IMG Junior Golf Tour crowns Yvonne Zheng with third consecutive title

The IMG Junior Golf Tour crowned Bradenton’s Yvonne Zheng the girls’ champion for the third consecutive time this season at Victoria Hills Golf Club in DeLand, Fla this past weekend. The event marks the club’s second consecutive year hosting the event. The Ron Garl-designed course is home to Stetson University men’s and women’s golf teams and is consistently ranked by Golfweek as the 14th best public course in the state. Attractive weather and a challenging course design provided the ideal environment for tournament play. 

In the Girls 15-18 Division, IMG Academy golf program student Yvonne Zheng of Bradenton Fla., won her third Tour event in a row with a 72-73=145(+1). Said Zheng of her third consecutive Tour victory, “I played steady throughout the weekend. I hit every fairway and put myself in situations to hit greens consistently.” She continued, “The competition (with runner-up Libman) was really intense all day.”

Zheng, who has committed to play at UCLA, has taken a commanding lead in the points race for an exemption into the upcoming LPGA Symetra Tour event. Meanwhile, runner-up honors in the Girls 15-18 went to Hadas Libman of Israel, shooting a 73-73+146(+2). Lisa Unterganschnigg of Austria finished third with a 74-79= 153 (+9). 

IMG Academy golf program student Sarun Arjparu took home the Boys 15-18 title scoring a 77-72=149(+5), and coming in with the low final round. Said Arjparu of his performance on Sunday, which included going 2-under on the back nine, “It was a great comeback. I hit good spots on the greens and collected two birdies out of it.” 

Also within the Boys 15-18 division, runner-up honors went to Steven Lu of Bradenton Fla, with a 75-76=151(+7). Phetnoy Siboupha and Mario Beltran tied for third, each carding a 152. Beltran previously finished second at the Tour’s season kickoff event in September. 

Cole Berger of Lakeland, Fla. took home first place in the Boys 11-14 division, finishing the weekend with an 80-80=160 (+16). 

Additionally, this week’s Bite Tech Most Improved players were Emily Hughes of Blacklick, Ohio, who improved her score by 12 strokes over two rounds, and Zach Katz of Old Tappan, New Jersey, who improved his score by 11 strokes. 

The Tour gets right back into action at the World Golf Village in Saint Augustine, Fla., February 4-5. The event is open for registration through Monday, January 30th. Meanwhile, registration remains open for both Tour membership and future individual events. Tournaments are open to boys and girls ages 11-18 (11-14 & 15-18 age divisions for both boys and girls). A new lower pricing option ($184, excluding meals, practice round) is available this season for members.