Pleasanton, CA
March 30-31, 2015

Results |  Pairings  

Contestant Information Sheet 

Yardages:  Hill Course |  Valley Course

CIG-Sponsored Junior Golf Tour of Northern California

Crowns Winners in Spring Series III at Castlewood Country Club

 MONTEREY, Calif. (April 1, 2015) –Sponsored by Capital Insurance Group, the 2015 Junior Tour of Northern California (JTNC) crowned champions Sunday in the Spring Series III Championship at Castlewood Country Club in Pleasanton.

Pleasanton resident Noah Woolsey shot 1-under 141 and Concord resident Yealimi Noh shot 10-over 152 to win their respective divisions at the Spring Series III Championship held Monday and Tuesday on the par-70 Valley Course and par-72 Hill Course at Castlewood Country Club.

Woolsey picked up his first win of the 2014-2015 JTNC season in dramatic fashion, carding birdies on the 17^th and 18^th holes to knock off runner-up Ryan Knop of Pleasanton by a stroke.

Boys’ Championship third place finisher Connor Motherway and champion Noah Woolsey (right).

Tied with Knop at 3-under par 67 after Monday’s first round on the Hill Course, the two would end up dueling for the title. Through the front-nine of the second round, Woolsey and Knop would remain knotted up at a total of 1-under par after both carded scores opening nine scores of 2-over 38.

On the pivotal back-nine, the two still see-sawed early on as both carded two early bogeys to remain tied at 1-over par through 13 holes. Knop eventually grabbed a one-stroke lead with a birdie on the par-3 14^th, and remained a stroke ahead after the duo traded birdies on the 17^th hole.

The difference maker came on the Valley Course’s 358-yard, par-4 18^th, where Woolsey made birdie and Knop made bogey, an instant two-shot swing.

Also in the hunt following Monday’s first round were Pleasanton’s Raj Chekuri and Connor Motherway of Reno. The two ended the day just two shots off the lead after carding identical 69’s.

In Tuesday’s finale, Motherway posted a 4-over 76 to finish alone in third place at 3-over 145. Chekuri, meanwhile, shot 77 to finish in a tie for fourth at 146.

Joining Chekuri in the tie for fourth were Fremont resident Louie Chen, who had rounds of 73-73, and Aaron Chen, who shot rounds of 71-75.

The Girls’ Championship also came down to the wire.

There, Noh and Bencia resident Kathleen Scavo finished regulation tied with scores of 10-over 152. Noh would win the title after defeating Scavo in what became a two-hole sudden death playoff.

Girls’ Championship winner Yealimi Noh, runner-up Kathleen Scavo and third place finisher Danielle Suh (left to right).

Noh, who also won the Spring Series I Championship, had grabbed a share of the first round lead with Danielle Suh of San Ramon after the two posted opening scores of 3-over 73. Scavo, who recently qualified for the upcoming U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship with partner Lucy Li, was two behind the co-leaders following a 75.

In the final round on the Valley Course, Noh carded seven bogeys for a 79. Scavo forged the tie by posting a 77 that featured four bogeys and a double-bogey but also a crucial birdie on the par-5 10^th. Scavo , who’s headed to the University of Oregon this fall, would make par on each of her final eight holes.

Suh had a final round 81 to finish alone in third at 154. Sisters Amanjoty Sangha and Kiran Sangha of San Mateo finished in fourth and place, respectively, with total scores of 156 and 160.

The finish was also tight in the Girls’ First Flight Championship, with Borina Sutikto of Fremont holding off runner-up Lauren Shew of San Francisco by two strokes.

The first round leader after a solid 75 on the Hills Course, Shew slipped back with an 82 in the second round to finish at 157. Sutikto, on the other hand, followed up an opening 79 with an even better 76. Clinching the title for Sutikto was a great run on holes No.13 through No.16, where she’d go 2-under thanks to three birdies.

Girls’ First Flight runner-up Lauren Shew, champion Borina Sutikto and third place finisher Divya Tadimeti (left to right).

For Sutikto, it was her second victory of the season. She also won the Fall Series I Championship last August. Shew also finished runner-up at the recent Spring Series I Championship.

