Winternational Junior Series Begins 24th Consecutive Year at Pinehurst Resort
VILLAGE OF PINEHURST, NORTH CAROLINA: The Winternational Junior Series, which consists of eight championship events for high school age boys and girls, played its first event of the 2017-2018 Season this weekend at Pinehurst Resort in the Village of Pinehurst, NC. The series is the oldest of its kind in the Country, and since its inception in 1994, over 2,700 young men and women have passed through its membership. Included in the past membership are PGA Tour players Dustin Johnson, Jason Dufner, Webb Simpson and Jason Kokrak. This year nearly 125 members of the Series are invited to play any or all of the events on seven of the nine Pinehurst Resort courses, including two events on Donald Ross’ famous Pinehurst No. 2.
As in past years, the players are divided into three divisions; one for Junior and Senior boys; one for Freshmen and Sophomores boys; and one for Girls. This season kicked off on the Pinehurst No. 5 course where nearly 50 players started their bid towards player of the year honors.
In the Junior/Senior Boys Division, Andrew Wood of Greensboro, NC claimed the first title of the season. His rounds of 78+74 were good enough for a four shot victory over last year’s Freshman/Sophomore Division player of the year Jake Newman. Wood’s second round 74 catapulted him into the lead and was the low round for the division. Newman, now a junior out of Charlotte, NC has moved up a division and has seemed to have picked up where he left off last season with a strong runner-up finish to start his year. Coming in tied for third place was Bennett Rhame of Chapin, SC and Dalton Staley of Liberty, NC each posting two day totals of 157.
The Freshman/Sophomore division was captured by Luke Perrino a sophomore from Lake Norman High School. Perrino who hails from Mooresville, NC played consistent over the weekend posting two rounds of 75. Runner-up Henry Muller of Charlotte, NC was able to pull within two shots of Perrino after the first nine holes however, a birdie on hole 15 proved to be the difference down the stretch. In third place was Drew Van Dyke, an eighth grader also from Charlotte and rounding out the top four was Nate Diemer of Raleigh, NC who posted rounds of 81+77=158.
It was a familiar face who claimed the Event #1 title for the Girls Division. Mallory Fobes, the 2016-2017 Girls Player of the Year picked up right where she left off, in the winner’s circle. Fobes, now a junior out of East Bend, NC posted rounds of 78+81+=159. Four shots back of Fobes was runner-up Angelique Seymour of Fayetteville, NC. Seymour actually had the lead a one point during Sunday’s final round after posting a one over 37 on the front nine, but a treacherous 14 on the 14th hole was something very few golfer could bounce back from. Coming in third place was Elena Jacoby of Huntersville, NC.
The Winternational Junior Series will hold its second event Nov. 25-26, which will take place on the Tom Fazio redesign Pinehurst No. 6 course. Please visit www.juniorgolfpinehurst.com or contact Peter deYoung, Inc. at (910) 295-5661 to register or for further information.