Over 70 players competed in the three-day event that featured fierce competition on a challenging golf course. Weather cooperated for most of the weekend except for storms in the afternoon on Saturday, which suspended play for around an hour. The tournament was ranked by the Junior Golf Scoreboard (JGS), Golfweek/Titleist Junior Rankings and AJGA performance stars were up for grabs. Along with that, winners in each division earned bids to the Tour Championship in December.
The Boys 11-14 Division was arguably the closest contest over the three days with the champion being decided by a one-hole playoff. Chase Ibbotson of Sanford was able to outlast Ryan Hicks of Clearwater on the 18th hole at Falcons Fire.
After a rough start on Saturday (76), Ibbotson followed up a 69 on Sunday with a 71 on Monday to finish at even par with a three-day total of 216 (76+69+71).
Ibbotson was tied for the lead in his division with one eagle, which came on the par 5, 4th hole. Ibbotson also led the field in par 4 performance (3.97) and par 5 performance (4.75).
Hicks finished in second place after the playoff finishing at even par. His three-day total of 216 was comprised of rounds of 70, 77 and a 69 on Monday, which forced a playoff. Hicks led the field in pars or better at 83.3-percent.
Finishing in third place was Mattias Ruehle of Orlando. Ruehle finished with a three-day total of 224 (74+74+76), which left him at +8 for the tournament.
The Girls 15-18 Division was won by Jaixin Yang of Lake Mary.
Yang started day three two shots back but came out and played a flawless round with five birdies and no bogies to shoot an amazing 5-under 67.
Yang finished the tournament at even par with a three-day total of 216 (73+76+67) and led nearly every statistical category, including most birdies, most pars and most pars or better. Yang also led in Par 5 performance (4.75), par 4 performance (4.10) and par 3 performances (3.00).
Taking home second place was another Lake Marian, Minita Yin, who finished the tournament with a score of +8 (224) (74+77+73). Yin totaled five birdies and was second in the field in total pars with 37.
Finishing in third place was Amanda He of Windermere, who finished with a three-day total of +10 (226) (72+75+79).
The Boys 15-18 Division was a close battle throughout the weekend and ended up with Jimmy Stanger of Tampa taking home first place honors.
Stanger remained consistent all weekend and finished with two straight rounds under par. Stanger had three-day total of 214 (72+71+71), finishing two under par, and led the field in birdies with 13, par 4 performance at 3.87 and par breakers at 25.9-percent.
Stanger played his best golf on the front nine, playing those holes at 5-under par for the weekend.
Finishing behind Stanger in second place was Pedro Romero of Howie in the Hills. Romero finished one stroke behind Stanger at -1 after posting a three day total of 215 (71+72+72). Romero remained consistent all three days never shooting more than 1-over in a nine-hole span and finished par or better all three days.
There was a tie for third place between Parker Fox of Palm Harbor and Jack Panagos of Orlando. Fox and Harbor both posted 2-over 218’s.
The Girls 11-14 Division first place trophy was taken home by Paige Lee Garris of West Palm Beach.
Garris finished the tournament at +26 with a three-day total of 242 (82+80+80) and swept the statistical categories in her division to go along with two birdies and a total of 32 pars.
Second place went to Amy Zhang of Lake Mary.
Zhang finished at +51 with a three-day total of 267 (83+88+96), ending with 19 pars and 32.9-percent in pars or better.
Third place honors went to Haley Danford of Longwood, who finished +71 with a three-day total of 287 (100+97+90).
Danford also took home the Golf Pride Comeback Award for her division with a seven stroke improvement from Day 2 to Day 3.
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TOURNAMENT AWARDS:
BOYS 15-18 DIVISION
* EFX Birdie Challenge: Jimmy Stanger
* Seaforth Par 4 Performance: Jimmy Stanger
* Coolheads Par 5 Performance: Parker Fox
GIRLS 15-18 DIVISION:
* EFX Birdie Challenge: Jiaxin Yang
* Seaforth Par 4 Performance: Jiaxin Yang
* Coolheads Par 5 Performance: Jiaxin Yang
BOYS 11-14 DIVISION:
* EFX Birdie Challenge: Austin Hitt
* Seaforth Par 4 Performance: Chase Ibbotson
* Coolheads Par 5 Performance: Chase Ibbotson
GIRLS 11-14 DIVISION:
* EFX Birdie Challenge: Paige Lee Garris
* Seaforth Par 4 Performance: Paige Lee Garris
* Coolheads Par 5 Performance: Paige Lee Garris
BRIDGESTONE CHALLENGE:
* Boys 15-18 Division: Devin Kennedy, Zack Wood
* Girls 11-14 Division: Paige Lee Garris
GOLF PRIDE COMEBACK AWARD:
* Boys 15-18 Division: Devin Kennedy, Hayden Campbell
* Boys 11-14 Division: Ryan Hicks, Austin Hitt, Yale Kim, Chase Cutshall
* Girls 15-18 Division: Kelsey Jensen, Amber Harmon, Jiaxin Yang
* Girls 11-14 Division: Haley Danford