Finishing in a tie for third in the Girls’ First Flight at 164 were Divya Tadimeti of Palo Alto and Megan Yang of Saratoga.

Boys’ First Flight champ Jack Gardner, runner-up NickMcClendon and third place finisher Shaan Gagneja (left to right).

In the Boys’ First Flight Championship, San Ramon’s Jack Gardner didn’t allow any drama. Gardner came out firing on all cylinders, posting a stellar opening round 1-over 71 that featured four straight birdies on holes No.15 through No.18. He’d shoot a 79 in the second round to come in at 150, defeating runner-up Nick McClendon of Livermore by five strokes.

McClendon had rounds of 80-75, while third place finisher Shaan Gagneja of Cupertino finished at 158 after rounds of 79-79.

The Spring Series continues with the Spring Series IV Championship, to be held April 11-12 at Deer Ridge Country Club and Shadow Lakes Golf Club in Brentwood.

 # # #

 About Capital Insurance Group

Capital Insurance Group® (CIG) has enhanced its dominance as a leading insurer of Northern California golf courses into a successful philanthropic program centered on the sport of golf through its sponsorship of the NCPGA Junior Tour of Northern California, and the annual fund raising golf tournament, The Langley – A Tribute to Legends.

CIG is the leading regional property and casualty insurer serving the Western U.S. since 1898. CIG insures Personal Auto, Homeowners, Farmowners, Condo Owners, Vacation Property, Renters, Apartment Building Owners, and many kinds of Commercial and Agricultural Auto and Property. The more-than 115 year-old company is rated “A” (Excellent) by A.M. Best, the independent financial monitor of the insurance industry. CIG has been selected for the  Ward’s 50 as one of the safest and most efficient property/casualty insurers in the U.S.  CIG manages personal, business, and agriculture risks underwritten by its affiliate companies: California Capital Insurance Company, Eagle West Insurance Company, Nevada Capital Insurance Company, and Monterey Insurance Company. Types of policies may vary from state to state. For more information, please visitwww.CIGinsurance.com

CIG DELIVERS MORE. Continuously. ™

Windsor, CA
March 21-22, 2015

Results |  Pairings

Contestant Information Sheet  | Yardages   

 CIG-Sponsored Junior Golf Tour of Northern California

Crowns Winners in Spring Series II at Windsor Golf Club

 MONTEREY, Calif. (March 23, 2015) –Sponsored by Capital Insurance Group, the 2015 Junior Tour of Northern California (JTNC) crowned champions Sunday in the Spring Series II Championship at Windsor Golf Club in Windsor.

Danville resident Joshua McCarthy shot 4-under 140 and San Ramon resident Yoonhee KIm shot 5-over 149 to win their respective divisions at the Spring Series II Championship held Saturday and Sunday at par-72 Windsor Golf Club.

The 2014 JTNC Player of the Year, McCarthy picked up his first win of the 2015 season via a comeback, edging runner-up Deane Rinaldi of Santa Cruz by a stroke.

Boys’ Championship winner Joshua McCarthy, runner-up Deane Rinaldi and third place finisher Thomas Hutchison (left to right).

In the first round, McCarthy came out somewhat sluggish, posting a front-nine 2-over 38 that featured a double-bogey on No.2 and a bogey on No.5. On his back-nine, he’d card another bogey, but also posted booked birdies on the 10^th and 18^th for a 1-under 35 and first round score of 73.

He’d trail Rinaldi by three strokes. Rinaldi also started off slowly, posting a front-nine 37 after carding two bogeys to go with a birdie. On his back-nine, however, Rinaldi was flawless, going 3-under with a string of birdies on holes No.14, No.15 and No.17.

In Sunday’s final round, McCarthy picked up the pace. He’d open with a bogey on the 2^nd hole but from there went 4-under on his front-nine thanks to an eagle on the 502-yard, par-4 5^th and a pair of birdies on No.6 and No.8. On his back-nine, it was McCarthy’s turn to play error free, as he posted a 34 with back-to-birdies on holes No.12 and No.13. He’d play his final 15 holes at 6-under, coming with a 67 and two-day total of 140.

Due to McCarthy’s red hot start, Rinaldi was suddenly forced to try and keep pace. With a birdie on No.6, Rinaldi was still the leader at a total of 2-under. But moments later things changed.

