February 28 – 1, 2026
Santa Lucia River Junior Open
Learn More
At Santa Lucia River Club, the Boys 12–13 division came down to extra holes.
Hunter Williams made them count.
Williams and Palmer Buchanan finished tied at +11 (155), each navigating two very different paths to the top of the leaderboard. Buchanan opened with an 80 before firing a closing 75 — the low round of the final pairing — to set the clubhouse mark.
Williams took the opposite route.
He opened with the division’s lowest round of the tournament, a 73, before battling through an 82 on Sunday to hold his position. The contrast in scorecards created the drama — one player surging late, the other protecting an early advantage.
That forced a playoff.
In sudden death, Williams executed. On a course defined by water-lined holes and demanding approach angles, one mistake can end it. Williams avoided it, securing the title.
Brooks Rodin finished just two shots back at +13 (157) after matching Buchanan’s Sunday 75, keeping the leaderboard tight into the final stretch. From there, separation widened as Santa Lucia continued to penalize missed targets and aggressive lines.
The story wasn’t dominance.
It was resilience.
At 12–13 years old, learning how to manage a lead, respond to pressure, and step into a playoff matters. Williams did all three.
At Santa Lucia River Club, composure decided it.
Williams walked away with the trophy.
Rank
Player
Total
No. 1 Rank
Hunter Williams
+11 Total
No. 2 Rank
Palmer Buchanan
+11 Total
No. 3 Rank
Brooks Rodin
+13 Total
February 21 – 22, 2026
Central Florida Junior Open
Learn More
The margin wasn’t small. The test wasn’t easy.
At Links of Lake Mary, Zain Sadiq managed both.
The Sanford, Florida native posted rounds of 86-85 to finish at +27 (171), capturing the Boys 12–13 division at the Central Florida Junior Open with consistency across both days.
Lake Mary demands discipline off the tee. Water hazards influence decision-making on multiple holes, and approach shots require commitment to precise yardages. In this age group, avoiding the big number becomes the difference.
Sadiq avoided it better than anyone.
Giovanni DiGiacomo and Taylor Zubke tied for second at +49 (193), each battling through momentum swings over two rounds. DiGiacomo rebounded from a 101 on Saturday with a 92 on Sunday, showing resilience. Zubke opened with 94 before closing with 99.
The leaderboard separation reflected the course’s influence. This was not a week for chasing flags. It was a week for learning positioning, patience, and recovery.
Sadiq’s balanced 36-hole performance — improving by a shot on Sunday — proved enough.
At Lake Mary, steady wins.
And in the Boys 12–13 division, steady belonged to Sadiq.
Rank
Player
Total
No. 1 Rank
Zain Sadiq
+27 Total
No. 2 Rank
Giovanni DiGiacomo
+49 Total
No. 2 Rank
Taylor Zubke
+49 Total
February 28 – 1, 2026
Birmingham Spring Junior Open
Learn More
At FarmLinks Golf Club at Pursell Farms, improvement wins championships.
Wylie Preston showed it.
The Auburn, Alabama native opened with an 83 before responding with a closing 77 to finish at +16 (160), capturing the Boys 12–13 division at the Birmingham Spring Junior Open.
That six-shot improvement on Sunday told the story.
FarmLinks presents elevation shifts, demanding carries, and green complexes that require precise distance control. For younger divisions, managing approach shots into tiered greens becomes the defining challenge. Preston adjusted to it.
Garrett Saylor of Georgia finished second at +21 (165), posting consistent rounds of 84-81 to stay within range. Noah Cortner secured third at +42 (186), battling through a course that offered little forgiveness over 36 holes.
The separation in the division reflected the course’s influence.
Wind and firming greens made Sunday more tactical. Players who chased aggressive targets found difficult recoveries. Preston stayed disciplined, avoided the big number, and closed decisively.
At FarmLinks, adapting matters.
This weekend, Preston adapted best.
Rank
Player
Total
No. 1 Rank
Wylie Preston
+16 Total
No. 2 Rank
Garrett Saylor
+21 Total
No. 3 Rank
Noah Cortner
+42 Total
February 21 – 22, 2026
College Prep Series at Vanderbilt
Learn More
At Vanderbilt Legends Club, even the youngest division felt the pressure of extra holes.
Nathaniel Miller embraced it.
Miller and Franklin, Tennessee’s Grayson Kennedy finished tied at +28 (170), each posting identical rounds of 85-85 across 36 holes. The symmetry of their scorecards mirrored the tension on the leaderboard — neither player blinked over two days.
That forced a playoff.
And in sudden death, Miller delivered.
On a course that rewards discipline over aggression, the playoff likely came down to positioning and patience — the same themes that defined the entire weekend. Vanderbilt Legends Club’s greens demand precise landing spots, and its subtle movement exposes tentative putts.
Miller handled the moment.
Sawyer Houser finished third at +31 (173), posting the low round of the division on Sunday with an 84. Ethan Huang and Kase Bransom rounded out the field, battling through a course that offered little forgiveness.
The story wasn’t low scoring.
It was composure.
In a College Prep Series environment — where presentation and pressure mirror the collegiate level — two players proved nearly inseparable over regulation. In the end, one swing, one putt, and one composed decision made the difference.
Miller walked away with the title.
At Vanderbilt, that matters.
Rank
Player
Total
No. 1 Rank
Nathaniel Miller
+28 Total
No. 2 Rank
Grayson Kennedy
+28 Total
No. 3 Rank
Sawyer Houser
+31 Total
