Author: N
Aug 3, 2011 Mtn. Dell GC: The Utah Section PGA and Salt Lake City Golf Division teamed up to create one of the most exciting Junior events of the season. This year the event was named after long time PGA member Tom Sorenson who has given s much to the game of golf, especially through juniors. The 2-day, 36 hole event was held at Glendale and Mountain Dell Golf Course. The prize for the champion is a coveted place in the Siegfried and Jensen Utah Open at Oakridge Country Club.
Coming off a tie for first at Eagle Mountain and an outright win at Bountiful Ridge, Timpview’s senior-to-be C.J. Lee had high expectations heading into the Tom Sorenson Junior Championship. The first day at Glendale he started off on fire with four birdies in his first five holes but then cooled off and finished the nine at 1-under. “I was 4-under and got nervous and started making bogeys,” Lee said. He then went on to finish the day with a 2-under 70 which was good enough to put him in a three-way tie for first.
Going into the second day at Mtn. Dell his nerves were getting to him because the Canyon Course was one he had never played and he knew a spot in the Utah Open was at stake. Lee was solidly playing the challenging Mtn. Dell Canyon Course and was four over after eleven holes. The only problem was his playing partner, Bingham’s Mana Angilau was playing very well and was 2-under.
Lee continued to keep his poise and had brought the deficit to just one with three to play. After both players made pars on 16 and 17 and Lee already in for par on 18, Angilau just missed his 10-foot putt for par and the players were headed to sudden death after matching 75s. It looked very promising for Angilau on the first playoff hole as he hit his approach shot to 5 feet with Lee looking at 20 feet for his birdie. Lee calmly sank his long putt which brought a big smile to his face and Angilau matched it with a birdie of his own.
On the second hole, a par 3, Lee hit his shot to about 20 feet below the hole. Angilau, caught a bad break when his tee shot clipped the limbs of a tree and fell into long grass and wasn’t found. He then hit his third shot into the greenside bunker and after missing the green on his next shot allowed Lee to finish up with a two-putt and the win. Lee will now look forward to August 26th as he will get the chance to tee it up at the Utah Open at Oakridge Country Club.