While McCarthy birdied the 8^th to get to 8-under, Rinaldi had to settle for bogey on the hole, dropping back to 1-under. Another bogey on the 9^th left him with a front-nine 38, two strokes behind the surging McCarthy.

On his back-nine, Rinaldi quickly righted the ship, opening with birdies on the 10^th, 12^th and 13^th to get back to a total of 3-under. Again though, there was a big momentum switch, as Rinaldi bogeyed the par-4 15^th to again drop two shots behind McCarthy. Rinaldi was able to close with a birdie on the par-4 18^th for a solid round of 1-under 71, but it wasn’t enough to tie the leader.

Girls’ Championship winner Yoonhee Kim, runner-up Katherine Zhu and third place finisher Quynn Duong (left to right).

Finishing alone in third place was San Jose resident Thomas Hutchison, who came in at 1-over 145 after rounds of 74-71. Hutchison also posted a final round 1-under 71 thanks to three birdies that offset a pair of bogeys.

Fourth place went to Alamo’s Travis Mitchell, who came in at 147 following rounds of 74-73. Three players—Will Bednarz of Larkspur, Charles Porter of San Francisco and Seaside’s Nicklaus Rivera—all tied for fifth at 148.

In the Girls’ Championship, the finish wasn’t nearly as dramatic.

Coming off a first round 2-over 74 that gave her a four stroke edge over the field, Kim posted a second round 75 to win by five over co-runner-ups Katherine Zhu and Quynn Duong of San Jose.

Kim, a junior at Dougherty Valley High and the winner of the 2014 CIF/NorCals Regional Championship, was steady all weekend in picking up her first victory of the season. In Saturday’s first round, she’d card three birdies to go with three bogeys and a double-bogey on the par-3 11^th. A day later, she’d post a 2-under 34 on the front-nine before slipping to a back-nine 41. Despite the 41, she was never in jeopardy of losing the lead.

Zhu had a stellar second round, posting a 2-over 74 that included three bogeys and a birdie on the 17^th to come in with a two-day total of 1-over 154, Duong also shot 154 after coming in with rounds of 78-76. In a card-off, Zhu was awarded second place due to having a lower back-nine score (36-39) on Sunday.

Both Xinying Wang of Pleasanton and Angela Liu of San Jose finished tied for fourth after coming in with matching scores of 156.  Wang shot 78-78 while Liu shot 77-79. For Liu, it was her third T-2 finish of the season. She’d also finish as runner-up at the Fall Series IX Championship and last week’s Spring Series I Championship.

Girls’ First Flight winner Jacqueline Ha and runner-up Gia Feliciano (left to right).

Like the Boys’ Championship, the Girls’ First Flight Championship would come down to the wire, with Jacqueline Ha of San Ramon defeating Concord’s Gia Feliciano by a stroke.

Ha shot rounds of 82-83 to come in at 165, while Feliciano shot 84-82 to finish at 166. The big difference maker was a Ha birdie on the par-4 16^th.

Finishing third in the Girls’ First Flight at 168 was San Jose’s Kaleiya Romero (86-82). Placing fourth at 169 was Liam Sklar of Los Gatos (82-87).

In the Boys’ First Flight Championship, Hollister resident Brad Sparrer ran away with the win, posting a two-day score of 5-over 149 to defeat runner-up Lucas Happy of Petaluma by six strokes.

Sparrer played solid all weekend, posting a total of seven birdies to go with 10 bogeys and a double-bogey.

Third place in the Boys’ First Flight went to San Leandro’s Adrian Davis, who finished at 157 following rounds of 80-77. Fourth place was captured by San Ramon’s Jack Gardner, who came in at 158 following matching rounds of 79.

Boys’ First Flight winner Brad Sparrer, runner-up Lucas Happy and third place finisher Adrian Davis (left to right).

The Spring Series continues with the Spring Series III Championship, to be held March 30-31 at Castlewood Country Club in Pleasanton.

# # #

 About Capital Insurance Group

Capital Insurance Group® (CIG) has enhanced its dominance as a leading insurer of Northern California golf courses into a successful philanthropic program centered on the sport of golf through its sponsorship of the NCPGA Junior Tour of Northern California, and the annual fund raising golf tournament, The Langley – A Tribute to Legends.

