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Cooney & Wenglasz Win at Southwood

March 5, 2006

In the boys 16-18 age division of 66 juniors, Matt Cooney, 16, from Tampa, trailed the first round leader by five strokes to come from behind and win the title by one shot. This was Cooney’s first win on the FJT. Cooney trailed the first round leader, Tyler Hock, 17, of Ocala, by five shots. Hock opened the first round with a four under par 68. On difficult greens at Southwood Golf Club and the home course to the Florida State University, Cooney had seven birdies and a bogey to post a final round of a six under par 66. Cooney quoted, “The first day I had 17 pars and one bogey for a 73, and today I had three of my birdie attempts fall in within five feet of the hole. I hit the ball a lot closer to the hole today.” Cameron Knight, 18, of Dade City, shot rounds of 70-70 to tie for second. Knight, who was playing on his future home course of Florida State University, missed a birdie putt on the last hole to tie Cooney for the lead. Wesley Graham, 15, of Port Orange, also tied for second place with rounds of 70-70 for a 140 total. The boys 16-18 division played from 6,883 yards.

Whitney Wenglasz, 15, of Oldsmar, defeated Andrea Messer, 15, of Belleair, on the third playoff hole to win the girls 16-18 title. Wenglasz and Messer both carded rounds of 77-76 for a two day total of 153. Wenglasz won on the third play-off hole with a par. First round leader Evan Jensen, 16, from Belleair, carded a final round 78 to place third. The girls 16-18 division of 18 girls played from 5,834 yards.

Conducted by the Florida State Golf Association, the Florida Junior Tour (FJT) is a junior golf tour offering highly competitive and affordable competitions for juniors in Florida. The 2005-2006 season consists of 15 events for juniors, male and female, ages 13-18. Beginning September and running through May, the FJT schedule will play at some of the state’s top courses including PGA Golf Club and Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club. This year will feature a 54-hole event for both age divisions as well as the first four-ball event. The FJT’s focus is on quality, affordability and integrity. Tournaments consist of 36 holes conducted over 2 days, typically weekends, with an entry fee of $95. Scholarship entry is available to junior golfers unable to afford the entry fee.

Working closely with the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA), FJT top competitors will receive exemptions and performance points towards AJGA events. The FJT is the only Florida tour to participate in the AJGA’s Performance Based Process. In addition, FJT events will be ranked by Golfweek/Titleist and Junior Golf Scoreboard. The FJT will maintain a points list to assist in determining Junior Player-of-the-Year and invitations to other tournaments.

To view complete pairings, tee times, and results, please see www.floridajuniortour.org.