Dai & Sahvitranuruk Lock Down Lakewood National
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LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. - Lakewood National Golf Club has been an amazing host for several FSGA Championships, and this Florida Junior Tour event was no different. With the combination of the strong winds and firm and fast greens, Lakewood National’s Piper course offered a tough but rewarding test. In the end, through all the trials and tribulations, it was Andy Dai and Keira Shavitranuruk who broke through the storms and conquered the Piper course.
Boys (13-15)
The strong wind and an early delay could throw off a player's game, not for Liam Ly. Ly would have a day to remember, starting his first three holes at three under par, after carding his first career Hole-in-One on his third hole of the day, hole #12. The Delray Beach native would be able to card four more birdies throughout the day, however, the Piper course would fight back, only allowing Ly to finish at two under, holding the lead by one heading into round two. Niko Gordic-Ronderos, Andy Dai, and Yaoyuan (Chris) Xue would all sit one stroke back. With another 18 holes on the Piper Course to play, it was anyone's game.
Round two started with some gray clouds and the fear of rain. As play started, Liam Ly would waste no time posting birdies on holes one and two. Andy Dai would do his best to retaliate, holing out for eagle on hole five! Ly would answer with birdies on holes five and six to lead by four over Niko Gordic-Ronderos and Andy Dai when making the turn. On hole 13, Ly would fall victim to the Piper course’s antics once again, carding a triple bogey. Hole 13 for Ly would put him into a tie for the lead with Niko Gordic-Ronderos, when an unfortunate storm would put the event on hold.
As play resumed, Andy Dai would take advantage of the situation and birdie holes 14 and 15 to prop himself on top of the leaderboard as they headed to the final stretch. Dai would string together three pars to claim the victory. This is the Bradenton native’s first FJT win! Liam Ly would place in second, and Nathan Drummond and Niko Gordic-Ronderos would tie for third.
Girls (13-15)
Brooklyn Cullen would have a back-nine surge to the top of the leaderboard. After carding her first birdie on hole two, she would string together birdies on holes 10, 11, 13, and 14. These birdies would place Cullen firmly on top as she would finish two under par and be leading by four heading into round two. Reilly Kirwin and Bailey Harvey would sit in second place and be hot on Cullen’s trail heading into round two. Five players would sit in a tie for fourth, and with the forecast showing similar winds, smart golf on Sunday would take home the trophy.
The Piper course would show its strength again in round two. Brooklyn Cullen would fall victim and lose her four-stroke lead, and end up sharing the lead with Reilly Kirwin, heading into their seventh hole. This didn’t last long for Cullen; she saw an opportunity and seized it. A birdie on her eighth and ninth holes would be enough to place Cullen back on top of the leaderboard to lead by three when making the turn. As the turn was made, Keira Shavitranuruk and Fay Noti would both begin to make a charge, both birding hole five to place them within one and two shots of the lead, respectively, before play was suspended for weather.
When play resumed, Keira Shavitranuruk took the course by storm, posting a birdie on her 16th hole to tie the lead with Cullen. An unfortunate double bogey on 18 for Cullen would allow Keira Shavitranuruk to claim her second FJT win of the season. Brooklyn Cullen would come in second, and Hannah Castillo would come in third.
