JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After a couple days of tough playing conditions, four first-time winners emerged at Bent Creek Golf Course including Aarav Shah, Cooper Franklin, Sara Vitasek, and Taryn Nguyen.
Boys (16-18)
On Saturday, players experienced very high winds throughout the play of the first round, with gusts reaching over 30 mph. Even with these conditions, our first round leader, Jesse Hellring, fired an impressive score of one-over par 72. In a two-way tie for second and two shots back of Hellring were Conlin Bradshaw and Maximus Haines.
With over two inches of rain Saturday night, conditions remained tough for our final round on Sunday. Aarav Shah, from Melbourne, Australia, ended the day with the low round of the weekend and the only under-par round for the boys, shooting a two-under 69. His great play propelled him from four shots back after Saturday into his first FJT Victory. Shah’s key to success was keeping the ball in the fairway because of how tight and short the course played. Finishing one shot back in solo second place was Maximus Haines, who shot rounds of 74-72—146. Third place was claimed by Elliot Mehler, with rounds of 76-75—151.
Girls (16-18)
Maddie Rathjen shot the only under-par round on Saturday with a one-under 70 fueled by three birdies. She held a two-shot lead over Tatiana Ang and a six-shot lead over Sara Vitasek.
Playing in the final group, but six shots back of the lead, Vitasek needed a strong round on Sunday to put her name atop the leaderboard. She did just that, with four total birdies to help her to a one-under 70. She attributed her stellar play with her driver as to why she played so well this weekend. She wound up winning by four shots over Rathjen who finished in solo second. Christina Surcey finished in solo third after rounds of 78-77-155 for the tournament.
Boys (13-15)
After the first round, there was a tight race in the Boys (13-15) division. Cooper Franklin of Ponte Vedra Beach shot a two-over 73 to take the overnight lead. Sitting one back, was Connor Danahy, who shot a three-over 74. In solo third, two shots back of Franklin, was Jaspreet Kondal, who finished round one with a score of 75.
Franklin continued his great play on Sunday, including a bogey-free 35 on his final nine holes, cementing himself as the victor with rounds of 73-72—145. Franklin said, “Being used to the wet and windy conditions of the Jacksonville area allowed me to stay focused”. In solo second place was Samuel Ha, who shot an impressive 72 in round two to finish four shots back. Third place was claimed by Arnold Pouncy, who shot 76-75—151 over the two rounds of competition.
Girls (13-15)
Two players sat atop the leaderboard after round one. Taryn Nguyen and Chloe McGrath both shot a four-over 75 to lead by two shots over two other players.
Through her first nine holes on Sunday, Nguyen was able to pull away from the field. She finished with a 78 to win by four strokes over McGrath. Nguyen credited the book, The Tournament Golfer’s Playbook by Mike Booker, as a huge help to taking the round one shot at a time. Alexia Iordanov fired the low round of the day in her division with a five-over 76 and finished tied for third with Elyse Meerdink.
