Junior Tour of Northern California Crowns Winners During First Flight Tournament V at Bennett Valley Golf Course
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (October 4, 2023) – The Junior Tour of Northern California (JTNC) crowned champions during the First Flight Tournament V at Bennett Valley Golf Course in Santa Rosa.
Hazel Hooper and Sudhaamsuram Parvataneni shot 1-under par 71 to win their respective divisions during the First Flight Tournament V at par-72 Bennett Valley Golf Course.
In the Girls’ First Flight, Hazel Hooper took the field by storm in what is her first win of the 2023-2024 JTNC season. Hooper’s front and back-nine totals of 36-35 does not fully translate just how well she was striking the ball, opening the round with an eagle on the first hole of play and proceeding to card two more birdies during her front-nine was just the beginning of a great round. After securing four more birdies on her final nine holes of competition, Hooper would end the day with 6 birdies and one eagle as she triumphed over her next closest competitor by two shots. This victory takes Hazel to 33rdd in the Girls Player of the Year rankings for the 2023-2024 season.
Runner-up Melody Chen came in at 1-over par 73 as she carded four birdies, picking up her second medal of the season after she had missed out during the Fall Series VI Championship losing in a card-off for 1stt place. Third place went to Vivien Li of Pleasanton at 4-over par 76, earning her second medal finish of the season after she carded 4 birdies. Coming in at fourth place for the Girls First Flight was Ella Foley with a score of 6-over par, 78.
Sudhaamsuram Parvataneni won the Boys First Flight with a round of 1-under par 71, carding a steady round that featured three birdies and just two bogeys. Parvataneni earned his first victory of the season where he’s placed in the top-five in his previous four JTNC tournaments this fall, he carded a front nine 36 along with an exquisite back nine 35 to wrap up his championship day where he won by five shots. The runner-up went to David Navarro with a round of 4-over par 76 as he carded nines of 39-37, beating the next closest competitor by one shot. Third place was awarded to Colin Dean after a card-off between himself and Priyank Sharma-Tiwari since the pair were tied at 5-over par 77. The difference came down to their back-nine totals where Dean cared a 37 versus Sharma-Tiwari’s 39.
Next up on the Junior Tour of Northern California’s schedule is the Fall Series VIII tournament, taking place at Corica Park Golf Course on October 7-8.
Media Contacts:
Kurtis Bettencourt
Northern California Golf Association