Junior Golf Tour of Northern California Crowns Winners at Holiday Series I Championship at Pacific Grove Golf Links & Del Monte Golf Course.
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (December 5, 2023) – The Junior Tour of Northern California (JTNC) crowned champions at the Holiday Series I Championship at Pacific Grove Golf Links and Del Monte Golf Course.
Luke Brandler and Bella Ransi both won their first JTNC tournaments of the 2023-2024 season during the Holiday Series I Championship at par-70 Pacific Grove Golf Links and par-72 Del Monte Golf Course.
Brandler notched his first win of the 2023-2024 season with two under-par rounds of 68 and 67, triumphing over Jaden Dumdumaya and Kailer Stone securing his winner’s medal. During round one, Brandler was off to a fiery start carding four birdies throughout the day and an eagle on the par-5 17th hole at Del Monte. Brandler ended the tournament carding eight birdies and two eagles in total, with the second coming during play of the par-5 6th hole at Pacific Grove Golf Links. Victory for Brandler at Holiday Series I helps avenge the second-place finish from Fall Series VIII at Corica Park where he missed out on a winner’s medal in a shootout vs Matthew Lin. Brandler moves up to tenth in the Boys Player of the Year rankings with 500 points, this makes it two top-three finishes for the 2023-2024 season.
Second place went to Jaden Dumdumaya at 6-under par, Jaden carded rounds of 70-66 for a 136 after an impressive 10 birdies over the two-day event. Dumdumaya is now ranked third on the 2023-2024 Boys Player of the Year Standings with 730 points, this being his third tournament where he has earned a podium spot. Kailer Stone ended the tournament in third place, this was not without a fight, Kailer started off the tournament with a stellar 5-under 67 at Del Monte where he carded six birdies. Stone would shoot even par at Pacific Grove during round two leading him to a total of 137 for the two day tournament. This is Kailer’s second top-three finish on the Junior Tour this season, taking him to fourteenth on the Boys Player of the Year Standings.
Fourth place was awarded to Brian Yu of Palo Alto, the young talent who is a 2027 high school grad played well beyond his years as he carded rounds of 69-69 for 138 and a final score of 4-under par. Clark van Gaalen ended the tournament at 2-under par with rounds of 73-67 for a 140, Clark produced 8 birdies clinching a top-five finish.
In the Girls’ Championship, Bella Ransi claimed her first win of the 2023-2024 season with two solid rounds of 72-77, 149. Bella’s first round out at Pacific Grove Golf Links was a tale of two nines, carding a 33 on the front making three brides and one bogey, then a frustrating 39 on the back with five pars and four bogeys. Bella would bounce back during play of round two clinching her victory in the Girls Championship Flight by notching a birdie on hole 17, beating out Isabelle Duan and Xinyu Suri Zhang by two shots. Bella now ranks ninth in the Girls Player of the Year Standings with 476 points, making it her second top-five finish of the season.
Isabella Duan earned a runner-up medal after a successful card-off versus Xinyu Suri Zhang, Duan had the lower second round score as she shot a 77 at Del Monte compared to Zhang’s 79. Duan makes it three for three when it comes to podium finishes this season! Isabelle becomes the tenth ranked girl on the Junior Tour for the 2023-2024 season. Xinyu Suri Zhang took third place after rounds of 72-79 for a 151, missing out in the card-off to Duan. Zhang ended the tournament with four birdies to her name bumping her up in the Player of the Year Standings, she now ranks sixteenth among the JTNC Girls with 323 points. Fourth place also finished in a tie with Cathy Zhang and Samantha Chiou all square at 10-over par, 152. Cathy completed her tournament shooting rounds of 78-74 while Samantha carded rounds of 75-77, the pair had a combined six birdies between the two. In sixth place at 154 was Cindy Yuan of Danville, Cindy had rounds of 78-76.
In the Boys’ First Flight Championship, Kevin He had a final round 78 to come in at 14-over 156, carding two birdies on his way to victory in his first win of the 2023-2024 season! Kevin’s previous best finish resulted in third place during the Fall Series I Championship at Cypress Lakes earlier this season. Kevin He defeated Harry Ng and Priyank Sharma-Tiwari via a three-way card-off after the trio were all square at 156, Kevin ended up with the lowest round two score after his 78 at Del Monte was enough to see off the others. Harry Ng’s 79 gave him the edge over Priyank Sharma-Tiwari for second-place, Sharma-Tiwari would end round two with the highest score of 82 leading him to a third-place medal.
Fourth Place was awarded to Mark Boatman after rounds of 80-77 for 157, this is Boatman’s first top-five finish of the 2023-2024 season.
In the Girls’ First Flight Championship, Hailey Li shot 159 with rounds of 82-77, carding three birdies during the tournament. This is Hailey’s first win on the Junior Tour as she looked to better her previous fourth place finish at the Fall Series VI Championship held at Coyote Creek, this marks two top-five finishes for Li this season. Second place went to Monica Wu after a card-off versus Kristen Tang since the two were tied at 167, Wu had the lower second round of the two with an 80 at Del Monte. Third Place then went to Kristen Tang of San Jose with this being her second top-three finish of the season.
Media Contacts:
Kurtis Bettencourt
Northern California Golf Association