Final Results - IJGT Major Championship at Crystal Springs Resort

International Junior Golf Tour (IJGT) Presents
Major Championship at Crystal Springs
Hamburg, N.J.
Sunday, September 8, 2013

Kim Wins First Major at Crystal Springs

Parsells Holds On in Girls Division

MCAFEE, N.J. - The International Junior Golf Tour (IJGT) held the first Major Event of their season the weekend of Sept. 7-8. Hosted by Crystal Springs's Great Gorge Country Club, a field of 56 players representing six states and three countries took their best stabs at the course. The tournament featured junior players ages 10-19 competing for national rankings, as well as double IJGT Merit Points.

Played on Great Gorge's nine-hole Quarryside and Railside Courses, the two combined to play as a par 70, with each nine-hole course featuring its own unique layout. Carved into the remnants of an old quarry, the Quarryside course marked the tighter of the two, while Railside, featuring artifacts of an old rail line, was more open but also more hilly. Located on a mountainside, swirling winds added an extra element of difficulty for the field.

In the Boys 15-19 Division, Kwanwoo Kim of Tenafly, N.J., was victorious, taking home his first IJGT Major Championship. Kim entered the final round two strokes back of first round leader, and KENTWOOL Socks Lo-Pro Award winner, Bobby Firth of Jenkintown, N.J., after carding an opening round 77.

Entering the final round, Kim was part of a group of 10 players all within four strokes of the lead. As part of the final group Sunday, Kim played alongside Firth, Thomas Kaczan of Clark, N.J., and Gerry Mackedon of Port Jefferson, N.Y. Unlike his partners, Kim was able to avoid any big mistakes.

While Kim made pars, and two birdies on holes Nos. 13 and 15, his opponents fell victim to Great Gorge's elements. Firth was the first to succumb, posting a nine on the fifth hole. Mackedon came next, as triple-bogeys on holes Nos. 7 and 9 pushed him too far back. Kaczan bogeyed holes Nos. 6 and 7 and never regained his confidence, while struggling on Railside (playing as the back nine.)

Kim continued with his pars on the difficult course and by the 16th hole held a comfortable lead. He managed a par-save from the sand on the par-5 16th, and then drained a 10-footer for par on hole No. 17. With one hole separating Kim for a Major victory, he did not let the pressure get to him, instead blasting a 300-plus yard drive right down the middle of the fairway on the closing hole. His approach stopped 20 feet from the cup, and he was able to comfortably two-putt to take home the championship. He finished the day with a 5-over-par, 75, to shoot 152 over the two days and was four strokes clear of Isaac Gorenstein of Nyack, N.Y., who finished second. Mike Bliss of Newtown, Pa., finished third with a tournament total of 157.

Kim said the hardest part of the course was, "The 7th, 8th and 9th," but noted his, "putting," allowed him to stay in the lead.

Paul Terminello of White Plains, N.Y., shot the low round in the final round to win the Clazic Belts Low Final Round Award with a 1-over, 71. It was also the lowest round of the tournament by any age group.

Like the Boys, the Girls Division featured a handful of players clustered at the top. After Saturday, Frida Henningsson, from Rye, N.Y., Christina Parsells, from Bernardsville, N.J., and Linda Wang, from Fresh Meadows, N.Y., were tied at the top of the leaderboard with 79. Yeji Shin of Norwood, N.J., and Megan McLean of Lebanon, N.J., lurked within striking distance. It was Parsells, however, who ended the tournament on top of the leaderboard.

Henningsson, Parsells, and Wang all earned the KENTWOOL Socks Lo-Pro Award for their performance in the first round.

Wang was the first to find trouble. Her tee shot on the par-3 12th (Girls Division teed off on hole No.10) landed unluckily in the middle of a bunker containing the stands of an old train rail, which played as an integral part of the course. She was forced to chip sideways in the bunker, before chipping out Wang finished with a double-bogey on the hole and lost all momentum.

With their fellow competitors faltering, Henningsson and Parsells were neck-and-neck, with each golfer playing their first nine at 2-over-par.

In the group ahead of them, Shin was putting together her own impressive round, trying to make a comeback victory for the second week in a row. With many sloped greens, making birdie was no easy task, and she had to settle for multiple pars on her way to a 2-over-par 72 and 153 tournament total. That could have been good enough to lead her to victory, but Parsells did not give her the chance.

While Henningsson struggled on the second nine, Parsells shot an even-par to match Shin with a 2-over-par 72 and finished at 151 for the tournament to earn the championship and double Merit Points.

When asked what the key to victory for her, Parsells quickly noted her driver, mentioning, "I only missed two fairways all week."

Eun Won Park of Tenafly, N.J., quietly put together a 4-over-par, 74 on Sunday to crawl back into contention. Her strong showing in the final round was enough to finish in third place with a 156.

Parsells and Shin tied for the low round in the Girls Division with their 72s on the final day to win the Clazic Belts Low Final Round Award.

The Boys 14 & Under Division could not match the drama of the other divisions, but still featured strong play. Joe Parrini of York, Pa., jumped out to a comfortable lead after firing a 79 in the first round. Luke Sample of New York, N.Y., was Parrini's closest competitor at 11 strokes back.

Parrini was not as strong on Sunday, but the lead he built the day before allowed him to play more relaxed. He shot a round of 87, which included eight pars and a birdie to finish at 166 for the tournament en route to his Major Championship.

