Comeback victories for Ogawa and Shimoji

Strong play and hole-in-one propels Valdes to second straight win

POOLER, Ga. -- The International Junior Golf Tour (IJGT) hosted the Georgia Open at Savannah Quarters for its Southeast Tour on Oct. 19-20, 2013, and the field of gifted junior golfers did not fail to provide spectators with exciting and nail-biting moments throughout the Event. Held on the famed Greg Norman Signature Course, the beautifully-designed course had its fair share of open fairways and strategically-placed water hazards, while also featuring an alluring par-3 island green. 77 players representing 20 countries and 18 states competed for National Rankings, AJGA Performance Stars, and IJGT Merit Points.

In the Girls Division, Ana Paula Valdes of Morelia, Mexico, built a strong lead quickly and never looked back, tallying a final 6-under-par 138 to record her victory in the Girls Division. Her final score was the best in the entire field and six strokes ahead of runner-up, Rei Nakatani, of Tokyo, Japan. Valdes shot a scorching bogey-free round of 5-under-par 67 in the first round, complete with five birdies and 2-under-par effort on the course's par-4's and par-5's. Holding onto a comfortable lead going into the final round, Valdes immediately opened up with a birdie on the par-4 No. 1, and followed that up with two pars. The highlight of her performance, and arguably, the tournament, came on the par-3 No. 4, where Valdes sank a hole-in-one from 144 yards. Valdes wrapped up her round with two birdies on the back nine's par-5's, carding a total 1-under-par 71.

Looking back on her final round Valdes was humble, saying, "[It was] not as good as the first round, but I had an interesting day today," playing coy to her incredible second career hole-in-one performance. 

This is Valdes' second straight victory of the 2013-2014 season, where she most recently came out with a convincing 12-stroke win at the Florida Junior at Black Diamond Ranch on Oct. 12-13. After winning three events in 2012-2013, Valdes is competing in her third season with the IJGT.

Rounding out the top three for the Girls Division were Nakatani, who shot a tournament total of even-par 144, and Isidora Quevedo of Santiago, Chile, who tallied a final 1-over-par 145.

Nakatani's final-round score of 3-under-par 69 earned her the Clazic Belts Low Final Round Award, which goes to the player who records the lowest score in the final round of every IJGT tournament.

The Boys 15-19 Division featured one of two exciting comebacks of the Event, where Tennoshin Ogawa of Ichinomiya-shi, Japan, battled back from a five-stroke deficit to take home the trophy with a 75-68--143. In an admirable final round performance, Ogawa opened up with a front-nine score of 3-under-par 33 to put the pressure on the leaders. One of the tournament's most notable moments came on the par-5 No. 13, where Ogawa sank a 150-yard shot from the bunker for an eagle. Matched up stroke-by-stroke with Matt Cheng of Taipei, Taiwan, on the final few holes, Ogawa prevailed. He finished the day with a birdie on No. 17 and a division-low 4-under-par 68, preventing a playoff and securing a one-stroke win over Cheng.

Despite finding himself in a hole after the first round and being caught in a close, stroke-by-stroke competition over the final few holes, Ogawa said that this win makes him "...feel really happy and I'm proud of myself."

This was the first win of the season for Ogawa, who most recently placed second in a playoff at the IJGT Junior at Hilton Head National on Sept. 7-8. Ogawa is in his third season with the IJGT and racked up six notable victories last season as a competitor in the Boys 14 & Under Division.

Landing a second place finish in the division was Cheng, who carded a final even-par 144. Austin Maher of Bracebridge, Canada, was two shots back of Ogawa, notching a 1-over-par 145 for the Event.

In the Boys 14 & Under Division, another near-playoff created suspense as Takafumi Shimoji of Okinawa, Japan, was able to rally from a first-round deficit to pull off a one-stroke victory over strong competitor, Karl Vilips of Melbourne, Australia. Finishing round one with a 3-over-par 75, Shimoji sat two strokes off the lead and was determined to turn his performance around. Despite a slow front-nine start, Shimoji was resilient, making a birdie on the par-4 No. 11 and then carding five straight pars to catch up with the leader. With the help of his birdie on hole No. 17 and par on the last hole, he was able to seal off the victory with a final 150.

Reflecting on how this close-cut victory made him feel, Shimoji responded like any other winner would, saying, "I want to win more."

This is Shimoji's third win in his first season with the IJGT, coming after victories at the Lowcountry Open at Oldfield and the Aiken Junior Open at Woodside Plantation. He also tied for second place at the IJGT Junior at Hilton Head National.

Vilips earned his seventh top five finish with a second-place score of 151. Brandon McBride of Bluffton, S.C., landed in third with a score of 154, giving him his third consecutive top five finish.

The IJGT’s Southeast Tour will be back in action on Nov. 2-3, 2013 in Hilton Head, S.C., for the IJGT Island Open at Palmetto Hall. To sign up for this Event, or others, visit IJGT.com or call (843) 785-2444.

 

About the IJGT

The IJGT provides exceptional junior golfers with the opportunity to develop and showcase their competitive skills while setting high standards to preserve the traditions and integrity of the game.  As a tour that operates primarily throughout the academic year, the IJGT hosts approximately 60 tournaments annually. In addition, the IJGT hosts three international events. Each event provides multi-day competition for junior golfers of all skill levels ages 9-19. Players representing 45 states and 43 countries around the world regularly compete in events at venues such as TPC Sawgrass, Pinehurst, Bethpage State Park and Harbour Town Golf Links. Official partners of the IJGT include Bridgestone Golf, Quagmire Golf, CHAMP Spikes, AB Golf Designs, Clazic Belts, morodZ, Sundog Eyewear, PURE Grips, The First Tee, Golfweek and International Junior Golf Academy.

