HJGT Results

At Lonnie Poole Golf Course, par is earned — not handed out. Luke Langberg earned enough of them. The Fairport, New York native posted rounds of 84-80 to finish at +20 (164), capturing the Boys 16–18 division at the College Prep Event at NC State in a week where scoring proved difficult across the board. Lonnie Poole’s design places a premium on precise approach shots into elevated greens with tight runoff areas. When wind picks up across the exposed portions of the property, club selection becomes critical. Miss the wrong side, and recovery requires touch. Langberg improved on Sunday — and that was the difference. Baker Hartman finished second at +24 (168), followed closely by Townes Phillips at +25 (169), who matched Langberg’s low final-round 80. But the opening-round gap proved too much to close. From there, the scoring spread widened. Matthew Stephens and Preston Stone rounded out the top five as the course continued to expose aggressive lines and misjudged yardages. This wasn’t a birdie contest. It was survival golf. The College Prep Series environment adds another layer — collegiate conditions, firm setups, and a venue that mirrors the next level. Lonnie Poole doesn’t reward impatience. It rewards discipline. Langberg stayed disciplined. Two rounds under pressure. No unraveling stretch. At NC State, that was enough.

At Hermitage Golf Club, patience across 36 holes matters. Lincoln Swann made it count on Sunday. The Springfield, Missouri native opened the Nashville Junior Shootout with an 80 before firing an even-par 72 in the final round to finish at +8 (152) and capture the Boys 16–18 title. That closing 72 was the round of the division. Hermitage’s layout rewards disciplined ball striking and punishes missed approach angles into its well-protected greens. Swann adjusted quickly on Sunday, tightening his iron play and avoiding the costly stretch that can derail a round. Brady Crane of Brentwood kept pressure on with rounds of 76-78, finishing two shots back at +10 (154). Cillian Carmack secured third at +11 after improving by five shots in the final round with a 75. The margin at the top remained tight throughout the weekend. Joshua Tandy and Cooper Cunha rounded out the top five, each navigating a course that demands precision rather than power. Hermitage does not overwhelm with length. It challenges positioning. Fairways must be found to set up manageable approaches. Greens require confident reads and controlled speed. Players who chased aggressive pins found themselves scrambling late. Swann didn’t chase. He steadied. At a venue that rewards final-round composure, his 72 separated him from the field. In Nashville, that was enough.

On a course framed by water and pressure, it came down to one more hole. At Santa Lucia River Club, John Curran delivered when it mattered most. Curran and Switzerland’s Maximilian Mieschke finished tied at +6 (150) after two rounds, forcing a playoff at the Santa Lucia River Junior Open. Both players mirrored each other across the weekend — steady opening rounds in the mid-70s, followed by composed Sunday finishes. But in sudden death, Curran closed it. The Port St. Lucie native backed up his opening 76 with a 74 on Sunday, while Mieschke surged late with a 73 to draw even. The tension built as the final groups came through the closing stretch, where Santa Lucia’s water-lined holes leave little room for error. In the playoff, Curran executed. One hole. One moment. One champion. Jason Johnson of Barbados finished third at +10 (154), followed by a trio of Connecticut players — Griffin Lawlor, Nicholas Riccelli, and Will Spencer — tied at +11. The leaderboard quickly reflected how demanding Santa Lucia can be. Double-digit over par became common as the weekend progressed. The layout doesn’t overpower with length. It pressures with positioning. Water shapes decision-making on multiple holes. Greens require precise distance control. Approach shots that miss on the wrong side leave delicate recovery options. Over two days, the field — representing Switzerland, Barbados, Germany, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, India, the Dominican Republic, and across the United States — experienced that challenge fully. Momentum shifts were constant. Several players posted strong Sunday rounds — 73s and 76s — but none matched Curran’s ability to combine patience with late-round execution. In a 39-player field with international depth and playoff drama, composure decided it. At Santa Lucia River Club, that’s how it usually ends. This time, it ended with Curran.

When the leaderboard is packed with international flags and the margin is thin, someone has to separate. At Links of Lake Mary, Sumner Meekhof did exactly that. The Eastmanville, Michigan native closed with the round of the tournament — a three-under 69 — to finish at -1 (143) and capture the Central Florida Junior Open title. That 69 wasn’t just low. It was decisive. After opening with a steady 74, Meekhof entered Sunday within striking distance. Then he made his move. On a layout that rewards aggressive iron play but punishes loose drives with water and thick Florida rough, he trusted his lines and converted opportunities. By the back nine, the gap was clear. Tucker Doiron of Nova Scotia kept the pressure on, finishing at +1 (145) with rounds of 73-72. His consistency gave him a real chance entering the final stretch, but Meekhof’s Sunday surge proved too much to chase. Behind them, the field stacked up quickly. Lorenzo D’Angelo (Illinois) and Vedansh Thandra Rao (India) tied for third at +9 (153), highlighting the international presence that defined this event. Players from Germany, Jordan, Mexico, Norway, Peru, Switzerland, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, and Canada filled the leaderboard — a reminder that Central Florida has become a global meeting ground for junior competition. The Links of Lake Mary demanded strategy throughout. Fairways appear generous until the wind shifts. Water hazards frame decision points on key holes. Greens require precise distance control to avoid short-sided recoveries. Those who managed the golf course rose. Those who chased paid for it. Meekhof managed it best. In a 42-player field with national and international representation, breaking par over two rounds was not easy. He was the only player to do it. That’s the difference between contending and winning. And on Sunday in Lake Mary, Meekhof made it clear.