The Hurricane Junior Golf Tour traveled to Bolingbrook, IL on June 27-28 for the Major Championship at Bolingbrook. Saturday’s round began right on time at 10:00 AM with golfers and caddies eager to take on the challenge of a windy Bolingbrook Golf Club. Play opened at noon for Sunday’s final round, with the competitors taking aim at the course with much less wind in the air. Bolingbrook was in fantastic condition, setting the stage for two competitive rounds of junior golf. Trophy winners in all five divisions received an invitation to the 2015 HJGT National Championship. Additionally, top finishers in each division received points towards year end honors which include state teams, ALL HJGT teams and the Hurricane Cup. JGS rankings were at stake, as well.
The Boy's 15-18 Division featured exciting competition throughout the weekend. David Lipan of Aurora, IL opened a first round lead and never looked back. His even-par 144 overall was highlighted by a Sunday 70 in which he made 6 birdies – of his 10 total on the tournament. He would lead the field in this category, as well as par 4 (3.9) and par 5 (5.0) scoring. This was David’s third start of the season on the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour; he posted his best score of the year as well as his first win. Second place finisher Luke Armbrust also accomplished season-bests with his finish and total score. The Wheaton, IL native posted a 151 to the tune of 5 birdies and a par 3 scoring average of 3.2. Ben Kisla took 3rd place in the field with a 36-hole score of 158. Congratulations to David Lipan on his Major Championship title!
The Girl's 15-18 Division would see Emily Cosler lead wire-to-wire in the Major at Bolingbrook. The young lady from Orland Park, IL would build her lead by minimizing mistakes through the difficult course. Cosler would also mix in 4 birdies at the Major to lead the division in birdies. Her 167 was good for first place and her second win in as many tries – she finished at the top of the leaderboard at the Cog Hill Junior Classic in May. Haley Danford saw an impressive improvement in the final round and took home second place with a 95-86-181. Cosler had average scores of 3.1 on par 3s, 5.0 on par 4s, and 5.4 on par 5s. Congratulations to Emily Cosler on her second win of the HJGT season!
The closest race of the weekend came from the Boy's in the 13-14 Division. Michael Hauer Jr. (Woodbury, MN) and Philip Wong (West Bloomfield, MI) entered Sunday’s final round separated by just two strokes. Wong would pull even to Hauer Jr. after a 10th hole birdie and claimed the lead after the latter bogeyed hole 11. However, Hauer Jr. would reel off a streak of 7 straight pars, while his counterpart would struggle down the stretch, to take home the Major Championship title in the 13-14 Division. Hauer Jr. used the par 3s to his advantage to gain an edge, averaging a full stroke better than Wong – 3.1 to 4.1. Congratulations to Michael Hauer Jr. on his exciting win!
Luke Tedford of Lake Forest, IL played very consistently at Bolingbrook in his triumph in the Boy's 11-12 Division. His 83-82 rounds on the weekend earned him the victory in his second event of the season. Tedford had two birdies in the Major and held scoring averages of 3.4, 4.7, and 5.5 on par 3s, 4s, and 5s, respectively. Congratulations to Luke Tedford on his first win in the Major Championship at Bolingbrook!
Caroline Smith and Emily Duan went head to head in the Girl's 11-14 Division. After two days of close competition, Smith, of Inverness, IL, emerged victorious. When it was all said and done, she would take 1st place by 10 strokes, 162 to 172 over Buffalo Grove, IL’s Duan. Each girl would post 3 birdies on the weekend, but Smith would lead her competitor in scoring averages across all holes – 3.1, 4.7, 5.4. Congratulations to Caroline Smith on her Major Championship victory at Bolingbrook Golf Club! Weather: Day 1: Low 57. High 71. Partly Sunny Skies. Wind 20-25mph Day 2: Low 61. High 77. Overcast. Wind 10-15mph Tournament Yardages: Boys 15-18: 6,780 yards Boys 13-14: 6,259 yards Boys 11-12: 5,718 yards Girls 15-18: 5,718 yards Girls 11-14: 5,149 yards About us: The Hurricane Junior Golf Tour (HJGT) was founded in 2008 with the intent of providing junior golfers between the ages of 11-18 an opportunity to play exceptional courses in a competitive environment. Golfers who participate on the tour will compete in one of five age divisions: Boys 15-18, Boys 13-14, Boys 11-12, Girls 15-18, and Girls 11-14. Based out of Jacksonville, FL, the HJGT administers events all across the nation, with stops in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Connecticut. For more information regarding the 2015 HJGT Tour, please visit our website at www.hjgt.org, call the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour headquarters at (904) 379-2697, or email info@hjgt.org Experience #TheHurricaneDifference