Union County Junior Challenge
(August 5 – 6, 2017)
Golfers Heaven at Galloping Hills
On Thursday, August 3rd, the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour traveled to Kenilworth, NJ to hold the Union County Junior Challenge hosted by Galloping Hills Golf Course. This field of junior golfers stayed patient as course staff members worked diligently to open the golf course on Saturday after heavy rains. Luckily, weather cooperated and provided beautiful conditions for 36 holes. Top finishers from each division will receive points towards year-end honors and an opportunity to make a splash in Florida in December for the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour’s National Championships. The HJGT would like to thank the wonderful staff members and administrators of Galloping Hills Golf Course for their hospitality and for providing such wonderful playing conditions for our field. All in all, a fantastic weekend was had for low scores and competitive play for each and every golfer. Boys 16-18
Christopher Gaeta is the Boys 16-18 champion. The Lincroft, NJ native took home the division by keeping his composure to edge out the rest of his. Our division champion posted a 69 on Saturday and a 76 on Sunday for a two-day total of 145 in route to a victory. Kyle Zere of Ronkonkoma, NY finished in second with a two-day total of 152 (75 – 77). Jack O’Hara brought home third place honors with a two-day score of 155 (76 – 79). The field, spectators, and staff were excited to see such a fantastic finish by this division full of talented competitors. Boys 14-15
Cole Ekert is the champion of the Boys 14-15 division. Composure was key for Ekert as he kept his cool to win the tournament by only one stroke. The victor, from Chatham, NJ, posted rounds of 80 and 76 for a two-day total of 156. Eddie McGreevy of Bayonne, NJ took home the second place trophy after finishing with a two-day total of 157 (75 – 82). Third place was taken home by Burton Fricke of Mendham, NJ who posted a two-day score of 161 (80 – 81). The Boys 14-15 division saw some fantastic competition that gave the entire field of spectators and HJGT staff a fantastic show over the week. Boys 11-13
Barnes Blake is the Boys 11-13 champion. An 83 on Saturday and a 71 on Sunday was enough to secure the victory for the Forest Hill, NJ native, finishing with a two-day total of 154. Lance Hollingshead of Basking Ridge, NJ took home second place posting a two-day score of 159 (78 – 81). Elliot Parker of Cranford, NJ took home third place honors with a two-day total of 164 (81 – 83). This group of boys showed nothing but class, sportsmanship and gentleman like behavior as they traversed around a challenging golf course. Girls 14-18
Mariel Tee of Pasig City, Philippines is the Girls 14-18 champion. Tee paired a 75 Saturday with an exceptional 72 on Sunday for a two-day total of 147 to edge out the competition and take the girls 14-18 division. Theresa Luu of Mullica Hill, NJ posted a two-day total of 154 (83 – 78) to take home second place honors. Cleo Liu of Madrid, Spain turned in a two-day total of 156 (74 – 82) to take home third. The ladies each enjoyed their experience, with some intense competition down the stretch. Girls Under 13
Season Wei is the Girls under 13 champion. Wei of East Brunswick, NJ emerged victorious after posting a 90 Saturday and 86 Sunday. This netted Wei a score of 176 and a champion trophy. Finishing second was Kiera Bartholomew of Westampton, NJ posting a two-day total of 183 (95 – 88). This group of young ladies played some excellent golf in difficult conditions. The field along with the HJGT staff were very impressed by their stamina, prowess, and talent.
Weather August 5 – 6, 2017
Round 1: Low 69, High 84. Mostly Sunny, Wind 5 – 10 Mph
Round 2: Low 68, High 82. Mostly Sunny, Wind 0 – 10 Mph
Tournament Yardages
Boys 16-18: 6,342
Boys 14-15: 6,342
Girls 14-18: 5,478
Boys 11-13: 5,478
Girls 13U: 4,780
About Hurricane Junior Golf Tour
In 2017, The Hurricane Junior Golf Tour announced a partnership with Nexus, an international hospitality and entertainment company backed by financier Joe Lewis and Tavistock Group, golfing great Tiger Woods and musician and entertainer Justin Timberlake, which will further our collective goal of growing the game of golf, broadening the Tour’s reach across the U.S. and around the world. The Hurricane Junior Golf Tour (HJGT) was founded in 2007 with the intent of providing junior golfers between the ages of 11-18, and now 10 and under, an opportunity to play exceptional courses in a competitive environment. Golfers who participate on the tour will compete in one of six age divisions: Boys 16-18, Boys 14-15, Boys 11-13, Boys U10, Girls 14-18, and Girls U13. Based out of Jacksonville, FL, the HJGT administers events all across the nation, with stops in Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. In 2016, we have now expanded to the west coast and cover California, Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Washington, Nevada, and Oregon. For more information regarding the 2017 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