The New Jersey Junior Golf Competition’s Summer Tour is off and running.
The NJJGC’s sixth season began Thursday at High Bridge Hills Golf Club. More than 75 young golfers competed in the first of 23 events on the 2005 schedule that will conclude on Aug. 30-31 at Fiddlers Elbow Country Club, Bedminster, with its two-day Year End Championship.
“We’re looking forward to an exciting summer of competition,” said Chuck DiLeo, co-director of the NJJGC. “Our inaugural five-stop spring tour was a great success and should provide the momentum we need to make this the best summer competition in our history.”
The ’05 season began with a lot of excitement, highlighted by sudden death in the boys 14-15 age division.
Andrew Tursky of Hillsborough and Youg Wang from Mahwah carded 80s in regulation, forcing extra-hole competition to determine the winner. Tursky won on the first hole.
Third-place finisher Maxwell David from Staten Island, N.Y., was one stroke away from making it a three-way playoff, shooting an 81.
Kelline Gillespie of Clinton won the boys 16-18 division with a 76. Bryan Cardona (80), Demarest, and Adam Pollack (82), North Caldwell, were second and third.
Monroe’s Kevin Lee captured the boys 12-13 group after shooting a 78. Ryan Harpster (88), Glen Ridge, and Julia Choi (89), Closter, were second and third.
The boys 10-11 division played nine holes and Sean Elliott of Westfield lapped the field with his 38. Flemington’s Lou Bodine (50) and Closter’s Chris Kim (53) were second and third.
Bicolas Rencis of Long Valley won the boys 8-9 with a 46. Bardon Hur (47), Monroe, and Pat Kennedy (50), Readington, were the second and third finishers.
In the girls competition, the low nine-hole score belong to Moonachie’s Emi Koga, who carded a 42 in wining the 8-11 division. Betsy Armstrong (51), Bridgewater, and Zora Moore (63), Milford, took second and third.
In the 12-18 division, Crystal Lee of Mahwah was first with a 45. Second went to Viktoria Lager of West Windsor (50) and third to Brooke Kuei (52), East Brunswick.
The next stop on the tour is the Heron Glen Golf Course in Ringoes tomorrow.
The Cranbury Golf Course will host an event on July 7. There will be a two-day tournament July 13-14 at two sites with competition at the Colts Neck Golf Club (July 13) and Battleground Country Club, Manalapan (July 14).
The Peddie School in Hightstown will be the next stop on July 18, followed on July 19 by Knob Hill Country Club, Manalapan, on July 19.
Crystal Spring Golf Course, Hamburg, will host the July 22 stop, which is a Best Ball Adult/Junior Tournament.
The other stops on the 2005 Summer Tour are: Lakewood’s Eagle Ridge Golf Club, July 27; Sun Eagles (Fort Monmouth, Shrewsbury, July 28; Mattawang Golf Course, Belle Mead, Aug. 2; a two-day at Hawk Point, Washington, (Aug. 10) and Beaver Brook, Annandale (Aug. 11); the two-day New Jersey State Open at Blue Heron Pines West, Cologne, (Aug. 15) and Gallaway National Golf Club, Absecon (Aug. 16); Howell Park Golf Course (Aug. 18); Colonia Country Club (Aug. 22); and Shadow Isle Country Club, Colts Neck (Aug. 25).
The NJJGC’s first Spring Tour concluded on June 15 at the Seaview Marriott course in Absecon.
Colts Neck’s Vanessa Toscano picked up her third spring tour win in the girls 14-16 division, carding a 44 for nine holes. Linwood’s Samantha Pearlman (49) and West Windsor’s Caitlyn Collette (57) were second and third.
Cape May’s Jim Rideway was the star of the day, shooting an even par-71 to win the boys 16-18 division. He was five strokes better than runner-up Craig Tully of Mountain Lakes (76). Gordon Biddle of Morristown was third (82).
In the boys 14-15 competition, Ventnor’s Frank Berzanskis scored a one-stroke win over Holmdel’s Larry Vecchio, 81-82. Third place went to Steve Kuei of East Brunswick (84).
Monroe’s Kevin Lee was the only golfer who played 18 holes to break 80. He won the boys 12-13 division with an impressive 78. B.J. Berzanskis of Ventnor was second (89) and Andrew Kim of Old Tappan took third (93).
The boys 10-11 division played nine holes and Westfield’s Sean Elliott scored a one-stroke win over Mountain Lakes’ Luke Edelman, 48-49. Elliott was undefeated, winning all five tour events. Third place went to Luke Graboyes of Watchung (53).
Michael Graboyes of Watchung edged Howell’s Dawson Jones, 46-47, to win the 8-9 division. A close third was Mickey Dobbs of Morristown (49).
Mahwah’s Crystal Lee won the girls 12-13 with a 39. Brook Kuei of East Brunswick was second (49) and Nalita Sutipayakul of Somerville was third (75).
For more information on the NJJGC summer tour, call (732) 683-9042 or visit its Web site at www.njjgc.com.