Both start out hot: Palmer shoots 65, Schutte 64
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- (left to right) Abbey Schutte, Raegan Capizzi, Gracie McGovern
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- (left to right) Henry Dall, Charlie Palmer, and Wyatt Chapman
The Winter Classic teed off December 4-5 with a field of 217 junior golfers ages 8-18 from across the Valley competing in five age groups at Pebble Creek Tuscany Falls, Sun City West and Sun City Country Club.
Charlie Palmer of Phoenix took top honors in the Boys Championship division after shooting 10-under-par 134 for 36 holes. He started with a bogey-free 7-under 65 on Sun City West – Grandview to grab the first-round lead by a stroke over Tyler Spielman of Cave Creek. He then continued the next day with three birdies on the front nine before pulling away with and eagle on the 17th hole.
In second place at -8, Scottsdale’s Henry Dall chased Palmer by following a first-round 69 with a final round 3-under-par 67, which included two eagles on the front nine. After shooting a pair of 69s, Gilbert’s Wyatt Chapman earned third place at 6-under par for the tournament.
In the Girls Championship division, contested at Pebble Creek Tuscany Falls’ East Course, all competitors pursued Goodyear’s Abby Schutte. With a bogey-free, first-round, 8-under-par 64, Schutte made a strong early statement, picking up five birdies on the front nine and three on the back. She then closed out the tournament with a second-round 2-under-par 70 to finish at -10.
Raegan Capizzi of Scottsdale slid into second place at -5 after rounds of 70-69. Gracie McGovern of Scottsdale came in third place at 2-under-par 142. She bounced back from a 3-over 75 with a 5-under 67 to vault up the leaderboard after the final round.
Contested at Sun City West – Grandview, Hudson Ross of Scottsdale shot a pair of 71-71 to win the Boys 15-18 division at 2-under par. Scottsdale’s Dylan Boenning won the Boys 13-14 division, shooing 1-over par (73-72—145) at Sun City Country Club. In the Boys 11-12 division Sam Basta (42-37) of Phoenix and Cason Dezzani (38-41) of Scottsdale finished regulation tied for first place at 7-over-par 79, with Dezzani prevailing in a playoff. And Rydder Erbach of Scottsdale earned first place in the Boys 10 and Under division held at Sun City Country Club after shooting 41-44, 13-over par for 18 holes.
In the Girls 15-18 division at Pebble Creek Tuscany Falls, Julia Herzberg of Gilbert shot 68-82—150 to win at 6-over par. Rylee Stovall of Litchfield Park posted 79-75—154 (+10) at Sun City Country Club to take the Girls 13-14 division. Catherine Seder of Mesa posted 46-45—91 (+19) at Sun City Country Club to take the Girls 11-12 division. And Beau Ellington of Paradise Valley won the Girls 10 and Under division at 3-over-par 75 (38-37), played at Sun City Country Club.
