PGA National Junior Open presented by GEICO
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — The Fazio Course at PGA National Resort – Fazio Course is a venue that reveals its difficulty slowly, asking players to solve a strategic puzzle rather than overpower it. Throughout the week, the course challenged the field with a blend of visual deception, precise landing zones, and greens that demanded absolute commitment — a test that required patience as much as talent.
From the tee, the course placed immediate pressure on decision-making. Wide visuals often masked narrow effective landing areas, forcing players to choose conservative lines and trust their swing rather than chase distance. Well-positioned bunkers and water hazards punished even slight misses, turning aggressive choices into costly mistakes. For many, the challenge was learning when not to attack.
Approach shots proved equally exacting. The Fazio greens, firm and subtly contoured, rewarded precise distance control while rejecting shots that lacked conviction. Players quickly learned that being on the wrong tier or short-sided around the greens could turn routine pars into demanding recoveries. Momentum was fragile, and careless shots were magnified by the course’s design.
Yet across the championship, the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour field rose to the challenge. HJGT competitors demonstrated maturity well beyond their years, adapting their strategies as conditions evolved and learning to accept pars as victories. Players who committed to disciplined course management — favoring position, smart targets, and controlled ball flight — steadily separated themselves.
What stood out most was the composure displayed under pressure. Rather than forcing birdies, HJGT juniors trusted process, navigated difficult stretches with resilience, and capitalized when opportunities presented themselves. The course demanded emotional control as much as technical skill, and the field responded with poise, patience, and focus.
In the end, the Fazio Course did exactly what a championship venue should: it tested fundamentals, exposed weaknesses, and rewarded those willing to think their way through the round. The performance of the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour juniors showed that they didn’t just survive the challenge — they learned from it, adapted to it, and ultimately conquered it through discipline, maturity, and respect for the game.