UPPER SANDUSKY — On Wednesday, July 17, the Heart of Ohio Junior Golf Association (HOJGA) was scheduled to hold their final tournament event in Marysville before their annual “Best of the Best” tournament the following day. However, that event proved to be a wash due to the weather so, on Thursday, the juniors made their way to the Lincoln Hills Golf Club in Upper Sandusky to compete in the Chad A. Wheeler tourney.
In total, nine of 14 winners and runner-ups of the HOJGA tournament series were in action, playing 18 holes from the white tees of the par-72 course.
Alex Pratt of Pleasant and Justin Brackenridge of Fairbanks battled it out head-to-head for the title as both athletes carded one-under 71 scores to force a playoff. In that playoff, Pratt secured the championship with a bogey on the hole, leaving Brackenridge as the runner-up on the day.
Nathan Stewart of Delaware Christian nabbed third, turning in a five-over par 77 while Jacob Beaschler of Marion Harding and Minoy Shah of Pleasant turned in 80 scorecards. Fairbanks’ Alex Crowe finished sixth with an 82, followed by Chase Brackenridge of Delaware St. Mary at 91, good for seventh. Thomas Kaufman of River Valley rounded out the top-eight, firing a 92 on the day at Lincoln Hills.
A plaque will be presented to the winner at the Year-End Awards Banquet on Thursday, July 25 at Kings Mill in Waldo.
HOJGA requests for junior golfers to send in their reservation slips to attend the Year-End Awards Banquet. The event will honor all juniors and guest speaker Dennis Jesse, Corporate Sponsor of HOJGA. Registration is set to begin between 5 and 5:30 p.m. with the pizza and salad buffet opening up at 6 p.m. Jesse will go on as the speaker at approximately 7 p.m. and will be followed by the presentation of awards, scholarships, prize drawings and raffle sales/winner of complete set of Tommy Armour TA1 Irons KBS Tour 95 (4-PW).
Due to the recent rescheduled tournament at Marysville due to a rainout, please mail banquet reservations to: HOJGA, P.O. Box 821, Marion, Ohio 43301-0821 or call 740-389-6207.
Scholarships will be awarded based on the amount of contributions received to support these awards.
Awards will be presented to participants in two different age categories: 13-15, 16-18; using the players’ age as of September 1 as the qualifier for determining the players age grouping
Each year the Heart of Ohio Junior Golf Association sponsors an Awards Banquet. At which time, the junior golfers who finish first and second in the overall points in the 16-18 age bracket will receive The David J. Wensinger Player of the Year $2000 Scholarship, and Ross Carley Memorial Player of the Year runner-up $1500 Scholarship award respectively. Also included are five additional $500 scholarships and a 13-15 year old division Player of the Year $500 Scholarship.
Two rotational trophies will also be presented to the overall points winners in both the 16-18 and 13-15 age groups. These trophies will be replaced with a plaque to allow the golfers to remember their accomplishment throughout their lives.
Points will be awarded on the position of finish in each of the tournaments played and distributed in the following manner: 1st place-20 points; 2nd place- 17 points; 3rd place- 15 points; 4th place- 13 points; 5th place- 11 points; 6th place- 9 points; 7th place- 7 points; 8th place- 5 points; 9th place- 3 points and 10th place- 1 point.
In the event of ties, points for each position will be totaled and divided evenly between all participants with fractions being rounded to the nearest tenth of a point.
Two rotational trophies will also be awarded in age groups 13-15 and 16-18 for those players with the lowest stroke average per tournament (best 5 tournament scores). In order to be eligible for this trophy, a player must have participated in five tournaments. Replacement plaques will be awarded in return for the rotational trophies at next season’s Awards Banquet.
This program approved by the United States Golf Association (USGA) on July 6, 1987, by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) on June 24, 1987 and is in accordance with the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA). Junior golfers competing in the 16-18 age division who have finished participation in five tournaments are eligible to earn scholarships by the following method; 1: Junior golfers earning the recognition of HOJGA “Player of the Year”, as well as the runner-up to that accomplishment will qualify for first level consideration to receive a scholarship award. 2: Upon graduation from high school the student shall satisfy the following criteria to be considered as the award recipient: A. The junior golfer shall graduate with an academic average of “C” or better. B. The junior golfer shall obtain the written recommendation of his/her high school athletic director confirming that consideration is appropriate on the basis that the candidate has satisfactorily performed his/her school affiliated responsibilities. C. The junior golfer shall, in the evaluation of the HOJGA Scholarship Committee, have conducted himself/herself in a manner consistent with the “Code of Conduct” of the HOJGA. This scholarship awards program shall be administered in accordance with the published NCAA guidelines and requirements.
There will be plaques given in all three age groups for sportsmanship: 12 and under; 13-15 and 16-18. HOJGA members will choose a junior golfer within his/her division whom they believe to have presented true sportsmanlike conduct throughout the current year and why. Forms will be presented, collected and counted by tournament officials, who will then choose from the top five nominees. Officials’ decision will be final. Forms for nomination must be received no later than the appointed date.
