FORT PIERCE, Fla.- 57 junior golfers teed it up at Fairwinds Golf Course in Fort Pierce, Florida looking to take home the victory in their respective age division. Relentless rain leading up to the event provided wet and challenging course conditions for the field, however by the end of Sunday four juniors came out on top.
Boys (11-12)
The Boys (11-12) division saw some stellar play to kick off the weekend. Jake Jessop, a 2032 graduate from Seminole, took charge after carding 6 birdies, leading to a remarkable 5-under 67. Gunther Bielecki, a 2031 graduate from Vero Beach, trailed by two shots, finishing with a commendable 2-under 70, featuring birdies on holes 4, 10, and 16. Palmer Cowden, a 2031 graduate from Orlando, and Benny Minter, a 2032 graduate from Lutz, were tied for third, each achieving 1-under 71s. With four players under par, the final round on Sunday is set to present an exhilarating contest at the top of the leaderboard.
After starting the day four shots back, Benny Minter made a remarkable comeback, securing victory with an outstanding final round of 69, concluding at 4-under 140. Minter fired an opening nine 3-under, 33 and finished with a final nine of 36. Tied for second at 1-under 143 were Aiden Tall, a 2031 graduate from Land O’ Lakes and Jake Jessop. Tall’s 2-under 70 was one of the day’s best rounds and helped him climb up the leaderboard three spots, while Jessop fought hard to remain near the top after his opening 67.
Boys (9-10)
By the conclusion of Saturday’s Round 1, Blake Godfrey, a 2033 graduate from Oxford, emerged the solo leader after posting a 4-over 76. Godfrey’s consistency of 14 pars allowed him to maintain steady control of the leaderboard heading into the final round. Just one shot behind was Aston Cruz, a 2033 graduate from Miami, and Mack Wong, a 2033 graduate from St. Petersburg who each carded 5-over 77s.
Aston Cruz put together an impressive comeback on Sunday with an opening nine of 3-under 33 to go on to finish the day with a 1-under, 71. Just one shot behind was Blake Godfrey who stayed consistent across both nines to finish 1-over, 73. Rounding out the top three, Mack Wong posted a final-round 75 to finish with a two-day total of 152 capping off a solid showing in a competitive field.
Girls (11-12)
The Girls (11-12) division showcased some of the tightest competition of the day, with two players sharing the top spot after Round 1. Chloe Audrey Chen, a 2032 graduate from Winter Park, and Harper Zhai, a 2031 graduate from Orlando, both recorded even-par 72s to top the leaderboard. Just three shots behind the leaders sat Victoria Firas, a 2031 graduate from Parkland, and Madelyn Dickerson, a 2033 graduate from Boca Raton, who both turned in scores of 3-over 75s. With only three strokes separating the top four, Sunday’s round is setting up for a dramatic finish in Fort Pierce.
Sunday featured some outstanding golf, with Madelyn Dickerson to steal the show with a final round 3-under 69 to claim the title. Dickerson carded four birdies throughout the day to seal her victory at even-par 144. Finishing just one shot back, Harper Zhai turned in a consistent round of 73. Not far behind, Chloe Audrey Chen battled through a challenging course to post a 74, securing third place.
Girls (9-10)
Avery Chen, a 2034 graduate from Ponte Vedra, and Jiratarn Pornchai, a 2034 graduate from Middleburg, each took a share of the lead following the first round. Each girl would make up significant ground on the back nine carding 35 and 36 respectively. Rounding out the top three is Joey Wolf, a 2034 graduate from Lakewood Ranch, who posted an 84.
Come Sunday, Avery Chen would solidify her victory with a final-round 71 to earn a convincing win at 2-over. Chen’s round featured four birdies and a string of steady pars to extend her lead. Finishing in second, Jiratarn Pornchai turned in another consistent round of 75. Joey Wolf improved by seven strokes from Round 1 with a 77, demonstrating impressive resilience to finish at 161.