CIG is the leading regional property and casualty insurer serving the Western U.S. since 1898. CIG insures Personal Auto, Homeowners, Farmowners, Condo Owners, Vacation Property, Renters, Apartment Building Owners, and many kinds of Commercial and Agricultural Auto and Property. The more-than 115 year-old company is rated “A” (Excellent) by A.M. Best, the independent financial monitor of the insurance industry. CIG has been selected for the  Ward’s 50 as one of the safest and most efficient property/casualty insurers in the U.S.  CIG manages personal, business, and agriculture risks underwritten by its affiliate companies: California Capital Insurance Company, Eagle West Insurance Company, Nevada Capital Insurance Company, and Monterey Insurance Company. Types of policies may vary from state to state. For more information, please visit www.CIGinsurance.com

CIG DELIVERS MORE. Continuously. ™

Stockton, CA
March 14-15, 2015

 Results | Pairings

Contestant Information Sheet  

Yardages: Stockton GCC  |  Elkhorn GC

CIG-Sponsored Junior Golf Tour of Northern California

Crowns Winners in Spring Series I at Stockton Golf and Country Club and Elkhorn Golf Club

 MONTEREY, Calif. (March 16, 2015) –Sponsored by Capital Insurance Group, the 2015 Junior Tour of Northern California (JTNC) crowned champions Sunday in the Spring Series I Championship at Stockton Golf and Country Club and Elkhorn Golf Club in Stockton.

Danville resident Kevin Velo shot 1-over 143 and Concord resident Yealimi Noh shot even-par 142 to win their respective divisions at the Spring Series I Championship held Saturday and Sunday at par-71 Stockton Golf and Country Club and Elkhorn Golf Club.

Velo took the lead with an even-par 71 at Elkhorn GC and never looked back, posting a second round 72 at Stockton G&CC to claim a one-stroke victory over co-runner-ups Daniel Kim of San Jose and Joshua McCarthy of Danville. It was Velo’s first win on the Junior Tour. His prior best finish was second place at the 2014 Summer Series II Championship.

Boys Championship winner Kevin Velo (center), second place finisher Daniel Kim (left) and third place finisher Joshua McCarthy (right).

In Saturday’s first round, Velo was steady, carding three birdies and three bogeys. He barely had any breathing room though, with McCarthy posting a 72 and Kim posting a 73. McCarthy, the 2014 JTNC Player of the Year, was in great shape after shooting a 1-under 35 on his front-nine, but he slipped with a pair of bogeys on the back. Kim, meanwhile, posted three birdies with five bogeys to end the day just two behind Velo.

On Sunday, Velo continued his solid play, opening with a front-nine even-par 36 that featured two birdies and two bogeys. He’d get back to a total of even-par with a birdie on the par-5 11^th, but gave that shot back with a bogey on the 14^th to finish at 143.

It was enough to just hold off both Kim and McCarthy. Kim opened the second round slowly, carding back-to-back bogeys on No.2 and No.3, but he rebounded with a birdie on the par-4 5^th to get back to a total of 3-over. With a pair of birdies on the 13^th and 14^th holes, Kim edged closer, getting to 1-over for the championship. A bogey on the par-4 18^th, however, resulted in an even-par 71, leaving him a shot away from catching Velo.

McCarthy, on the other hand, just couldn’t get anything going. The runner-up in the Pro-Junior portion of last year’s Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach also opened the final round slowly, posting bogeys on the 6^th and 8^th holes. McCarthy would bounce back with a birdie on the par-4 9^th, but it would be his final birdie of the day. A string of nine pars on his back-nine left with a 1-over 72, also just a stroke away from the leader.

In a card-off (better back-nine) Kim place d second by going 1-under to McCarthy’s even-par.

Placing fourth was Pleasanton resident Raj Chekuri, who came in at 147 after rounds of 77-70. Finishing alone in fifth place was Drew Karren of Orinda, who shot 148 following rounds of 73-75.

Girls Championship winner Yealimi Noh (left) and third place finisher Sabrina Iqbal (right).

