Hank Haney International Junior Golf Academy Students Sweep IJGT at Saddlebrook

A highly skilled field of junior golfers gathered at the Saddlebrook Resort to compete in the 36-hole International Junior Golf Tour (IJGT) Florida Swing at Saddlebrook. It was played on the Palmer Course, which is a par-71 layout designed by golf legend Arnold Palmer. The day started off with intermittent rain, but the sun eventually came out giving the juniors soft greens and fairways, which yielded some low scores.

Mark Folkwein of Midland, Mich., won the Boys 15-19 Division crown in dramatic fashion to take home his second IJGT victory of the 2011-2012 season. Folkwein, a Hank Haney International Junior Golf Academy (HHIJGA) student, opened up the tournament with a 1-over-par 72 in his first round but trailed the leader, Poom Pattaropong (HHIJGA) of Bangkok, Thailand, who carded an even-par 71.

Both players got off to shaky starts in the second round with Pattaropong three-putting and Folkwein four-putting the first green. Folkwein recovered quickly with a birdie on the second hole. Going into the back-nine it looked like Folkwein was going to walk away with the trophy, but Pattaropong made two birdies late on the back nine to pull within one stroke with one hole left.

No. 18 on the Palmer Course at Saddlebrook Resort is a short, but testing par-3, especially with the Sunday hole location just eight yards from the water. Pattaropong hit his approach shot to 15 feet, then Folkwein stepped up and put it eight feet from the hole. Pattaropong made his birdie putt, but Folkwein responded like a true champion and hit his birdie putt dead center for the victory.

Folkwein finished with a 1-under-par 70 which included a back-nine score of 34 and five birdies on the day. On the weekend, Folkwein took advantage of the short par-5's at the Palmer Course, having played them at 4-under-par.

"Poom was fighting back hard on the back, and he made a clutch 15 foot putt from off the green for birdie. And I had to make an eight foot putt of my own for the win. I just went and made it," replied Folkwein when asked about what was going through his head on No. 18.

Finishing in second place was Pattaropong with a tournament total of 1-over-par 143. Moe Numpituckchaikul (HHIJGA) of Bangkok, Thailand took third place with a tournament total of 3-over-par 145. His final round score of 1-under-par 70 earned him the Clazic Belts Low Final Round Award with Folkwein who also finished with a 1-under-par 70 on Sunday.

Ayaka Nakayama (HHIJGA) of Kanagawa, Japan found her way back to the winner's circle again for the seventh time this 2011-2012 season. This IJGT title was unique, however, because she had to overcome a three stroke deficit during Sunday's final round. The critical point in the second day came on the par-3, seventh hole at the Palmer Course, when Nakayama took dead aim at the flagstick.

"On hole No. 7, I hit a seven iron to a couple of feet and made the birdie," said Nakayama.

Over the course of the weekend, Nakayama played the par-3's almost perfectly playing them at 5-under-par. Nakayama's final round 1-over-par 72 gave her a tournament total of 150. Her final round score was the lowest score in the Girls Division and won her the coveted Clazic Belts Low Final Round Award.

Finishing in second place was Cake Phuchanbanchob (HHIJGA) of Chiang Mai, Thailand with a tournament score of 151. This was Phuchanbanchob's best finish in an IJGT event this season. Taking home third place was Ana Paula Valdes (HHIJGA) of Morelia, Mexico who finished with a tournament total of 156.

There was another repeat Champion in the Boys 14 & Under Division. Lohith Ramaraju (HHIJGA) of London, England captured his third IJGT title of the 2011-2012 season after recording rounds of 74 and 76. Going into Sunday's round Ramaraju held a five stroke lead, but he stuck to his game plan of playing safe and avoiding large scores that might allow his fellow competitors back into the hunt. Ramaraju was able to put it in cruise control on the back nine and finished three shots ahead of his nearest competitor.

Ramaraju was able to score really well this weekend because of his deft touch around the tricky greens on the Palmer Course. "My short game was going well leaving me with short putts all day," he said.

In second place was Will Thomson of Pittsford, N.Y., with a tournament total of 153. He fired a 3-over-par 74 on Sunday which was the lowest score in the Boys 14 & Under Division on the day. Finishing in a tie for third place were Tennoshin Ogawa (HHIJGA) of Ichinomiya-shi, Japan and Masato Yoshitsugu (HHIJGA) of Aichi, Japan with total scores of 160.

The IJGT will make its next Southeast stop in Hilton Head Island, S.C., on April 28 - April 29, 2012 for the IJGT KENTWOOL Socks Open at Oyster Reef. Every player in the field will receive a pair of KENTWOOL's "World's Best Golf Sock."

To sign up for this event or others, or for more information call (800) 792-9143 or visit www.IJGT.com.

About the IJGT

The IJGT provides exceptional junior golfers with the opportunity to develop and showcase their competitive skills while setting high standards to preserve the traditions and integrity of the game. As a tour that operates primarily throughout the academic year, the IJGT hosts approximately 60 tournaments annually. In addition, the IJGT hosts three international events. Each event provides multi-day competition for junior golfers of all skill levels ages 9-19. Players representing 45 states and 43 countries around the world regularly compete in events at venues such as TPC Sawgrass, Pinehurst, Bethpage State Park, and Harbour Town Golf Links. Official partners of the IJGT include Bridgestone Golf, Quagmire Golf, KENTWOOL, CHAMP Spikes, Clazic Belts, AB Golf Designs, The First Tee, Golf Digest/Golf World, and Hank Haney International Junior Golf Academy.

