The IMG Junior Golf Tour was developed to fill a key niche in junior golf, the IMG Junior Golf Tour provides an elite setting for junior golfers to compete and gain exposure to college golf, professional golf, national junior rankings and athletic excellence.
Held in Florida every December, and open to boys and girls ages 11-18, the the IMG Academy Junior World Florida Challengeis a qualification and invitation only event featuring an international field of over 200 players.News
IMG Junior Golf Tour concludes regular season at Marriott Grande Pines
Shuhei Takahashi earns win in Boys 15-18 division; Jaravee Boonchant prevails in Girls 15-18 division; Jason Jin gets fifth win in Boys 11-14 division; Amy Zhang conquers Girls 11-14 division
Bradenton, Fla. (May 8, 2014) - The IMG Junior Golf Tour returned to Florida at Marriott’s Grande Pines Golf Club in Orlando, Fla., May 3-4. Weather slowed things down on Saturday, but it did not prevent a field of 80 players from eight states and 15 countries from finishing out the Tour’s regular season. In the Boys 15-18 division, Japan’s Shuhei Takahashi carded an impressive round of 70 (-3) in spite of the tough playing conditions during the first round. Takahashi’s early lead would prove insurmountable; going on to finish with a one-under 143, five strokes ahead of Korea’s Hoyeong Kim.
Meanwhile, the Girls 15-18 division went down the wire with Thailand’s Jaravee Boonchant and Mami Yamamoto of Howey in the Hills, Fla. forced a playoff with scores of five-over 149 each following regulation. Boonchant only needed one more hole to put it away, winning the playoff on the 10th hole.
Other winners included Jason Jin of Windermere, Fla. notched his fifth Tour victory of the season in the Boys 11-14 division by carding a one-over 145 and staving off Mexico’s Ricardo Gonzalez after a first-round tie. Amy Zhang of Lake Mary, Fla. took the top spot in the Girls 11-14 division after besting China’s Cindy Kou in a one-hole playoff on the 2nd hole.
The event marked the second time in Tour history to visit the Marriott Grande Pines Golf Club. The event was recognized by the Junior Golf Scoreboard, and AJGA Performance Based Entry was awarded to the top-five boys in the 15-18 division, and the Girls 15-18 champion. Next up for the IMG Junior Golf Tour is the Tour Championship, featuring 90 of the season’s top players, to be held at Black Diamond Ranch - Quarry Course, Lecanto, Fla., May 17-18.
