December 23, 2015
The guys and gals from the Southland own bragging rights. At least this year.
The PGA Southern California Junior Tour grabbed a win in the inaugural Challenge Cup, defeating their counterparts from the Junior Tour of Northern California, 13-11, following Wednesday’s final round of Singles matches at par-71 Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach.
Trailing by a point (6.5-5.5) following Tuesday’s opening play, the SoCal juniors first took the lead thanks in part to wins by Spencer Soosman and Norman Xiong. The JTNC tied it back at 10-10 with victories from Ahmed Ali and Peter Kuest, but that was as close as the NorCal contingent would come.
With the balance of the event hanging on the final four Singles matches (which happened to be all of the girls’ matches), the SoCal Junior Tour grabbed three wins to clinch the title–San Diego’s Brianna Navarrosa beat Emilee Hoffman 1-up, Haley Moore of Escondido defeated Sabrina Iqbal 2 and 1 and Angelina Kim of Los Angeles beat Yoonhee Kim of San Ramon, 2 and 1. The lone JTNC gal to pick up a win was Concord’s Yealimi Noh, who defeated Hannah Ko of Anaheim, 1-up.
“We knew it was going to come down to the girls,” said Moore, who played in and made the cut at this year’s LPGA ANA Inspiration by winning the ANA Inspiration Champions Junior Challenge.
The inaugural Cup featured 12 of the best players from the JTNC (8 boys, four girls) taking on 12 of the best players from the PGA Southern California Junior Tour in a Ryder Cup-like format.
The concept of the event began a few years ago when former NCGA executive director Vaughn Kezirian got the idea of bringing all of California’s best juniors together. During the week, the players raved about the event for a number of reasons including: the camaraderie, the format.
“We’ve been looking forward to this for a long time,” said the JTNC’s Yoonhee Kim. “It’s fun playing with partners. We don’t get to do that very often.”
JTNC tour manager Aaron Hartesveldt said that now that the event is happening, it should only increase in popularity. Next year’s event will also be held in December at Poppy Hills.
“It’s a great opportunity for some of the best juniors in NorCal and SoCal to showcase their skills,” Hartesveldt said. “We think this is going to be a big hit and will only keep growing in stature.”
December 22, 2015
It may have been a bit wet outside, but nary a spirit was dampened as the Challenge Cup teed off Tuesday morning at rainy, par-71 Poppy Hills Golf Course.
Despite inclement weather, players were pumped to compete in the inaugural event, which features 12 members of the CIG-sponsored Junior Tour of Northern California taking on 12 players from the Southern California Junior Tour in a Ryder Cup-like format.
“We’re so excited. We’ve been looking forward to this for a long time,” said the JTNC’s Yoonhee Kim. “It’s fun playing with partners. We don’t get to do that very often.”
After Day One, the JTNC leads the two day, Ryder Cup-like event, 6.5- 5.5, backed in part by a nine-hole 4 and 2 win by Kim and partner Sabrina Iqbal in the morning Four-Ball. Play consisted of Four-Ball and Foursomes in the afternoon, with each nine-hole match worth a point (halves earned half a point).
Also picking up a win for the JTNC in Four-Ball was the tandem of Ryan Grauman and 2014 Player of the Year Joshua McCarthy. Each of the other four Four-Ball matches were halved.
Kim and Iqbal, the two-time defending Girls’ Player of the Year, also notched a 3 and 2 win in the afternoon. Also winning for the JTNC in Foursomes were Ashkaan Hakim and Scott Mitchell.
The Southern California Juniors got back in it in the afternoon via wins from the tandems of Brianna Navarrosa/Haley Moore, Jack Li/Ryan McCoy and Sam Choi/Spencer Soosman.
Along with the camaraderie, the JTNC’s Jeremy Villafuerte loves that the event is in the winter. Even if it’s wet.
“There’s not a lot of events at this time of year, so it’s nice to stay competitive,” Villafuerte said. “It’s a great way to meet the players from down south.”
Wednesday’s final round action will consist of Singles play.
