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Locals dominate at Yancey tourney

August 17, 2015

When resurrecting a local junior golf tournament recently, Steve Albright wanted to not just honor the man the tournament was originally named after — Jim Yancey — but pay homage to an entire family who have been a driving force of the sport in Marion County.

The latest iteration of the event, now renamed the Yancey Junior Championship, produced six champions on the boys and girls sides. All six flight winners are Ocala residents.

Albright, one of the tournament's organizers, said he played in the first event nearly 30 years ago as a teenager when it was called the Jim Yancey Junior Championship. When the tournament was brought back three years ago, the name was changed to also include Jim's wife Joanne, who Albright said "were the cornerstones of golf here in Ocala."

Albright said the renaming took on greater significance in light of Joanne passing away in 2014 as a way to honor a person who supported youth golf in Marion County.

"The whole Yancey family has done so much in this area for golf," he said.

The Yancey Junior Championship is the major tournament of First Tee of Greater Ocala, and took place Aug. 3-4 at both the Country Club of Ocala and Golden Ocala.

On the boys sides, Eoin Buckalew (11-12), Thomas Regan (13-15) and Palmer Lovell (16-18) won their age divisions.

For the girls, Elle Folland (11-12), Lauren Heinlen (13-15) and Stephanie Pick (16-18) came in first place. Pick won her division for the third straight year.

The top three finishers in each division earned an exemption into a future FSGA junior tour event. That was a big draw to the competitors, according to Albright, along with the chance to play top courses against tough opponents.

"This is the biggest junior tournament the city (of Ocala) and the county has," said Albright about the event that attracted golfers from around the state. "They get some really good competition and access to the FSGA events.

"We tried to run it as a first-class tournament and I hope the kids had fun," he added.

By Jon-Michael Soracchi Correspondent
Sunday, August 16, 2015