2024-25 JTNC Girls’ Player of the Year
Anita Lumpongpoung
Following a three-year reign at the top, Asterisk Talley is not the JTNC Girls’ Player of the Year.
The title, however, is going to stay in Chowchilla, which is located in Madera County and has a population of 18,722.
Fifteen-year-old Anita Lumpongpoung, who’s also from Chowchilla, assumed the throne of Girls’ Player of the Year after finishing the 2024-2025 season with 1,568 points. Madalyn Lee of Milpitas finished as runner-up with a total of 1,373 points.
“It means a lot to me. I’m just really happy,” Lumpongpoung said. “The past year I worked really hard on my game. I’m glad everything came together. I thank my family and my coaches for helping me.”
A sophomore-to-be who is home schooled, Lumpongpoung’s season included wins at the Holiday Series I and Holiday III Series Championships.
She’d also ring up five runner-up finishes. Overall, Lumpongpoung had a dozen Top 10 finishes.
“The season was some on and off, but mostly good. I’m really happy about the results.,” Lumpongpoung said.
2024-2025 JTNC Boys’ Player of the Year
Richard Ding
The JTNC Boys’ Player of the Year trophy features names like two-time U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau and former No.1 world-ranked amateur Justin Suh.
It also now has 14-year-old Pleasanton resident Richard Ding’s name on it. Coincidentally, Ding’s name is exactly to the side of DeChambeau.
“Wow, having my name right next to Bryson on there. That’s pretty cool,” said Ding, a freshman at Laurel Springs School, an online school.
Ding won the title by amassing 2,175 points. Finishing in second place was Ben Friedman of Mill Valley with 1,429 points.
Ding’s season included wins at the Spring Series VII and Spring Series VIII Championships, along with a victory at the AJGA Stanford All-Star.
He also had three runner-up finishes. Overall, Ding had nine Top 10 finishes.
Amazingly, he really did it all from March through July. He only played in one event last fall, the Fall Series IV Championship.
“Last year, I had some pretty severe driver issues, so I worked on that pretty hard in the winter,” Ding said. “I am driving it much better. I also put in a lot of work with my putter. I was awful.”
The 2025-26 Junior Tour of Northern California season begins Aug. 16-17 with the Fall Series I Championship at Cypress Lake GC in Vacaville.
Please go to JTNC.NCGA.org to learn more about the JTNC and to see the schedule