Sweet Victory for Mokris and Castillo at Reunion
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Florida Junior Tour made a stop at Reunion Resort course as 84 juniors took on the Palmer course for 36-holes of competition.
Boys (13-15)
After lightning in the area delayed the start of round 1, players teed it up on the Palmer course looking to get out of the gate quick with some early birdies. Fresh off his victory at the FJT Sandridge (13-15) Open, Arnold Pouncy looked to continue his stellar form at Reunion Resort. Starting on the 10th hole, the Saint Cloud native would play his opening nine holes in 2-under par. After making the turn, the 2028 grad would continue to make bidies, adding them on holes one, three and five. Pouncy would take the clubhouse lead at 5-under par, after a bogey-free 67. Not to be outdone, Connor Danahy would better Pouncy by two shots in round 1, firing a blistering round of 7-under par, 65. The Orlando native would make 8 birdies on the day, including four in a row from holes 4 thru 7. After finishing as runner up in the 2025 Junior Amateur Match Play Championship, Danahy would aim to pick up his first FJT victory come Sunday. The trio of Alex Kruschwitz, Michael Shane Frasure and Dylan Schilling sit four shots back of the lead heading into the final round at 3-under par.
After a smooth start to Sunday morning, Mother Nature had plans of her own and forced a nearly two-hour rain delay late Sunday morning. Once play resumed, multiple players surged to the top of the leaderboard. Ambrose Kinnaire soared into a tie for first at 7-under par after being 7-under par through his first 15 holes on Sunday. Surging to the top of the leaderboard with Kinnaire would be Jack Mokris after making four birdies on the front nine. The Winter Park native would continue his solid play in the final nine holes, making two birdies en route to a bogey-free round of 6-under par, 66. The 2028 grad would post an 8-under par total for the event with one group left on the course. Playing in the final group, Arnold Pouncy would need a birdie on the last to force a playoff with Mokris and would ultimately come up short. Mokris would take the title at Reunion Resort, for his first FJT victory. After winning last week in Vero Beach, Pouncy would have to settle for second place at 7-under par. Ambrose Kinnair and Connor Danahy would finish in a tie for third place at 6-under par.
Girls (13-15)
The Girls' division also saw some low numbers and a tight race at the top. Hannah Castillo would open her round with a double bogey on the par 4, 1st hole. From there, she would quickly turn things around making birdies on holes 3, 6, 7 and 9 to shoot 2-under par on the front nine. The 2028 would continue the birdie barage on the back nine making four more along with a lone birdie. Still hunting for her first FJT victory, Castillo's opening round of 5-under par, 67 certainly put her in a good spot as she tries to seal the deal on Sunday. Numerous players are close on her heels however with Victoria Feng and Maria Antonia Gaviao shooting rounds of 3-under par, 69. Feng, a winner a week ago, aims to win her second FJT of the year in as many weeks while Gaviao tries to earn her first. Chloe Wang sits in fourth place at 2-under par after making seven birdies in round 1.
Sunday's final round would turn into a battle between Hannah Castillo and Victoria Feng to see who would take home the crystal. Starting the round on the back nine with a two-shot lead, Castillo would play consistent golf making eight pars in a row to get her day going. A bogey on her ninth hole would put the 2028 grad back to 4-under par at the turn while still maintaining that two-shot lead. Birdies on holes four and five would put the Frostproof native back to 6-under par for the tournament and seal the deal for her first FJT victory with scores of 67-71. Winning a week ago, Victoria Feng would finish as runner-up with scores of 69-71, 4-under par. Sofia Macapagal would vault eight spots up the leaderboard into third place with the low round of the day in the Girls' division at 6-under par, 66. The Orlando native would have an exciting finish as her second shot on the par 5, ninth hole would hit off the flagstick and settle to 3 feet, which she would convert.
