Nemoto & Andino Triumph at Junior Match Play
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. - Sugar Mill Country Club served as the host for the Junior Amateur Match Play Championship. Its wide layout and tricky greens would serve as a perfect site. 84 boys and girls would flock to New Smyrna Beach to try and make their way into match play. However, only the top 16 in each division would advance to match play to claim the trophy. In the end, Catherine Andino would win the Girls (13-18) division, and Yuma Nemoto would capture the Boys (13-15) division.
Boys (13-15)
Following the two rounds of stroke play seeding and multiple suspensions due to dangerous conditions, it was Cooper Foegen who would claim the one seed. Foegen would face off against Brendan Walrath. Walrath, the underdog, would persevere and emerge victorious, defeating Foegen 3 & 2. Zexi Xue would also be another bracket buster, as he would take down FJT Eagle Ridge Champion, Ayden Febres. The Windermere native would secure the match against Febres, 2 & 1. Connor Danahy would also shine through the storm on Tuesday, defeating Ignacio Hurtado 2 up, taking him all the way to 18.
With Round of 16 matches concluding late Tuesday evening, the Quarterfinal matches were set and ready to go Wednesday morning. Leading off in the morning, Brendan Walrath was set to face FJT Bent Creek Champion, Yuma Nemoto. Walrath took an early lead, but Nemoto would fight back, in the end claiming the match 4 & 2. Connor Danahy would also take command of his match early and would not let up, defeating Ryan LeVoie, 5 & 4. In the quarterfinals, Zexi Xue and Brookman Tyrer would both claim their respective matches 2 & 1. The semi-final matches would consist of Danahy Vs. Tyrer and Nemoto Vs. Xue. Danahy and Nemoto would win their matches and would be set to face off in the final!
Thursday was like any July morning, except a champion would be crowned. Connor Danahy and Yuma Nemoto teed off, and it would be Danahy to get one up early. However, by the third hole, Nemoto would be one up. The match would bounce between the two until a pivotal birdie on hole 6 for Nemoto would light the fire. Nemoto would make the turn 3 up over Danahy, Danahy would get one back on hole 10, but Nemoto would answer with a great birdie on hole 11. Nemoto would claim the match 3 & 2 over Danahy. Yuma Nemoto would be crowned our 2025 Junior Amateur Match Play Champion in the Boys (13-15)
Girls (13-18)
Reese McMillan would hold medalist honors after the two rounds of stroke play seeding and was set to face off against Lilliana Ford. Ford would be ahead at the turn and hold a 3-up lead when play had to suspend for darkness. The pair would return in the morning, and as McMillan tried to fight back the deficit, Ford would win the match. Coming off a Round of 64 appearance at the US Girls Junior last week, Iris Lee would not let up. Lee would take an early lead in her Round of 16 match, defeating Sadaly Campbell, 6 & 5. Staci Pla would take her first round match to 22 holes before defeating Boonyanuch Smitasin.
Entering the quarterfinal matches, the matches remained close. Catherine Andino would be facing Mara King. The pair would bounce the lead back and forth entering hole 18, all square. Andino would sink a 20-footer downhill on the 18th to claim the match one up. Iris Lee would be facing off against a good friend, Keira Shavitranuruk. They would also bounce the lead back and forth until Lee took control of the match, claiming it 2 & 1. Iris Lee was set to face Elizabeth Palmer after she defeated Valentina Guertin. Catherine Andino was set to face Staci Pla after Pla took her match to extra holes, defeating Lilliana Ford on hole 20. Andino and Pla would face off in a tight match. The two would make the turn all square; however, Andino would ramp up on the back nine, claiming the match 2 & 1, punching her ticket to the Final Match. Iris Lee would start the Semi-Finals hot, birding the first hole. The 2031 grad would continue to command this match, and would win 5 & 4, to secure her spot in the Final on Thursday morning.
The sticky July heat would be the setting for the final match. Catherine Andino would face off against Iris Lee. Catherine would take an early lead, going one up on the first hole, and not stopping there. Catherine would never let up; a birdie on the fourth hole would propel her to two up. Lee would do her best to try and hold off Andino, but birdies on holes 10, 11, and 12 would place Andino at five up with six to play. Lee would fight back, but in the end, Andino would win the girls division 3 & 2.