To obtain more information about the IJGT, please visit www.IJGT.com or call (800) 792-9143.
WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. - Final round results of the IJGT Florida Swing at Saddlebrook conducted by the International Junior Golf Tour completed April 22, 2012. Boys 15-19 Division: Blue Tees - 6508 yards, par 71 (72.3/137). Boys 14 & Under Division: White Tees - 6064 yards, par 71 (69.8/130). Girls Division: Gold Tees - 5658 yards, par 71 (73.0/129)


Weather: Sunny with temperatures in the Low 80s
Rain mixed with Sun with temperatures in the Low 80s and wind of 10-15 m.p.h.


International Junior Golf Tour Florida Swing at Saddlebrook
Saddlebrook Resort - Palmer Course
Wesley Chapel, Fla.
April 21-22, 2012

Boys 15-19 Division - Blue Tees, 6508 yards, Par 71
1. Mark Folkwein, Midland, MI *72-70--142
2. Poom Pattaropong, Bangkok, Thailand *71-72--143
3. Moe Numpituckchaikul, Bangkok, Thailand *75-70--145
4. Ryoto Furuya, Wesley Chapel, FL *75-72--147
4. Matthew Kemps, Palos Verdes Estates, CA *77-72--149
4. Garrett Foss, Redmond, WA *74-75--149
4. Matthew Rushton, Cape Town, South Africa *73-76--149
8. David Riggs, Jacksonville, FL *74-76--150
9. Adrian Gonzalez, Chihuahua, Mexico *75-76--151
10. Daiki Okada, Tokyo, Japan *79-75--154
10. Evan Smith, Bluefield, WV *78-76--154
12. Jae Sung Hur, Seoul, South Korea *75-80--155
13. Kevin Reich, Winterthur, Switzerland *79-77--156
14. Braden Donayre, Miami, FL *80-77--157
14. Theron Ornt, Highland Park, IL *75-82--157
16. Jasper Volver, Kolding, Denmark *79-79--158
16. Chad Gehres, Brighton, MI *76-82--158
16. Matthew Kraus, Essex Fells, NJ *74-84--158
19. Bryce Huntt, Natick, MA *84-75--159
20. Diego Lamadrid Navarro, Leon, Mexico *87-73--160
21. Andrea DeBono, Basiglio, Italy *83-78--161
22. Ian Marr, Yarmouth, ME *80-83--163
22. Michael Nasser, Shreveport, LA *78-85--163
24. Sense Chaowalit, Thanyaburi Patumthani, Thailand *84-80--164
25. Mason Kincaid, Essex, England *80-85--165
26. Andrew Yuan, Bluffton, SC *83-85--168
27. Daniel Abraham, Maputo, Mozambique *81-88--169
28. John Conley, Leesburg, VA *86-84--170
29. Julius Lorentzen, Reno, NV *87-84--171
30. James Grigjanis-Meusel, Niagara on the Lake, Canada *85-87--172
31. Arturo Giacoman, Torreon, Mexico *90-85--175
32. Ryan Balfour, Edmonton, Canada *93-83--176
32. Keanu Hasmana, Jakarta, Indonesia *89-87--176
34. Wataru Koguchi, Fukuoka, Japan *93-89--182
35. Davis Keough, Cole Harbour, Canada *96-91--187
36. Phillip Talieh, Saratoga, CA *95-99--194
37. Sheock Hyun Shim, Seoul, South Korea *114-117--231

DID NOT FINISH
David Behnke, Wesley Chapel, FL *92-DQ (Rule 6-3a)

Boys 14 & Under Division - White Tees, 6064 yards, Par 71
1. Lohith Ramaraju, London, England *74-76--150
2. Will Thomson, Pittsford, NY *79-74--153
3. Tennoshin Ogawa, Ichinomiya-shi, Japan *80-80--160
3. Masato Yoshitsugu, Aichi, Japan *79-81--160
5. Myles Jacobs, Wesley Chapel, FL *79-84--163
6. Shogo Ito, Tokyo, Japan *90-79--169
6. Chandler Morris, Waterbury, CT *83-86--169
8. Dongjin Park, Fresh Meadows, NY *83-94--177
9. Kevin Ying, Shanghai, China *86-95--181
10. William Glowacki, Centreville, MD *91-98189

DID NOT FINISH
Prescott Butler, Locust Valley, NY *DQ (Rule 6-3a)

Girls Division - Gold Tees, 5658 yards, Par 71
1. Ayaka Nakayama, Kanagawa, Japan *78-72--150
2. Cake Phuchanbanchob, Chiang Mai, Thailand *76-75--151
3. Ana Paula Valdes, Morelia, Mexico *75-81--156
4. Amanda He, Windermere, FL *83-82--165
4. Grace Kim, Sao Paulo, Brazil *81-84--165
6. Phyllis Tang, Hong Kong, China *79-88--167
7. Soo Jin Lim, Seoul, South Korea *88-86--174
8. Paige Cappelli, Blue Bell, PA *83-92--175
9. Kathryn Crouch, Harker Heights, TX *80-96--176
10. Kate Alty, Kingston, Canada *83-100--183
11. Veronica Vetesnik, Winnipeg, Canada *89-97--186
12. Kali Boyer, New Ringgold, PA *105-90--195
13. Teresa Christofaro, Wesley Chapel, FL *100-109--209
14. Alana Brand, Pennyan, NY *138-142--280