December 21, 2015
It’s going to be the best junior players from Northern California taking on the best juniors from Southern California.
Set to tee off Tuesday and Wednesday at Poppy Hills, the inaugural Challenge Cup will feature 12 members of the CIG-sponsored Junior Tour of Northern California taking on 12 players from the Southern California Junior Tour in a Ryder Cup-like format.
Representing the JTNC squad are the top six boys and top three girls in the points standings following the Fall Series IX Championship, which concluded Oct. 25 at Rancho Murieta. Two boys and one girls were also added to the team as chosen by the JTNC committee.
Play on Tuesday will consist of nine holes of Foursomes and nine holes of Four-Ball. Wednesday’s final round will consist of Singles matches.
The concept of the event began a few years ago when former NCGA executive director Vaughn Kezirian had the idea of bringing all of California’s best juniors together.
JTNC tour manager Aaron Hartesveldt said that now that the event is happening, it should only increase in popularity.
“It’s a great opportunity for some of the best juniors in NorCal and SoCal to showcase their skills,” Hartesveldt said. “We think this is going to be a big hit and will only keep growing in stature.”
The eight boys representing the JTNC are:
- Ashkaan Hakim: Along with a win at the Fall Series IX Championship, the San Ramon resident placed fourth at both the Fall Series V and VIII Championships.
- Peter Kuest: A week after winning September’s Visalia Amateur, Kuest took fifth at the annual NCGA Valley Amateur. He also finished fifth at the Fall Series V Championship.
- Ahmed Ali: Playing on the JTNC more regularly this season, Ali has been a force. The Palo Alto resident won the Fall Series VIII title and was runner-up at both the Fall Series II and Fall Series IX Championships. This past spring, he competed in the inaugural U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship at The Olympic Club with his brother, Hussain.
- Joshua McCarthy: The 2014 JTNC Player of the Year and Danville resident picked up a win at the AJGA Shanshan Feng Junior Championship, was second at the Fall Series I Championship and third at the Fall Series II Championship.
- Ryan Grauman: Hailing from Alamo, Grauman won the Fall Series II Championship. He’d also place fourth at the Fall Series IX Championship and fifth at the Fall Series VI Championship.
- Thomas Hutchison: Runner-up at this year’s San Francisco City Amateur, the San Jose resident won the Fall Series I Championship and also was T-14 at the Fall Series IV Championship.
- Scott Mitchell: Mitchell, from Santa Rosa, reached the semifinals of this year’s NCGA Amateur Match Play Championship, which was won by Stanford star Maverick McNealy. He’d also qualify for both the U.S. Junior and U.S. Amateur Championships and was second at the Fall Series VIII Championship.
- Jeremy Villafuerte: Villafuerte, from Newark, had a terrific fall, picking up wins at both the Fall Series I and Fall Series VII Championships.
The four JTNC girls will be:
- Sabrina Iqbal: The San Jose resident is the two-time defending JTNC Girls’ Player of the Year. Along with winning the NCGA Junior Amateur, Iqbal captured a share of the CIF/NCGA NorCal High School title. Along with a win at the Fall Series IX Championship, Iqbal has three runner-ups at the Fall Series I, Fall Series III and Fall Series IV Championships.
- Yoonhee Kim: Kim, of San Ramon, has had a solid fall, picking up wins at the Fall Series I and Fall Series III Championships. She also has a third place finish (Fall Series IV) and two fourth place finishes (Fall Series V, Fall Series VIII). In the summer, she was runner-up at the California Women’s Amateur Championship.
- Emilee Hoffman: The Folsom resident has two wins this season at the Fall Series IV and Fall Series VIII Championships. Hoffman also was runner-up at both the Fall Series VI and Fall Series IX Championships.
- Yealimi Noh: Noh, of Concord, won the Fall Series VI Championship title and also won at the AJGA All-Stars Championship. She’s also been runner-up at two JTNC events (Fall Series III and Fall Series VIII) and was third at the Fall Series II Championship.