Sept. 24, 2017

Junior Tour of Northern California members Annika Borrelli and Katie Harris didn’t get the big prize, but they certainly left an impression at the PURE Insurance Championship Impacting The First Tee.

Borrelli, representing The First Tee of Tri-Valley, and Harris, playing out of The First Tee of Greater Sacramento, each at one point held the lead in the Pro-Junior portion of the event before eventually finishing fifth and T-6, respectively.

Playing with pro partner Sir Nick Faldo, Borrelli closed out the championship with a 3-under 69 Sunday at Pebble Beach Golf Links. In Friday’s first round at Poppy Hills GC, the two posted a 9-under 62.

“It was awesome to be in the presence of a legend,” Borrelli said. “Just such an incredible experience.”

It was at Poppy Hills that Borrelli picked up her greatest tip from Faldo—believing in yourself.

“We were on the 18th hole and I had 200 yards in. I didn’t think I could get there,” Borrelli said. “He told me go with my 180-club and just have confidence, to believe in myself.”

Borrelli would indeed knock it on the green, and for good measure sank a 100-foot putt.

Harris, playing fellow former Masters champion Vijay Singh, had entered Sunday’s final round in the lead. The two slipped to a 72, but Harris was still all smiles afterwards.

“The biggest lesson I got from Vijay was to just trust myself and the shot,” Harris said. “I never expected that’d I’d make it to Sunday. To do it with him was incredible.”

The JTNC has been a force at the PURE Insurance Championship in recent years. Champions include Casie Cathrea (2011), Michelle Xie (2013) and Jack Avrit (2015). In 2014, former JTNC Player of the Year Joshua McCarthy finished runner-up.