By Josh Green
The Utah PGA Junior series hosted their second Junior Major of the year on June 21-22 with the Tooele County Major taking place at Oquirrh Hills Golf course. With one Utah State Amateur spot available players competed for the bid alongside a qualifying spot into the Major Championship taking place at Hobble Creek this July, which can be clinched with a top 3 finish in any age division.
After 36-holes three individuals found themselves tied at 3-over-par 147. With only one State-Amateur spot available Cooper Nelson, Ben Ackley, and Eastyn Ewell entered a three-man playoff. After one hole Nelson came out on top by saving par, earning himself an entry into the State-Amateur. Despite falling to Nelson in the playoff Ackley clinched a spot into the end of season Major championship alongside third place medalist for the Boys 17-18 division Daniel Chandler, who carded 9-over-par 153 for the tournament.
The Girls 17-18 division was also decided by a one-hole playoff between Madalyn Hadley and Avery Parker who finished 36-holes at 14-over-par 158. After getting up and down for par Hadley clinched the division title. Alongside Hadley and Parker Hunter Gledhill medaled in the division shooting a 15-over-par 159, joining them in the end of season Major.
Ewell captured the Boys 15-16 title by five strokes thanks to a 1-under-par second round highlighted by an eagle on hole 17. Following Ewell, a three-way tie for second with scores of 8-over-par 152 by Bronx Campbell, Cameron Summerhays, and Rocco Humphrey rounded out the medalists for the division.
In route to a Girls 15-16 division title Kate Walker was the only individual to card an under-par performance throughout the tournament. Walker’s 2-under-par second-day performance led to a tournament low 142. Remi Rawlings and Shelby Gardner earned division medalist honors with Rawlings carding 156, 12-over-par, and Gardner carding 160, 160-over-par.
Wyatt Biagi and Tazlyn Wagner topped the Boys 13-14 and Girls 13-14 leaderboards shooting 156 and 161 in the tournament. Boone Brown and Gordon Gatrell earned medalist honors in the Boys 13-14 division and will join Biagi in the end of season Major Championship while Mikaila Lieu and Paige Anae will join Wagner in the Girls 13-14 division.
Tooele County Junior Major photos including all division medalists are available here.
A full leaderboard and more information is available at utahpga.com.