Junior Golf Boys 10-11 Division

Under the bright December skies at ChampionsGate Golf Resort, the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour kicked off Championship Week with a statement field in the Boys 10–11 division — and Preston Tolnar made sure the spotlight never left him. The young star from Ohio delivered one of the most dominant Tournament of Champions performances in recent memory, torching the course with rounds of 70 and 67 to finish at 137 (-7) and win by a staggering thirteen shots. Tolnar’s closing 67 was a masterclass in precision, tempo, and maturity far beyond his age bracket. He attacked par-5s, controlled trajectory in the wind, and showed the kind of closing stretch normally seen in collegiate play, not elementary school golf. When the field pressed, he pressed harder. When the course stiffened, he found another gear. It was a wire-to-wire runaway that stamped him as one of the premier rising talents on the HJGT circuit. Behind the champion, a fierce battle for second unfolded between Lucas Kang of Brooklyn and Lanhao Pang of Virginia, who both finished at 150 (+6). Each posted flashes of brilliance — Kang with his early-round ball striking and Pang with a gritty pair of 75s — but neither could match Tolnar’s Sunday surge. Still, their finish kept them comfortably atop a crowded leaderboard where every mistake carried weight. Anthony Bitetto finished fourth at 152 (+8) after two disciplined rounds, while Carter John Carey and Isaac Lee shared fifth at 154 (+10) — Carey firing a huge bounce-back 72, one of the best rounds of the day outside the champion’s performance. The middle of the leaderboard turned into a traffic jam of competitive scoring, with Marcus Sahara, Bodie Patton, and Hunter Murray all delivering noteworthy finishes as they fought for top-10 position. Further down the board, the storylines were just as compelling — clutch recoveries, dramatic saves, and emotional Sunday pushes defining the back half of the pack. Bryce Tech, Rowen Swisher, Akhil Chappidi, and Myles Branta each had moments that hinted at future breakout potential. Even as the scoring spread widened, the intensity and competitive spirit remained pure championship golf. By the time the final putt dropped, one truth was undeniable: Preston Tolnar didn’t just win — he set a Tournament of Champions standard. His performance was the exclamation point on an event built to showcase the nation’s top young juniors, and the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour once again delivered a stage worthy of its name. ChampionsGate saw a superstar weekend, and the Boys 10–11 division delivered a reminder of why the future of junior golf runs through the HJGT.

Under the warm South Florida sun, the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour saw the Boys 10–11 division turn into a two-player duel at The Links at Boynton Beach — and Suvaathighan Puspanathan made sure his name was the one etched at the top when it was over. With rounds of 86 and 83, Puspanathan posted a resilient 169 to claim the division title. From the opening tee shot, Puspanathan showed a maturity beyond his years, keeping big numbers off the card and capitalizing when scoring chances opened up. His Sunday 83 was one of the strongest closing rounds across all youth divisions on the course, proving he could handle the pressure when it mattered most. Fraser Gannon (184) brought unwavering effort across both days, battling through tight fairways and fast greens to secure the runner-up finish. His improvement from round one to round two highlighted his determination and competitive spirit—qualities that will continue to serve him well on the HJGT stage. As the event wrapped, it was Puspanathan who separated himself through consistency and composure, earning another standout moment on the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour and taking home the Boys 10–11 crown.