In the Girls’ Championship, Noh made sure there was little drama. The defending California Junior Girls’ State champion was on fire all weekend, posting identical rounds of 71 to defeat the field by eight strokes.

On Saturday at Stockton G&CC, Noh jumped out of the gates by carding a 2-under 33 on her front-nine thanks to back-to-back birdies on holes No.7 and No.8. She’d go 2-over on her back-nine but still ended the day holding a comfy four stroke lead.

A day later at Elkhorn GC, Noh briefly came back to the pack after opening with a pair of bogeys on holes No.1 and No.3. She’d shake off the sluggish start, however, proceeding to card five birdies over her next 13 holes for her second straight 71.

Among those trying to catch Noh was 2014 JTNC Girls’ Player of the Year Sabrina Iqbal and San Jose resident Angela Liu.

Iqbal, who also hails from San Jose, was only four behind Noh after an opening round 75. On Sunday, Iqbal couldn’t get any closer, as she’d card only one birdie to go with five bogeys. For Liu, meanwhile, there was just too much ground to make up. Having opened with a 79, Liu had a solid second round, carding an even-par 71 featuring three birdies and three bogeys.

Both Iqbal and Liu finished at 8-over 150, with Liu placing second in a card-off.

Coming up a shot short of the card-off for second place was Danville resident Ty Akabane. Akabane, who won the Helen Lengfeld Flight at last year’s California Women’s Amateur Championship, had rounds of 75-76 to finish at 151. Finishing alone in fifth place at 152 was Los Altos’ Samar Singh, who shot rounds of 78-74.

Boys First Flight winner Shane Watts (right) and runner-up Jackson Koivun (left).

In the Boys’ First Flight Championship, things would come down to a playoff between three players who finished with identical scores of 14-over 156—Shane Watts of Atwater, Jackson Koivun of San Jose and Grover Beach resident Conner Sandman.

Watts won the playoff to win the title, with Koivun, who is only nine years old and was a late entry, taking second and Sandman placing third. During regulation, Watts shot rounds of 78-78,  Koivun went 77-79 and Sandman shot 80-76. All three players would end up leapfrogging Oakhurst’s Spencer Uzzell, who had taken the first round lead with a 75 but slipped with a Sunday 82 to finish alone in fourth place at 157.

In the Girls’ First Flight Championship, Pleasanton resident Alice Liu made a first round leading 78 hold up, as she shot a second round 81 to come in at 17-over 159 and defeat runner-up Lauren Shew of San Francisco by a stroke.

Girls First Flight winner Alice Liu (center), runner-up Jacqueline Ha (right) and third place finisher Lauren Shew (left).

Shew, who had rounds of 79-81, had a chance to tie Liu but was stung by a bogey on the 17^th hole. Placing third in the Girls’ First Flight Championship was Jacqueline Ha of San Ramon, who came in at 163 after rounds of 82-81. Kaleiya Romero of San Jose placed fourth at 164 following rounds of 83-81.

The Spring Series continues with the Spring Series II Championship, to be held March 21-22 at Windsor Golf Club in Windsor.

# # #

About Capital Insurance Group

Capital Insurance Group® (CIG) has enhanced its dominance as a leading insurer of Northern California golf courses into a successful philanthropic program centered on the sport of golf through its sponsorship of the NCPGA Junior Tour of Northern California, and the annual fund raising golf tournament, The Langley – A Tribute to Legends.

CIG is the leading regional property and casualty insurer serving the Western U.S. since 1898. CIG insures Personal Auto, Homeowners, Farmowners, Condo Owners, Vacation Property, Renters, Apartment Building Owners, and many kinds of Commercial and Agricultural Auto and Property. The 115 year-old company is rated “A” (Excellent) by A.M. Best, the independent financial monitor of the insurance industry. CIG has been selected for the  Ward’s 50 as one of the safest and most efficient property/casualty insurers in the U.S.  CIG manages personal, business, and agriculture risks underwritten by its affiliate companies: California Capital Insurance Company, Eagle West Insurance Company, Nevada Capital Insurance Company, and Monterey Insurance Company. Types of policies may vary from state to state. For more information, please visit www.CIGinsurance.com

CIG DELIVERS MORE. Continuously. ™