a scorecard playoff to secure his second place title after shooting a one-over-par 37 on his final 9-holes to finish with a two-day 158. Also tied at 158, and clinching third place in the division was Ethan Cairns of Davie.
On the girl’s side of the competition, Macarena Haupt of Weston claimed the Girl’s Overall title by one stroke over defending champion, Paige Lee Garris of West Palm Beach. Haupt fired a two-day 159, while Garris’ 160 total secured her the Girls 14-15 Divisional Title.
Boynton Beach resident, Tracy Peyton claimed the Girls 16-18 Divisional title with a two-day 166 total. Emma Persinger of Aventura secured second place in the division with a two-day 179, and Annelisse Siena of Wellington finished in third place in the Girls 16-18 Division with a 195 total.
Garris, who was runner-up to Haupt for the overall title, clinched the Girls 14-15 Division title by one-stroke over 8-year-old Alexa Pano of Lake Worth. Pano fired a cool two-day 161, competing against girls six and seven years older than herself, to earn herself second place in the girls 14-15 year old division.
The competition in the Boys 12-13 division again proved intense, as Reece Kornfeld, Jupiter Native fired a second-round, three-under-par 69 to better his first-round two-under-par 70 and secure the Boys 12-13 title by two-strokes over defending champion, Garret Barber. Barber matched Kornfeld’s 69 during round-two and his impressive two-day, three-under-par total of 141 secured second place in the division by nine-strokes. Justin Shiao of Coral Springs clinched third place with a two-day 150, firing a pair of 75’s in both rounds at Abacoa Golf Club.
In the Girls 12-13 division, Dana Williams of Boca Raton fired an impressive even-par 72 during round-two to come from behind and clinch the division title by five-strokes. Second place finisher, 9-year-old Elle Nachmann, also a Boca Raton native, clinched her second place honors in her first SFPGA Junior Challenge Tour appearance. Nachmann carded a two-day 157 for the event. Third place finisher Hannah Foster of Hobe Sound, rounded out the division earning third place honors finishing one-stroke behind Nachmann with a 158 total.
Special congratulations to Josephina Haupt of Weston who had her first hole-in-one during round-two of the event. Josephina holed out on the 117 yard par-3 fourth at Abacoa Golf Club. Congratulations Josephina!
Congratulations to all SFPGA Junior Challenge Tour members who competed in this week’s event. Many thanks to SFPGA President, Warren Bottke, PGA, Director of Golf, Rob Young, PGA and their entire staff for hosting us at their beautiful facility. Huge thanks also to Rick Greenleaf, PGA and Mike Connors from Sun Mountain for volunteering their time to help us run another successful event. The next South Florida PGA Junior Challenge Tour event will be held at Fort Lauderdale Country Club in Fort Lauderdale, FL on July 17-18.
The South Florida PGA Junior Tour is proudly presented by The Honda Classic and supported by Allianz Championship, Chiquita, Club Med Golf Academy, Don Law Golf Academy, John Webster Golf Academy, Palm Beach County Sports Commission, The Men’s Fun Group at Mirasol, and Titleist.
For full results, CLICK HERE.