Dylan Boenning Captures Boys Championship Title at Antigua Milt Coggins IMG Qualifier, Natalia Fox Wins Girls Championship Division

The final local qualifying tournament to enter the prestigious IMG Academy Junior World Championship was recently contested June 5-6 in the Antigua Milt Coggins IMG Qualifier #2, yielding 17 players that are heading to the championship. The Junior World Championships are held July 8-13 in San Diego.

Papago Golf Course hosted the Boys Championship division, with the first qualifier Dylan Boenning of Phoenix earned top medalist honors after clinching the victory after rounds of 66-67, clinching by four strokes. At 7-under par, last year’s champion Hogan O’Malley of Tempe took the second qualifier spot after finishing the tournament with nine birdies. The third and final player from the Boys Championship division to qualify was Scottsdale’s Trey Moore just one shot back of O’Malley, 6-under par (70-68).

Papago also hosted the Boys 15-18 division, with Jackson Malatesta of Phoenix shooting consistent rounds of 72-70 to land in first place by two strokes at 2-under par.

The Girls Championship division squared off at Encanto Golf Club, with two qualifiers heading to San Diego. Natalia Fox fired off two rounds in the low 70s to claim the top spot by six strokes at 5-over par. Eliza Meltzer of Paradise Valley secured the final qualifying position at 11-over par. In the Girls 15-18 division, also contested at Encanto Alexis Goyen of Mesa came from behind in the second round after a strong 6-over-par 76 to win by a stroke.

Encanto 18 hosted the Boys and Girls 13-14 divisions. Taking top spot on the podium at three-under on the boy’s side gave Ty Gould (68-65) of Gilbert a clear path to the championship. Tucson native AJ Ramos, who won the Tucson City Junior Championship last weekend, took second place at 6-under (68-66). Since Ty Gould already qualified, AJ Ramos, Luke Duval of Scottsdale and Daniel Jinwoo Cha of Scottsdale each secured the final three qualifier spots. On the girl’s side, Ashley Malko of Gilbert took over in the final round, winning by two strokes at 2-over par after starting the final round tied with Taylor Underhill of Gilbert. Underhill ended up one shot back of Malko at 3-over par but managed to snag a spot for the second-straight year to the IMG Academy Junior World Championship.

Three players in the Boys 11-12 division moved on. Nolan Wilson of Litchfield Park shot 4-under (58-58) at Encanto’s nine-hole course (played twice) to go back-to-back by a demanding 10 strokes. Benjamin Bracke (66-60) of Gilbert finished solo-second at 6-over par. Cam Abood of Paradise Valley took the remaining spot at 9-over par.

The Girls 11-12 division, Leilani Herzberg of Gilbert shot identical rounds of 66-66 on Encanto 9 (played twice) for the win at 12-over par, and Jessica Hoerr of Phoenix carded +15 (67-68) to join Herzberg in San Diego.

Kyle Wojtcuk of Waddell and Jace Anderson of Anthem tied for first place in the Boys 10 and Under division at +7. With Wojtcuk already qualified, Jace Anderson and Joey Morin both earned the final spots to San Diego.

In the Girls 10 and Under division, Amy Xuan of Chandler came out victorious in her second IMG Junior World Qualifier of the season after finishing at 16-over par (63-73).

The IMG Academy Junior World Championship is now fully set with around 37 JGAA golfers heading to the championships to showcase their talent against some of the world’s best.

The 2024 edition of the IMG Academy Junior World Championships will kick off from July 6 to July 11. Originating in 1952 with just 50 young players gathering at the then Mission Valley Country Club, the event has evolved significantly. Today, the IMG Academy Junior World Golf Championships proudly welcomes 1,200 participants hailing from 56 countries and 42 states. As the largest international tournament globally, it stands out for its rich cultural tapestry.

The mission of the Junior World Golf Championships is to unite young golfers worldwide, offering them a premier golfing experience while fostering cultural cohesion and mutual understanding. Originally conceived by John W. Brown, A.S. “Lou” Smith, and Norrie West in 1968, the San Diego Junior Golf Association took up the mantle to organize the tournament. Their vision was to create a platform where junior golfers from diverse backgrounds could converge, play golf, and broaden their cultural horizons. Hosted not only at the renowned Torrey Pines but also at various other esteemed clubs across the San Diego area, this championship continues to embody the spirit of global camaraderie and sportsmanship. Click here to learn more about the IMG Academy Junior World Championships.

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