Jiang Rises Above the Rest at Streamsong
STREAMSONG, Fla. – After three days of intense competition at Streamsong Golf Resort, with 168 of Florida’s best junior golfers battling through heat, pressure, and three separate weather delays, two players emerged at the top: Mingbo Jiang and William Lisle.
71st Boys’ Junior Championship
168 of the state’s best junior male golfers gathered at Streamsong Resort in hopes of etching their names in the history books. Split in between two courses (Blue and Black) scores during round one were quite low on both golf courses. Mingbo Jiang was the day’s leader carding an impressive nine under 63 with no bogeys on the Black Course. The Black course proved to be the more difficult over the two days, prior to the cut being made. Close behind was Florida State incoming freshman Shawn Coultoff. On a golf course that fits longer players, it was no surprise to see Coultoff at the top of the leaderboard.
Early changes in the leaderboard began with Clark Mason making an aggressive charge towards the top of the leaderboard. After hitting his drive on 8 into the water, Mason hit his third to 20 feet and drained the putt to make a crucial par save to keep his momentum going. William Lisle made a late charge and battled the suspensions to tie Clark Mason at 13-under par and the clubhouse lead. Overnight leader Mingbo Jiang, struggled coming in with bogeys on his last two holes.
With the sun rising over Streamsong Resort and only 73 players remaining after the second round cut, saying the leaders got off to a hot start would be an understatement. In the second to last group, Ambrose Kinnare hit his drive on the first hole to about four feet and drained the eagle to get within one. On the second hole, Coultoff also made an eagle to tie the lead. The final group teed off, with two players making birdie (Jiang and Mason).
Slowing down for the next few hours, Mason hung onto at times a two-shot lead. After bogeys on 12 and 13, Mason, Lisle, and Jiang found themselves in a three-way tie for the lead. All three of them then proceeded to birdie 14. Standing on the 15th tee, the horn blew and play was suspended for about two and a half hours. Coming back out, Jiang separated himself from the pack and birdied the 15th. A clutch two putt on the 17th kept Jiang one shot above Lisle. Coming down the 18th, Coultoff in the group in front found himself one shot back. However, a wayward tee shot and a three putt bogey knocked him out of contention.
Mingbo Jiang hit the middle of the fairway on the last, hit his approach shot with the club twirl of a lifetime, and two-putted to win the 71st Boys’ Junior Championship.
Although Lisle was unable to take down Jiang in the overall division, he was able to secure a win in the 13-15 division with a 16-under par total.
