JUNIOR GOLF TOPICS NEWSLETTER MARTINEZ AND MERCHAN CLAIM FIRST SF<strong>PGA</strong> CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR OVERALL TITLES The <strong>South</strong> <strong>Florida</strong> <strong>PGA</strong> Junior Tour presented by the Honda Classic hosted its first ever Junior Championship Tour Event at Club Med at Sandpiper Bay this weekend. A strong field of 74 juniors from all over <strong>South</strong> <strong>Florida</strong> competed to start the 2013 season. Alberto Martinez (13) of Weston claimed the first Boys overall championship of the season with an impressive come-from-behind finish. Martinez shot a two under, 68, on Sunday to claim victory with a two-day score of 142. Jb Thompson of Jupiter clenched second place shooting a two-day total of 150. In the Girls Overall division, Alejandra Merchan of Weston, claimed her title with a two-day score of 144; winning a grueling five-hole playoff with fellow competitor Kuriko Tsukiyama. Andreina Merchan of Weston claimed a 2nd place overall finish with a two-day total of 148. Charlie Kennerly of Jupiter claimed the Boys 13-15 title by shooting a two-day total of 150. Finishing in 2nd place was Anthony Wells of Plantation with a 153. Eduardo Blochtein of Delray Beach came in a close 3rd with a 154 two-day total. In the Boys 16-18 year old division, JB Thompson of Jupiter claimed the title with a two-day total of 148. Finishing in 2nd in the division was Kyle Williams of Tamarac with a 150, and winning a scorecard playoff with a two-day total of 151 was Zachary Bariso of Boca Raton. In the Girls 13-15 division, Claire Fitzgerald of Parkland won a scorecard playoff to claim her first title of the 2013 season with a two-day total of 160. Also in the playoff, being awarded 2nd place was Emma Bradley of Naples. In 3rd was Emily Faulkner of Palm City shooting a two-day 164. Local Club Med resident, Kuriko Tsukiyama, after a five-hole playoff for the overall championship, claimed the honors in the Girls 16-18 division shooting a consistent 72-72 for a two-day total of 144. Andreina Merchan of Weston won 2nd place with a 148 two-day total, and Alexa Hammer of Boynton Beach claimed 3rd place with a two-day 153. The next <strong>South</strong> <strong>Florida</strong> <strong>PGA</strong> Junior Championship Tour event will be held March 23-24 at the <strong>PGA</strong> National <strong>Golf</strong> Club, Fazio Course in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. The <strong>South</strong> <strong>Florida</strong> <strong>PGA</strong> Junior Challenge Tour will be back at Sandpiper <strong>Golf</strong> Club at Club Med in Port St. Lucie with a full field of 84 players on February 16-17. THE SF<strong>PGA</strong> JUNIOR CHALLENGE TOUR, PRESENTED BY THE HONDA CLASSIC, WILL KICK OFF THE 2013 SEASON THIS WEEKEND AT CLUB MED On Saturday and Sunday, February 16-17, eighty-four junior golfers will compete in the second Junior event of the 2103 <strong>South</strong> <strong>Florida</strong> <strong>PGA</strong> Junior Tour season presented by the Honda Classic at Sandpiper <strong>Golf</strong> Club-Club Med in Port St. Lucie, FL. New in 2013 the <strong>South</strong> <strong>Florida</strong> <strong>PGA</strong> Junior Tour has expanded and will now offer twenty-eight, two-day championship events for junior golfers in <strong>South</strong> <strong>Florida</strong>. The previous Junior Tour was split into two separate tours, Championship Tour and Challenge Tour. The Championship Tour is an invitational tour, with players receiving exemptions based upon their 2012 scoring average and Player of the Year points. The Championship Tour held its first event, also hosted by Sandpiper <strong>Golf</strong> Club, on February 2-3, where Alberto Martinez (13) of Weston and Alejandra Merchan (14) of Weston took home the Boy’s & Girl’s Overall Championships, respectively. The Challenge Tour is a continuation of the previous year’s Junior Tour with divisions and yardages remaining consistent with the 2012 Junior Tour. This weekend’s event is the first of the year for the Challenge Tour and features a strong returning field, including Port St. Lucie residents:. Yavuz Ackman, Amadeo Figus, Orlando Figus, Johnathan Powers-Gray, Kevin Seits, and Hiroyuki Ukigaya. This 36-hole, stroke play event is a 9:00 AM, single tee start both Saturday and Sunday. Players will be re-paired on Sunday by low score. Awards will be given to the first through third place winners in each age division (Boys/Girls 12-13, 14-15, 16- 18) as well as to the overall boy and overall girl winners of the event on Sunday, following play. All <strong>South</strong> <strong>Florida</strong> <strong>PGA</strong> Junior Tour events are ranked by the national Junior <strong>Golf</strong> Scoreboard ranking system. Pairings for this weekend’s event are now available on the <strong>South</strong> <strong>Florida</strong> <strong>PGA</strong> website (www.sfpgajuniorgolf.com). 5
GROWTH OF THE GAME TOPICS NEWSLETTER 6
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