LAST week, more than 1,500 of the best junior golfers from all over the world came together to participate in the Callaway Junior World Golf Championship in San Diego, Calif.
The junior golfers held competition in 10 different courses throughout San Diego. Guam was well-represented in the prestigious junior golf championship as 18 of the island’s best golfers did well in competition.
Before actual competition began, the tournament held a putting contest for many of the young athletes in different age divisions. Guam’s Ricky Parson did exceptionally well in the 10-year-old division as he beat out all competitors to take top honors.
The first day of the tournament was off to a slow start at Torrey Pines, with heavy fog delaying the game for three hours. More than 100 golfers weren’t able to finish and played 25 holes in the second day.
In the boys' 9-to-10-year-old division, Guam’s own junior golfer Halen Carbonel tied for 43rd after shooting impressive scores of 67, 72, and 67 for a three-day total of 206 at the Welk Resort.
Guam sent a representative in the female category. Nalathai Vongjalorn, who won the Guam 2012 Amateur Golf Championship, played at the Country Club of Ranch Bernado, shooting a 76 on the last day for a three-day total of 234. Playing at the Sycuan Resort-Oak Glen was Aniceto Mandanas and Brentt Salas. Salas managed to finish his three days of competition with a +20 score.
In the boys’ 13-to-14-year-old division, Teddy Gogue and Devin Hua took it to the links at Morgan Run Resort. Hua completed his final day of competition with a strong showing shooting a 73 for a three-day total of 231. In the boys 15-17 team play that fielded over 200 competitors, Redge Camacho and Ryan Christensen’s three-day round brought them 19th place overall in the team competition with Redge Camacho shooting a 77 in the last day at Torrey Pines south course.
Next week, most of the kids will also be participating at the Los Angeles Veritas Junior World Championship, and then head to Hawaii to play in the Pearl Junior Open. Nalathai and Nalapon Vongjalorn (sister and brother) head to the United Kingdom to compete in another prestigious tournament at the biennial R&A British Junior Open Championship in Fairhaven, England.
Junior golfers represent Guam well
- Monday, 16 Jul 2012 03:30am
- BY MIKE NAUTA JR. | VARIETY NEWS STAFF
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