2017 RDGA Junior, Sub-Junior and Pee Wee Champions Saluted at Mill Creek Golf Club
Jeremy Summerson of Cobblestone Creek captured the 2017 RDGA Junior Boys Championship title at Mill Creek Golf Club on August 2 by a 1-up margin over classmate Brandon Fink following 19 holes in the championship match.
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CLICK HERE for the FINAL RESULTS from the 2017 RDGA Junior Championships
CLICK HERE for a PHOTO GALLERY from the 2017 RDGA Junior Championships
CLICK HERE for a post-tournament INTERVIEW with 2017 Champion Jeremy Summerson
CLICK HERE for a feature article on tournament host MILL CREEK GOLF CLUB
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The 2017 RDGA Junior Championships concluded on August 2 at Mill Creek Golf Club. The three-day Junior, Sub-Junior and Pee Wee Championships featured six sepatate competitions - including individual championships for Junior (ages 15 to 18), Sub-Junior (12 to 14) and Pee Wee (7 to 11) divisions for both boys and girls.
Winning the overall RDGA Boys Junior title (ages 15-18) was Jeremy Summerson of Cobblestone Creek who defeated Brandon Fink (also of Cobblestone Creek) by a 1-up decision after 19 holes of play in an exciting final match on Wednesday.
The two finalists - Summerson and Fink - were teammates this year on the Victor High School boys golf team, as well as both playing out of Cobblestone Creek, and have played with and against each other many times.
In the Junior Championship final match at Mill Creek, Fink took an early lead, going 2-up at the turn. He built on that lead, going 3-up with three holes to play, but Summerson stormed back to win the last three holes - including a dramatic 18th hole, where he blasted his second shot out of trouble and onto the green, then drained a 35-foot birdie putt to win the hole and force a playoff.
Following the playoff, both Summerson and Fink were invited to represent the RDGA in the 2017 Williamson Cup Matches being held in Pittsburgh during the first week of August.
CLICK HERE for the match play bracket results from the 2017 RDGA Boys Junior Championship.
 Graham Gaenzle
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In the RDGA Boys Sub Junior Championship, Graham Gaenzle of the Country Club of Rochester defeated Adam Tata of Oak Hill for the second consecutive year to win his second RDGA Sub Junior title.
Reaching the final match of the Sub Junior competition appeared to be a forgone conclusion this year as Gaenzle and Tata both cruised through the early matches.
In the semi-final matches, Gaenzle defeated Evan Zito by a 6-and-5 decision, while Tata got past Mason Rivera, 6-and-4 in the other semi-final match.
In the Semi Final Championship rematch between Gaenzle and Tata, this year's confrontation was closer than last year's contest, which ended in a 3-and-1 decision. Going to the final hole, Gaenzle claimed victory by a 1-up margin.
CLICK HERE for the match play bracket results from
the 2017 RDGA Sub Junior Boys Championship.
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In the 2017 RDGA Junior Girls Championship - which featured 36 holes of stroke play competition over two days - Lena Kaufman of Locust Hill claimed her second consecutive District title with rounds of 71-77 for a 4-over-par 148 total.
Katherine Warth, an RDGA eClub member, was the runner-up with scores of 105-100--205.
CLICK HERE for final results from the
2017 RDGA Girls Junior Championship.
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 Lena Kaufman
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 Michaela Eichas
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With a number of last year's players "graduating" to the 15-18 Junior division this year, the 2017 RDGA Girls Sub Junior Championship featured some new faces.
With a format that included 27 holes of stroke play competition over three days - Michaela Eichas of Churchville Golf Club won the title with scores of 39-43-42 for a 124 total. Raina Hoffman of Webster Golf Club was the runner-up for the second consecutive year with scores of 44-48-50 for a 142 total.
CLICK HERE for final results from the
2017 RDGA Girls Sub Junior Championship.
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A third repeat champion for 2017 was crowned in the 2017 RDGA Girls Pee Wee Championship - which featured 18 holes of stroke play over two days.
For the second consecutive year, Julia Zigrossi of Ridgemont Country Club captured the title with two 9-hole rounds of 40-39 for a 79 total. Marisa Eichas of Churchville Golf Club was the runner-up with 51-50--101.
CLICK HERE for complete results from the
2017 RDGA Girls Pee Wee Championship.
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 Julia Zigrossi, left, Marisa Eichas, right.
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 George Green, left, Tyler Stark, right
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And, in the RDGA Boys Pee Wee Championship - which featured 18 holes of stroke play over two days - George Green of Ridgemont won the title with scores of 38-40--78.
There was a three-way tie for second place in the Boys Pee Wee Championship this year, with Tyler Stark, Brody Burgess and defending Pee Wee champion Noah Barravecchia all posting two-day, 18-hole totals of 80 - but, with the best second round score of 38 among them, Stark won the tiebreaker to claim second.
CLICK HERE for complete results from the
2017 RDGA Boys Pee Wee Championship.
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The Rochester District Golf Association thanks Mill Creek owners Chris and Leslie Gallea, as well as the staff and membership for their hospitality to the RDGA and Junior Championship competitors all week - and a special thanks to PGA Head Professional Andrew Leikvoll and Superintendent Robert Zbacnik for their assistence throughout the Championship.
With most of the 2017 RDGA Junior tournament schedule now complete, the final performance points for the season will be tallied - with the top 6 point winners in both the Boys Junior and Boys Sub-Junior divisions earning invitations to compete in the annual Interdistrict Junior Championship, to be hosted by Reservoir Creek Golf Club on Sunday, August 13. The Interdistrict features 18 holes of stroke play between teams from the Rochester, Syracuse and Buffalo Districts.
CLICK HERE for the 2017 points standings for the RDGA Junior and Sub-Junior divisions
CLICK HERE for more information about the 2017 Interdistrict Junior Championship