WESTFIELD CENTER, OHIO – Luke Guthrie, 16, of Quincy, Ill., Cassandra Blaney, 16, of Rochester, N.Y., Robert Greenleaf, 14, of Makawao, Hawaii, and Amelia Lewis, 15, of Jacksonville, Fla., won the Callaway Golf PGA Junior Series Player of the Year awards in their respective divisions of the Callaway Golf PGA Junior Series. The Junior Series completed its 11th year of competition for juniors between the ages of 13-18, holding 10 events nationwide.
Guthrie captured his second consecutive Player of the Year honors, this year in the boys’ 16-18 division, with 420 points. Guthrie played in the first three events, finishing in second place at Kearney Hill Golf Links in Lexington, Ky., third at The Walker Course at Clemson (S.C.) University, and seventh at the Duke University Golf Club, in Durham, N.C.
"I played solid all season and stayed close to the top in just about every tournament," said Guthrie. "I wish I could have had one more big victory to cap off the summer, but I still enjoyed it."
Blaney also picked up her second consecutive year with POY honors in the girls’ 16-18 division much like the way she dominated the 13-15 division last year. Blaney played in seven events this summer, capturing four victories and three second place finishes totaling 2,040 points. Blaney won at Kearney Hill Golf Links, The Walker Course at Clemson University, Santa Ana (Pueblo) Golf Club in New Mexico, and Westbrook Country Club in Mansfield, Ohio, the last event of the series. She took second at the Duke University Golf Club, the Cannon Ridge Golf Club in Fredericksburg, Va., and at the Air Force Academy’s Eisenhower Golf Club in Colorado Springs, Co. Jennifer Clark of Kansas City, Kan., finished in second place with 545 points.
"It feels really good to win player of the year in my first year in the older girls division," said Blaney, who will be representing the United States on the U.S. Junior Ryder Cup Team on September 18-19 at Celtic Manor Resort in Wales, United Kingdom. "My favorite part of the summer was my win in Kentucky. It was a big breakthrough for me. I broke 70 for the first time, and it really got the summer started."
Greenleaf fought hard for the honors in the boys’ 13-15 division, as he played in six events on this summer’s series, finishing with 945 points. Greenleaf played in the first five events of the season, picking up his first win at the fifth event at Shaker Hills Golf Links in Harvard, Mass. Greenleaf finished in third place at Kearney Hill Golf Links, fourth at The Walker Course at Clemson University, third at Cannon Ridge Golf Club, and tied for fifth at the last event at Westbrook Country Club. Greenleaf went home to Hawaii after the fifth event to compete in and eventually win the Hawaii State Junior Championship, but came back for the last event to secure his POY status. Timothy Crouch of Mount Vernon, Ohio, finished in second place on the standings with 675 points.
"This was my goal at the beginning of the year, and it feels good to fulfill it," said Greenleaf, who is planning to come back next year and defend his award in the same division. "I enjoy being able to watch myself improve from year to year."
In the girls’ 13-15 division, Lewis claimed the POY honors with 1,485 points for the series. Lewis took first place at The Walker Course at Clemson University, Shaker Hills Golf Club, and at Santa Ana Golf Club. She also took second place at Kearney Hill Golf Links and at the Air Force Academy’s Eisenhower Golf Club. Second place in the division went to Rachel Rohanna of Waynesburg, Pa., who finished with 750 points.
"I had a lot of fun all summer," said Lewis, who was only home for one week all summer. "There are some tournaments where I know I could have done better, but I am very happy with everything that I have achieved."
Since its debut in the summer of 1996, the Callaway Golf PGA Junior Series has provided affordable and competitive playing opportunities for boys and girls between the ages of 13 and 18 who have not yet started college. The Callaway Golf PGA Junior Series consisted of 10 events played throughout the United States from May through August.
Celebrating its 90th anniversary, The PGA of America was founded in 1916, and is a not-for-profit organization that promotes the game of golf while continuing to enhance the standards of the profession. The Association is comprised of more than 28,000 men and women PGA Professionals who are dedicated to growing participation in the game of golf.
Contact:
Anthony Vitale
(561) 628-8812
Tourntmp2@pgahq.com
