Junior Golf Tour of Northern California Crowns Winners at Spring Series III Championship at Rancho Solano & Paradise Valley Golf Course
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (April 11, 2024) – The Junior Tour of Northern California (JTNC) crowned champions at the Spring Series III Championship at Rancho Solano and Paradise Valley Golf Courses.
Ben Friedman shot 4-under par 140 and Bella Ransi shot 3-over par 147 to win their respective divisions at the Spring Series III Championship that was played at a pair of par-72 courses, both Rancho Solano Golf Course and Paradise Valley Golf Course in Fairfield.
Friedman picked up his first win of the 2023-2024 season with back to back under-par rounds of 70-70, beating out Trenton Stuart and Embree Stutsman for the first-place medal by three shots. In the opener, Friedman carded a steady 2-under par 70 that included four birdies and two bogeys. On day two Ben embarked on a roller coaster ride of a round that ended with him playing his best golf on the final seven holes of the competition. Ben's second round finished with five birdies, one bogey, and one double bogey all while still retaining his top spot on the leaderboard from Saturday. Friedman's best stretch of holes came during the first round as he birdied holes 12, 14, and 16 at Paradise Valley Golf Course. Triumph at the Spring Series III Championship takes Ben to 3rd overall on the JTNC Boys' player of the year Standings, surpassing Jaden Dumdumaya by 250 points. Trenton Stuart was the eventual second place medalist after a card-off between himself and Embree Stutsman of Sparks, Nevada. Stuart carded the lower second round score of 70 versus Stutsman's 1-over 73. Stuart recorded 8 birdies over the weekend, taking him to 2nd overall on the JTNC Boys Player of the Year Standings for the 2023-2024 season as this is his 8th top-five finish of the season!
Third place inevitably went to Embree Stutsman who had a tournament high 10 birdies, Stutsman had rounds of 70-73 finishing at 143. Carson Limpus took fourth place after missing out on a medal spot by one shot, carding rounds of 74-70 for 144.
In the Girls’ Championship, Bella Ransi picks up her 2nd win of the 2023-2024 season as she carded impressive rounds of 72-75 in securing her victory. Bella's most important birdie came during round two, playing of the penultimate hole of the competition as the Girls Championship Flight battled it out at Paradise Valley Golf Course. Bella made birdie on the 365-yard par-4, 17th hole to jump ahead of Sarah Lim on the leaderboard which ultimately lead her to a winners medal. Bella carded five birdies on the weekend, playing her best golf during round one at Rancho Solano Golf Course where she had the lowest score out of all the players in her flight. Success at the JTNC Spring Series III Championship moves Bella up Girls' Player of the Year Rankings as she stands solo 6th place and within arms reach of cracking the top-five! Ransi now has three top-five finishes for the 2023-2024 season.
Sarah Lim earned a runners-up medal as she finished 4-over par with scores of 76-72 for a total of 148, carding a tournament high 7-birdies for the Girls' Championship Flight. Lim has placed in the top-five three times since the start of the season, leaving her at 10th on the Player of the Year Standings. Third place went to Melia Gustavson who finished the weekend at 150 after scoring 77-73, this is Melia's first medal of the 2023-2024 season as she beat her next closest competitor by two shots. Coming in at fourth place was a tie between Lily Peng and Lexi Low who both finished at 8-over par 152 as their first round blunders hindered any chance of cracking a medal spot.
In the Boys’ First Flight Championship, Chase Mandel had a spectacular final round of 1-under 71 to come in at 148, carding six birdies and one eagle on his way to victory in his first win of the 2023-2024 season. Mandel's eagle came at Rancho Solano Golf Course during play of the par-5, 7th hole as he took advantage of the shorter par-5 yardage. Mandel defeated runner-up Jacob Garibaldi by two shots, Garibaldi finished the weekend at 6-over par 150 after rounds of 79 and 71 where he came out on top during a card-off versus Tyler Chow as the two were tied at 6-over.
Third place eventually went to Tyler Chow as his final round of 76 was not enough to see out Garibaldi's 71. Despite this, Chow earns his third top-ten finish of the 2023-2024 season.
In the Girls’ First Flight Championship, Vivien Li shot 150 with stellar rounds of 75-75, defeating her next closest competitor by eight shots. Li carded six birdies over the weekend and earned her first winners medal of the season. Vivien makes it seven top-three finishes for the season, a feat any Junior Tour player would be beyond proud of. Second place was awarded to Caroline Cui after she finished the tournament at 158 with rounds of 81-77, 14-over par.
Third place was settled with a card-off as Megan Ikemiya and Kristen Tang were all square at 17-ver par, 161. Ikemiya prevailed in the card-off versus Tang as she carded the lower second round score of 76. Kristen Tang took fourth place with rounds of 80-81.
Next Tournament on the JTNC 2023-2024 calendar season is Spring Series IV, taking place at Bay View Golf Club on April 13-14.