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. (November 27, 2024) – 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.
Anita Lumpongpoung and Drue Henry Sanchez both win their respective flights during the Holiday Series I Championship at par-70 Pacific Grove Golf Links and par-72 Del Monte Golf Course.
Sanchez notched his first win of the 2024-2025 season with two impressive under-par rounds of 66 and 67, defeating his next closest competitor by six shots as he finished the tournament at 9-under par. During round one, Drue was off to a solid start carding eight birdies throughout the day to shoot 6-under. Sanchez ended the tournament carding ten birdies in total and a second round total of 3-under par. Victory for Sanchez at Holiday Series I helps avenge his recent third-place finish from Fall Series X at Ridge Creek where he missed out on a winner’s medal by two shots. Sanchez moves up to 5th in the Boys Player of the Year rankings with 495 points, this makes it two top-three finishes for the 2023-2024 season.
Second place went to Nakul Shrivastava at 3-under par 139, Nakul carded rounds of 71-68 after picking up seven birdies over the two-day event and earning his first medal of the JTNC season. In third place via a card-off between Alexander Thu and Kailer Stone, the pair were tied at 2-under par 140, Stone came out victorious he had the better finishing nine-holes on the final day of play. Kailer had rounds of 72 and 68. Fourth place was awarded to Alexander Thu after the unsuccessful playoff, Thu had an outstanding eleven birdies and is now ranked 2nd on the JTNC Boys Player of the Year standings.
In the Girls’ Championship, Anita Lumpongpoung claimed her first win of the 2024-2025 season with two steady back-to-back rounds of 72. Anita's first round out at Pacific Grove Golf Links included three birdies with a 37 on the front and a 35 on the back nine. Anita would prove to be clutch during play of round two as she clinched her victory in the Girls Championship Flight by notching birdies on hole 16 and 17, beating out Lexi Lowe and Myla Havarangsi by two shots. Anita has now claimed the top ranked spot in the Girls Player of the Year Standings with 1068 points, with this tournament making it her seventh top-five finish of the season.
Lexi Lowe and Myla Havarangsi needed a card-off two determine the runner-up spot for the Girls Championship flight as the pair were tied at 3-over par 146. Ultimately Lowe would take the second medal as she carded the lower second round of the two players previously mentioned, Lowe had rounds of 73 and 73 including six birdies. Third place eventually went to Myla Havarangsi of Morgan Hill who finished with four birdies and rounds of 72 and 74, this is Myla's second top-three finish on the Junior Tour this season. Fourth place was an honorable mention in Gianna Singh who had rounds of 73 and 75 finishing with a total of 148, Gianna carded six birdies over the weekend and sits at 29th on the JTNC Girls' Player of the Year standings.
In the Boys’ First Flight Championship, Justin Russo Jr. had a final round 76 to come in at 14-over 156, carding three birdies on his way to victory in his first win of the 2024-2025 season! Justin's previous best finish resulted in second place during the Fall Series IX Championship at Bayonet Golf Course earlier this fall. Justin defeated Aaron Kim via a card-off as Russo's birdie on the third-to-last hole of the competition sealed his victory for Holiday Series I. Second place went to Aaron Kim after an unsuccessful card-off saw him miss out on a winners medal, Kim had rounds of 77 and 79 with a total of three birdies on the weekend. Third place was awarded at 15-over par to Ethan Lin of Pleasanton, Ethan had rounds of 81 and 76 with a total of 157.
Fourth Place ended in a tie between Cole Cainey and Pavan Shah as the duo both turned in scores of 17-over par 159, Cainey earns his second top-five finish of the season and Shah picks up his first top-five finish of the season.
In the Girls’ First Flight Championship, Elin Cheng shot 162 with rounds of 82-80, carding three birdies during the tournament. This is Elin's first win on the Junior Tour as she looked to better her previous sixth place finish at the First Flight Tournament V held at Metropolitan Golf Links earlier this year. Second place went to Shirley Yang after repeat rounds of 85 to finish at 170, Yang carded one birdie on the par-3 second hole at Pacific Grove Golf Links during round one.