Team Texas turned hometown heroes with its victory at the 2023 13u National Car Rental PGA Jr. League Championship today.
With the sun setting and ESPN cameras rolling, No. 2 seed Team Texas (Farmers Branch) defeated No. 4 seed Team Utah (Lehi) 6.5 – 5.5 in the match play Championship final at PGA Frisco’s Fields Ranch West.
No one could have asked for a closer match. The teams went wire-to-wire, with the title coming down to the last match, on the last hole, between Team Utah’s Jordan Ofahengaue and Blake Brown, both 13, and Team Texas’s Chase Roman, 13, and Lincoln Rubis, 11.
2021 Champion Team Utah needed an eagle on the final hole to force a playoff and another shot at the title. They couldn’t get there, but that didn’t stop Coach Tele Wightman, PGA, from beaming about his team.
“You know, I’m just so proud of the boys,” said Wightman, PGA Director of Golf at Thanksgiving Point Golf Club. “They competed all week and it was a great semifinal win against Florida today. They made the shots when they had to, we knew Texas would be tough and it was tight all the way, you know. They just made one more putt than we did. So, hats off to Texas. I’m proud of our kids.”
The Finaus blended in with the crowd of families proudly watching their kids’ teamwork on display.
“I’m just a spectator, just a father,” said Jraice’s dad and six-time PGA Tour winner Tony Finau to Michael Collins’ on the ESPN2 broadcast, just before their final hole. “He got three flags for his team today. Hopefully it’s enough to get them into a playoff, but if not, I had a great time following my son.”