To obtain more information about the IJGT, please visit www.IJGT.com or call (843) 785-2444

 

 

Georgia Open at Savannah Quarters

Savannah Quarters Country Club

Pooler, Ga.

October 19-20, 2013

 

Boys 15-19 Division – (Black Tees) 6,861 yards, Par 72

1. Tennoshin Ogawa, Ichinomiya-shi, Japan *75-68--143

2. Matt Cheng, Taipei, Taiwan *70-74--144

3. Austin Maher, Bracebridge, Canada *72-73--145

4. Shota Ozaki, Tokyo, Japan *73-73--146

5. Garrett Johnson, Hilton Head Island, SC *75-73--148

6. Chris Magi, Montreal, Canada *74-76--150

7. Will Miles, Hilton Head Island, SC *76-75--151

8. Yong Sherng Hui, Taman Dagang, Malaysia *78-74--152

8. Matthew Mannion, Muskoka, Canada *78-74--152

10. Jack Lupori, Steamboat Springs, CO *76-77--153

10. Salil Ghamande, Evans, GA *75-78--153

10. Sam Meuret, Brunswick, NE *76-77--153

13. Zach Seeler, Marion, IN *80-75--155

13. Masato Yoshitsugu, Aichi, Japan *77-78--155

13. Taiga Fujii, Toyama-shi, Japan *77-78--155

13. Chase Childers, Issue, MD *76-79--155

17. Kyle Vincze, North Reading, MA *82-75--157

17. Alessandro Vedovi, Paris, France *80-77--157

17. Maurizio Debono, Basiguo, Italy *79-78--157

17. Keanu Hasmana, Jakarta, Indonesia *77-80--157

21. Luigi D'Amico, Forli, Italy *80-78--158

21. Karan Arjun, Bangalore, India *79-79--158

23. John McCabe, Sewickley, PA *81-78--159

23. Lohith Ramaraju, London, England *80-79--159

23. Lee Hammerschmidt, Armonk, NY *76-83--159

26. Daiki Okada, Tokyo, Japan *78-82--160

26. Alan Xu, Hilton Head Island, SC *78-82--160

28. Taisuke Ono, Tokyo, Japan *85-76--161

28. Daniel Oh, Mapo-Gu, South Korea *80-81--161

28. Diego Vega, Mexico City, Mexico *81-80--161

31. Brett Inserra, Upper Saddle River, NJ *76-86--162

32. Hao Yang Lin, Taichung. Taiwan *81-82--163

33. Chang Ju Lee, Seoul, South Korea *81-83--164

34. Nick Becker, Hilton Head Island, SC *86-79--165

35. Kris Lantz, Pittsburgh, PA *85-81--166

35. Brad Cook, Jackson, WY *80-86--166

37. Wataru Koguchi, Fukuoka, Japan *89-78--167

37. Cameron Clair, Biddeford, ME *80-87--167

39. Katsuya Asano, Kanagawa, Japan *91-79--170

39. Richard Lavecchia IV, Charlotte, NC *82-88--170

41. Tyler Berdy, Riverside, CA *88-84--172

41. Norman Hong, Shenzhen, China *88-84--172

43. Christian Garruppo, Pottersville, NJ *91-82--173

43. Guodong Ji, Quing Dao, China *78-95--173

45. Jose Carlos Diaz Donato, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico *80-96--176

46. Jack Fleming, Falkirk, Scotland *88-89--177

47. Owen Kuchinos, Antrim, NH *90-89--179

48. Todd Glickfield IV, Bluffton, SC *93-89--182

49. Shogo Taniguchi, Osaka, Japan *89-97--186

50. Jespi Huh, Sasanggu, South Korea *93-97--190

 

DID NOT FINISH

 

Shogo Ito, Tokyo, Japan *DQ (Rule 6-3a)

Brock Erwin, Muldrow, OK *83-JWD

 

 

Boys 14 & Under Division – (Silver Tees) 6,294 yards, Par 72

1. Takafumi Shimoji, Okinawa, Japan *75-75--150

2. Karl Vilips, Melbourne, Australia *73-78--151

3. Brandon McBride, Bluffton, SC *77-77--154

4. Luis Sanchez, Xalapa, Mexico *78-84--162

5. Christian Clemence Tupamahu, Manado, Indonesia *85-92--177

6. Xiaofeng Hu, Qiang Dao, China *105-98--203

7. Ruoyu Ma, Xian, China *123-106--229

 

 

Girls Division – (Red Tees) 6,007 yards, Par 72

1. Ana Paula Valdes, Morelia, Mexico *67-71--138

2. Rei Nakatani, Tokyo, Japan *75-69--144

3. Isidora Quevedo, Santiago, Chile *73-72--145

4. Nikita Arjun, Bangalore, India *75-75--150

5. Ana Ruiz, Chihuahua, Mexico *76-76--152

6. Sera Tadokoro, Osaka, Japan *76-79--155

6. Samantha Huang, Shenzhen, China *81-74--155

8. Thamonpat Siriko, Bangkok, Thailand *77-79--156

9. Bria` Sanders, Cordova, TN *81-77--158

9. Cake Phuchanbanchob, Chiang Mai, Thailand *76-82--158

11. Milleina Ohara, Meguro-Ku, Japan *80-82--162

12. Lita Huber, Montevideo, Uruguay *84-79--163

12. Kayla Kozak, North Myrtle Beach, SC *81-82--163

14. Gabriela Teran, Managua, Nicaragua *85-79--164

15. Pendleton Bogache, Myrtle Beach, SC *82-87--169

16. Yeji Ahn, Changwon-City, South Korea *94-90--184

17. Alana Brand, Pennyan, NY *96-94--190

18. Taylor Clark, Red Bank, NJ *94-97--191