Stratton Nolen Wins Playoff, Baker and Gillman Crowned Champions at
the PGA Junior Series Event at The Quarry
(credit to http://www.pgajuniorseries.com/charts.asp?sfile=html/2012_Quarry_DayTwo_Web.htm for this press release)
SAN ANTONIO,
Texas – Stratton Nolen of Austin, Texas, defeated San Antonio’s Christian De La
Cruz in a playoff to win the PGA Junior Series Event at The Quarry and earn an
exemption into the 37th Junior PGA Championship.
Nolen had a
consistent round, carding 15 pars and three birdies. His only bogey of the day
came on the first playoff hole but it was good enough to win the boys’ 16-18
division. Nolen mishit his approach shot, resulting in a lost ball.
“In the playoff,
I hit a perfect drive right where I wanted to. I’d trusted the three-wood all
day but one bad shot almost cost me,” said Nolen, “I kept telling myself to
stay in it. Fight as hard as you possibly can until it’s over and figure out a
way to make a bogey.”
De La Cruz appeared
to have the advantage on the playoff hole with his second shot sitting in the green-side
bunker and Nolen having to play his provisional ball. But De La Cruz took two
strokes to get out of the bunker and then missed a five-footer for bogey. De La
Cruz shot a two-day total of two-under par.
J.J. Lindsey of
Adkins, Texas, eagled the fifteenth hole to climb his way up the leaderboard,
firing a 69 on the final day to finish with a two-day total of even par,
placing third in the boys’ 16-18 division.
David Baker of Weddington, N.C., won the boys’ 13-15 division, shooting
one-under-par 71 for a two-day total of 147. His short game proved to be the
difference on Tuesday.
“I could tell
early that it was gonna be my day. I was getting up
and down for par,” said Baker, “My goal was really just to survive the back
nine and score on the front.” Baker shot 35 on the back nine.
Thirteen-year-old
Christian Fanfelle of San Antonio, Texas was
one-under-par after the first nine but dropped three shots on the back for a
two-over-par 73. Fanfelle was runner-up, shooting a
combined two-day-total score of 148.
Jake Stevenson of
Boerne, Texas, shot a 73 for two-day total of 153, finishing in third place.
Kristen Gillman
of Austin, Texas, hung on to her first-round lead and finish the day with a
three stroke victory in the overall girls’ division and girls’ 13-15 division.
Gillman fired a one-over-par 72 for a two-day total of 142. Gillman’s consistent ball-striking was the
key to her win.
“I hit a lot of
fairways and greens and that made it a lot easier to get birdies and pars,”
said Gillman, “Taylor and I were pretty close coming down the stretch so I knew
I had to make some birdies.”
Taylor Coleman of
San Antonio, Texas was even with Gillman with seven holes left to play. Coleman
bogeyed the next three holes to finish with a 74, three shots behind Gillman
for a two-day total score of 145, finishing second in the girls’ 13-15 division.
Maddie Luitwieler of
Edmond, Okla., finished third, carding a two-day total score of 154.
In the girls 16-18
division, Jordy LaBarbera
of Allen, Texas, fired a one-over-par 72 to win with a two-day combined score
of three-over-par 145. LaBarbera had four birdies to
counter five bogeys.
“My ballstriking was good both days,” said LaBarbera,
“My putting could have been a little better but was still OK.”
Ali Cowan of
Victoria, Texas was the runner-up, shooting 73 on Tuesday for a two-day total
score of 147.
Haley Mills of
Tyler, Texas finished in third place, with a combined two-day score of 153.
For full results see below.
About the PGA Junior
Series
The PGA Junior Series is one of the premier junior circuit's in the
country hosting tournaments across the country for the entire summer. It
features excellent junior golfers at top golf facilities every week.
The mission of the PGA Junior Series is to promote the enjoyment of golf by
junior golfers through affordable and competitive playing opportunities in
professionally supervised events organized by the PGA of America and supported
by PGA Professionals. In its 17th year it has conducted over 172 events in over
41 states.
About The PGA of
America
Celebrating its 95th year, The PGA of America has maintained a twofold
mission of its founders: to establish and elevate the standards of the
profession and to grow interest and participation in the game of golf. By
establishing and elevating the standards of the golf profession through
world-class education, career services, marketing and research programs, The
PGA enables its professionals to maximize their performance in their respective
career paths and showcases them as experts in the game and in a multi-billion
dollar golf industry.
By creating and delivering dramatic world-class championships and exciting and
enjoyable promotions that are viewed as the best of their class in the golf
industry, The PGA of America elevates the public's interest in the game, the
desire to play more golf, and ensures accessibility to the game for everyone,
everywhere.
The PGA of America brand represents the very best in golf.