Parrini said he "plans to play at Jeffersonville," as his next tournament and build off the confidence from a Major victory.

Sample shot an 88 on Sunday to finish at 178 for the championship, and earned second place. Matthew Bastian of Media, Pa. rounded out the top three.

The IJGT Northeast tour will be back at it the weekend of Sept. 14-15 in Jeffersonville, Pa., for the IJGT Philly Open. The tournament will be played at Jeffersonville Golf Club. To sign up for this Event, or others, visit www.IJGT.com/info or call 888.936.5327.

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, Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, Kiawah Island Resort, 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, Sundog Eyewear, Golfweek morodZ, PURE Grips, and the International Junior Golf Academy.

To obtain more information about the IJGT, please visit www.IJGT.com/info or call 888.936.5327.

MCAFEE, N.J. - Final-round results of the IJGT Major Championship at Crystal Springs conducted by the International Junior Golf Tour completed September 8, 2013. Boys 15-19 Division: Blue Tees - 6,590 yards, Par 70 (72.5/135) Boys 14 & Under Division: Green Tees - 6,049 yards, Par 70 (69.6/130) Girls Division: White Tees - 5,709 yards, Par 70 (74.1/133)

Weather: Saturday: Sunny with temperatures in the low 70's with 5-10 mph winds
Sunday: Sunny with temperatures in the low 70's with 5-10 mph winds

International Junior Golf Tour
Major Championship at Crystal Springs
McAfee, N.J.
September 7-8, 2013

Great Gorge Golf Club (Quarry/Rail)

Boys 15-19 Division - Blue Tees, 6,590 yards, Par 70
1. Kwanwoo Kim, Tenafly, NJ *77-75--152
2. Isaac Gorenstein, Nyack, NY *79-77--156
3. Mike Bliss, Newtown, PA *79-78--157
4. Matthew Bastian, Media, PA *85-73--158
5. Ryan Skae, Old Tappan, NJ *84-75--159
5. Eric Terminello, White Plains, NY *79-80--159
5. Bobby Firth, Jenkintown, PA *75-84--159
8. Paul Terminello, White Plains, NY *89-71--160
8. Thomas Urciuoli, Short Hills, NJ *85-75--160
10. Dominic Pizzurro-Gomez, White Plains, NY *89-72--161
10. Vinay Ramesh, Newtown, PA *79-82--161
10. Nicholas Infanti, Clarksburg, MD *80-81--161
10. Dominick Mancinelli, Moosic, PA *78-83--161
10. Nate Menon, Wyomissing, PA *79-82--161
15. Sam Goldenring, Florham Park, NJ *82-80--162
15. Thomas Kaczan, Clark, NJ *76-86--162
15. Gerry Mackedon, Port Jefferson, NY *77-85--162
18. Nick Geiman, York, PA *81-82--163
18. Daniel Melcher, New York, NY *82-81--163
18. Bobby Piluso, Ridgewood, NJ *79-84--163
21. Jonny Slater, Old Tappan, NJ *84-81--165
21. Christopher Chiminski, Penns Park, PA *82-83--165
23. Justin Murray, Burlington, NJ *85-81--166
23. Asher Greenberg, Weston, CT *82-84--166
25. Brendon Kim, Rivervale, NJ *84-83--167
26. Jonny Emmerman, Scarsdale, NY *84-85--169
27. Hunter Lee, Great Neck, NY *87-83--170
28. Ross Rabin, Woodcliff Lake, NJ *85-88--173
29. Leonard Lee, Wyckoff, NJ *85-90--175
30. Angelo Mancinelli, Moosic, PA *85-93--178
31. Robert Shaner, Fort Lee, NJ *92-87--179
32. Matthew Quigley, West Milford, NJ *93-88--181
33. Cameron Hsieh, New York, NY *93-89--182
34. Cristian Cerza, Greenwich, CT *98-90--188
35. Peter Beckwermert, Wayne, NJ *101-93--194
36. Daniel Makarevich, Great Meadows, NJ *107-92--199

DID NOT FINISH

Zackary Potten, Wharton, NJ *90-DQ (Rule 6-3a)
Jack Faraci, Port Jefferson Station, NY *86-JWD

Boys 14 & Under Division - Green Tees, 6,049yards, Par 70
1. Joe Parrini, York, PA *79-87--166
2. Luke Sample, New York, NY *90-88--178
3. Daniel Bastian, Media, PA *92-89--181

Girls Division - White Tees, 5,709 yards, Par 70
1. Christina Parsells, Bernardsville, NY *79-72--151
2. Yeji Shin, Norwood, NJ *81-72--153
3. Eun Won Park, Tenafly, NJ *85-74--159
4. Frida Henningsson, Rye, NY *79-81--160
5. Linda Wang, Fresh Meadows, NY *79-86--165
6. Allyson Wentworth, Stewartsville, NJ *84-82--166
7. Megan McLean, Lebanon, NJ *81-86--167
8. Katie Lee, Ringoes, NJ *85-83--168
9. Riley Smyth, Old Tappan, NJ *85-84--169
10. Raphaella Kang, Bayside, NY *84-86--170
11. Madison Braman, Loudonville, NY *86-86--172
12. Summer Kitahara, Greenwich, CT *87-87--174
13. Jasmine Kitahara, Greenwich, CT *96-95--191
14. Kate Weiss, Greenwich, CT *97-96--193

DID NOT FINISH

Zora Moore, Milford, NJ *JWD