JTNC News

2020 JTNC Challenge Cup In Action This Week

Nov 7, 2019Comments Off on 2020 JTNC Challenge Cup In Action This WeekFeatured

2020 JTNC Challenge Cup Roster Named

Nov. 7, 2019

For Pairings and live results use the following link: Challenge Cup Results

One of the two teams will walk away with a lead in the overall series.

Come Jan.3-4, what will be the fifth annual Challenge Cup will get underway at Poppy Hills GC. The Challenge Cup is a two-day competition featuring 12 of the best JTNC players (eight boys, four girls) taking on 12 of the best from the PGA Southern California Junior Tour in a Ryder-Cup like format.

The series is tied at two wins apiece following the SCJT’s 14-10 last January, but it’s about more than just the scores. For the juniors, the Cup is a rare opportunity to not only play match play, but to compete as a team.

It’s the team component—along simply with the talent—that has made the Cup a hotbed for college coaches looking for their next stars.

“The Challenge Cup only just keeps growing in stature,” said JTNC Director Aaron Hartesveldt. “Now in its fifth year, it generates more and more excitement among the players, both from the North and South.”

Who’ll be representing the JTNC: (Stats as of Nov. 7)

Girls: 

Madelyn Gamble: The 2018-2019 Girls’ Player of the Year, Gamble had three wins, at the Fall Series IV, Spring Series II and Summer Series I Championships. The Pleasant Hill resident also had two runner-ups (Summer Series II, Holiday Series II) and was third at the Fall Series VI Championship.

Kiara Romero: Romero is a two-time winner already this season (Fall Series IV and VI Championships). Also has a third place finish at the Fall Series III and T-9 at the Fall Series V.

Andrea Gomez: Gomez won the Fall Series V Championship. She also was T-7 at the Fall Series IV and IX Championships.

Vani Karimanal: Karimanal has five top 5 finishes this season. She has two runner-ups (Fall Series II and III), a third at the Fall Series VI and fifth place finishes at the Fall Series VIII and IX Championships.

Boys: 

Dylan McDermott: The 2018-2019 Boys’ Player of the Year posted wins at the Fall Series II and IV Championships and later added a runner-up place finish at the annual NCGA Junior Championship. For extra measure, McDermott also had three third place finishes—Spring Series VI, Summer Series III and the Tour Championship.

Sam Sommerhauser: The winner of the Boys’ title at the PURE Insurance Championship Impacting The First Te, Sommerhauser has two wins this season, at the Fall Series IV and IX Championships. Was runner-up in last year’s Player of the Year race.

Paramdeep Sodhi: The current leader in the 2019-2020 Player of the Year standings, Sodhi has a win at the Fall Series VI Championship. He also has two runner-ups at the Fall Series I and VII Championships. Also a T-3 (Fall Series IX) and a fifth (Fall Series IV).

Zachery Pollo: Pollo has a win at the Fall Series II Championship, and a pair of runner-up finishes at the Fall Series I and Fall Series VI Championships. Other highlights include a T-7 finish at the Fall Series IX and a T-9 at the Fall Series IV.

Ben Soicher: Soicher’s season includes a win at the Fall Series V and a T-6 at the Fall Series VI. He also reached the quarterfinals of the 2019 NCGA Amateur Match Play Championship.

Baron Szeto: Szeto’s season features a win at the Fall Series VIII Championship and a third place finish at the Fall Series II. He also has a fifth place finish at the Fall Series I and a T-7 finish at the Fall Series IV.

Jackson Koivun: Koivun has a pair of runner-up finishes at the Fall Series II and III Championships.

Ryan Meyer: Meyer’s season includes a T-3 finish at the Fall Series IV Championship. He also placed T-2 at the NCGA Valley Amateur Championship.

 

Who’ll Be Representing the PGA Southern California Junior Tour

Girls: 
Kylee Choi-South Pasadena
Jasmine Koo-Cerritos
Nicole Neale-Dove Canyon 
Jordyn Parr-Temecula
Boys:
Sihao Cong-Irvine
Kyle An-Aliso Viejo
Joshua Koo-Cerritos
Greyson Leach-Rolling Hills Estates
Patrick Hong-Los Angeles
Hogan Park-Walnut
Jack Townsend-San Diego
Timothy Jung -Corona

 

JTNC Alum Yealimi Noh Qualifies for LPGA Tour

Nov 4, 2019Comments Off on JTNC Alum Yealimi Noh Qualifies for LPGA TourFeatured

November 4, 2019

Concord resident and former JTNC Girls’ Player of the Year Yealimi Noh is now living the dream.

Still just 18, Noh, the winner of the 2018 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship at Poppy Hills, earned her 2020 LPGA Tour card by finishing third at the recent LPGA Qualifying Tournament. Noh shot 15-under 557 (69-69-66-77-67-69-71-69) in the grueling, eight-round event.

Having turned pro in 2019, her best finish this season was a second at the Cambria Portland Classic, where she Monday qualified as a non-member.

“I’m just really happy that I’m finally done and will get to play next year,” Noh said.

 

5th Annual Challenge Cup

Oct 14, 2019Comments Off on 5th Annual Challenge CupPast Results, Tournaments

Pairings/Results 

January 4, 2020

The Junior Tour of Northern California won the Cup and took the lead in the overall series. All in thrilling fashion.

The JTNC’s Madelyn Gamble won her Singles match, 1-up, thanks to a par on the closing par-5 18th hole at Poppy Hills, helping the JTNC emerge with a 12 1/2- 11 1/2 victory over the PGA Southern California Junior Tour in what was the fifth edition of the Challenge Cup.  It was the first time the Cup matches were decided in the last group of Singles play.

