Ramos finishes with two rounds of 69; Bae wins by five strokes.
left to right: Jenny Bae, Izzy Cantwell, Alexandra Quihuis
left to right: Cameron Barzekoff, Daniel Thompson, Aaron Ramos
The Phoenix Metro Junior Championship Sponsored by Van’s Golf Shops teed off February 11-12 with a field of 193 junior golfers – boys and girls – ages 8-18 competing in five age groups.
In the Boys Championship Division, Aaron Ramos, Goodyear, turned in a spectacular performance with a pair of 69s to finish six-under-par 138 for the tournament. One-stroke back, Mesa’s Cameron Barzekoff fired 70-69—139 to finish five-under par. Daniel Thompson, Phoenix, won third place shooting 72-70–142.
In the Girls Championship Division, Jenny Bae of Chandler cruised to victory shooting 68-72–140. She finished the tournament as the only girl under par at four-under, five strokes ahead of Ashley Menne (75-70—145) of Surprise who tied for second place with Alexandra Quihuis of Tucson (73-72–145) Isabella Cantwell, Scottsdale, (72-73–145) and Julie Ju, Scottsdale, (67-78–145). This win marks Bae’s first win in the 2017 season to go along with three victories last season.
Noah Nuez of Laveen won the Boys 15-18 Division at 3-over par (73-74—147) at Ken McDonald Golf Course. Johnnie Clark, Mesa, won the Boys 13-14 Division contested at Toka Sticks Golf Club at four-under par (72-68—140). Nicklas Nuez of Laveen took top honors in the Boys 11-12 Division held at Rolling Hills Golf Course at seven-over par (60-71—131), and Brennan Korn from Phoenix won the Boys 10 and Under Division at five-over par (32-33—65).
Kaitlynn Criswell of Mesa won in the Girls 15-18 Division at six-over par (74-76—150). Ivy Song of Surprise won the Girls 13-14 Division at 12-over par (77-79—156). Brooke McGlasson of Peoria won the Girls 11-12 Division at 20-over par (70-74—144), and Katherine Hauptman of Scottsdale won in the Girls 10 and Under Division at 20-over par (39-41—80).
“This is one of our first full-field tournaments of the year,” said Scott McNevin, Executive Director of the JGAA. “It’s great to see so many junior competing in these events. The experience along with the friends they make along the way will serve them well for years to come both on and off the golf course.”
