Team Washington and Team Hawaii crowned Co-Champions.
(left to right) Sydney Bryan, Kendall Todd, Maya Benita and Madeleine Laux
Team Washington and Team Hawaii are the co-champions of the 2019 Girls Junior Americas Cup with both posting scores of 6-over-par 654 at Bear Creek Golf Club in Murietta, California, July 28-August 1.
Similar to a collegiate event, the Girls Junior America’s Cup features 18 teams of four girls representing their state, province or country. The competition is held over 54-holes with each team counting its best three scores each round.
Goodyear’s Madeleine Laux and Kendall Todd, Sydney Bryan of Mesa and Maya Benita of Tucson made up Team Arizona, which came in 10th place with a score of 31-over-par 679. They shot 9-over-par 225 in the first round highlighted by 1-under-par team scores on holes 3, 7, 11 and 14. In the second round, they fired 11-over-par 227 with 1-under-par scores on Nos. 10, 11 and 16. And in the final round, they again shot 11-over par with three 1-under-par holes and a 2-under-par team score on No. 14.
Individually, Laux led Team Arizona with a T9 finish overall at 5-over par, her best finish in her third consecutive start at the Girls Junior America’s Cup. Interestingly, she birdied the par-3 16th hole all three days. Benita finished T26 at 13-over par, while Todd finished one stroke behind at 14-over par, good enough 30th place. And Bryan placed T46 at 22-over par.
The individual medalist also ended in a tie between Lana Calibuso-Kwee of Team Hawaii and Cassie Kim of Team Washington. Both Kwee and Kim finished the tournament at seven-under par, 209.
Congratulations to Team San Diego for being awarded the Joan Teats Award, which is given to the team that best exemplifies the qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, honesty, friendship and respect throughout the week.
Click Here for complete final standings.
About the Girls Junior America’s Cup:
The GJAC is a non-profit organization established in 1978 under the leadership of Joan Teats with a mission to provide a premier international team-golf tournament that encourages sportsmanship, friendship, personal growth and development of young women golfers. The event began with 11 teams in ’78 which grew into 18 teams by 1991. Each team consists of the top four girls from each state/country that exemplify not only outstanding skill and experience, but also true sportsmanship, discipline, courtesy and strength of character. The tournament is a 54-hole competition with teams counting three scores and throwing out the team’s highest score. The event also includes a practice round, opening and closing ceremonies, a tournament banquet and a social event. Being chosen to represent our state/country to play in the Girls Junior America’s Cup is one of the highest honors in girls’ junior golf. To learn more, visit http://gjac.org.