The Challenge Cup is a two-day competition featuring 12 of the best JTNC players (eight boys, four girls) taking on 12 of the best from the PGA Southern California Junior Tour in a Ryder-Cup like format.

“This was the best Challenge Cup yet,” said JTNC Director Aaron Hartesveldt. “What a great finish.”

At the conclusion of Friday’s opening rounds of play–Four-Ball and Foursomes–the two squads were tied 6-6, setting the stage for an exciting Singles matches finish. It lived up to the billing.

Neither team held more than a two-point advantage during play.

The big difference would be the JTNC eventually winning five of the last six Singles matches, including Gamble’s. Other winners were Jackson Koivun (5 and 4), Dylan McDermott (4 and 3), Andrea Gomez (2 and 1) and Kiara Romero (5 and 4). Other members of Team JTNC were Ryan Meyer, Sam Sommerhauser, Ben Soicher, Baron Szeto, Zachery Pollo, Paramdeep Sodhi and Vani Karimanal.

Held each winter, the event has become a favorite of the players due to its format.

“It’s awesome,” Meyer said. “The whole team atmosphere, we don’t get that very often. Plus, you get to play with your friends and some of the best players around. It’s really cool.”

Participants are selected based on their performance during the Tour’s Fall Series.

The Cup has also become a hotbed for college coaches looking for talent. Among the schools in attendance were USC, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Pepperdine and Loyola-Marymount.

Both teams entered this year’s Cup matches tied at two wins apiece.

Photo Gallery

 

 

January 3, 2020

Neither team broke away after day one of the fifth annual Challenge Cup at Poppy Hills Golf Course.

Both the JTNC and PGA Southern California Junior Tour finished Friday’s opening rounds of Four-Ball and Foursomes tied at six points apiece.

The Challenge Cup is a two-day competition featuring 12 of the best JTNC players (eight boys, four girls) taking on 12 of the best from the PGA Southern California Junior Tour in a Ryder-Cup like format.

Ironically, the two squads entered this year’s match tied at two wins. Everything will come down to Saturday’s 12 Singles matches.

On what was a spectacular day at Poppy Hills, the PGA Southern California Junior Tour jumped out to a 4-2 lead in morning Four-Ball action.

Helping build the lead were a pair of wins by the tandems of Kylee Choi and Jasmine Koo (3 and 2) and the tandems of Timothy Jung and Greyson Leach (3 and 2) and Patrick Hong and Hogan Park (3 and 2).

The JTNC kept things close by getting a point apiece via wins by the teams of Baron Szeto and Jackson Koivun (1-up) and Paramdeep Sodhi and Dylan McDermott (2 and 1).

The JTNC managed to flip the script and tie things up by winning the afternoon Foursomes matches, 4-2.

Getting victories for the JTNC were the tandems of Vani Karimanal and Kiara Romero (2-up), Baron Szeto and Jackson Koivun (2-up) and Zachery Pollo and Sam Sommerhauser (3 and 2).

Getting halves for the JTNC were the tandems of Ryan Meyer and Ben Soicher and Paramdeep Sodhi and Dylan McDermott.

The Socal’ers got a win from the team of Jordyn Parr and Nicole Neal (2 and 1) to keep the total score knotted at six.

The Singles matches will begin at 8 a.m.

Photo Gallery 

JTNC Members Qualify for Drive, Chip and Putt Finals

Oct 11, 2019Comments Off on JTNC Members Qualify for Drive, Chip and Putt FinalsFeatured

JTNC Members Qualify for Drive, Chip and Putt Finals

October 11, 2019

A  pair of JTNC members will be at famed Augusta National Golf Club come April 5, 2020 for the Finals of the annual Drive, Chip and Putt Championship.

Both Howard Shu, of Saratoga, and Ethan Lien, of Cupertino, earned spots by winning at the Regional qualifier held at Chambers Bay. Shu won the Boys’ 14-15 Division with 155 points. Lien, meanwhile, won the Boys’ 12-13 division with a score of 156 points.

The two could end up being joined by yet another JTNC member. Riley Yang, of San Jose, was the first alternate in the Girls’ 14-15 division.

JTNC’s Sam Sommerhauser Wins PURE Insurance Championship Crown

Sep 30, 2019Comments Off on JTNC’s Sam Sommerhauser Wins PURE Insurance Championship CrownFeatured

September 30, 2019

JTNC member Sam Sommerhauser has joined the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as a champion at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Sommerhauser, a 17-year-old senior at Whitney High in Rocklin and member of The First Tee of Greater Sacramento, won the Boys’ Pro-Junior title at the PGA Tour Champions PURE Insurance Championship Impacting The First Tee on Sunday with pro partner and winner Kirk Triplett after coming in with a 54-hole score of 23-under 192 (63-66-63).

Ashley Menne, a member of The First Tee of Phoenix and Youth on Course, won the Girls’ title with partner Tom Lehman with a score of 18-under 197 (64-68-65).

Fittingly, Sommerhauser finished with a tap-in in birdie on the par-5 18th after a huge drive.

“It was a great experience,” said Sommerhauser, who’s committed to University of Arizona. “I’m just thankful I got to play and played well.”

“What didn’t impress me about Sam?,” replied Triplett when asked about his partner. “He’s a fabulous player with a fabulous swing. He’s also got tremendous poise and has the ability to bounce back.”

Sommerhauser joins a list of other JTNC players who’ve captured the title: Matthew Sutherland (2018), Jack Avrit (2015), Michelle Xie (2013) and Casie Cathrea (2011).

Other JTNC members who made the cut at the PURE were Lauren Garces (T-9), defending Player of the Year Dylan McDermott (T-12) and Jasmin Krishna (T-14).

 

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