The IMG Junior Golf Tour was developed to fill a key niche in junior golf, the IMG Junior Golf Tour provides an elite setting for junior golfers to compete and gain exposure to college golf, professional golf, national junior rankings and athletic excellence.
Held in Florida every December, and open to boys and girls ages 11-18, the the IMG Academy Junior World Florida Challengeis a qualification and invitation only event featuring an international field of over 200 players.News
Tomeo breaks through with big win at Falcon's Fire
Southeast season kickoff draws full field of 90 players
KISSIMMEE, FLA – The IMG Junior Golf Tour teed off with the Southeast Kickoff at Falcon’s Fire Golf Club in Kissimmee, Fla., held Oct. 26-27. The event attracted a full field of 90 players from 18 countries.
Leading the way in the boys 15-18 division was last season’s Tour Player of the Year and IMG Academy student-athlete Shuhei Takahashi (Japan). Takahashi paced his division with a 5-under 141, edging out runners-up Lucas Park (St. Augustine, Fla.) and countryman and fellow IMG Academy student, Taichi Kunieda, who finished T-2 at 3-under 143.
In the girls 15-18 division, Manatee High School (Bradenton, Fla.) sophomore Gabrielle Tomeo broke through with her first national-level victory in a tough field of 21 players, that included the likes of top-100 ranked Annie Kim of Seoul, South Korea. Tomeo carded round of 71-72 to finish at 3-under 143, hanging on to best Wenyan Ma of Windermere, Fla. (-2).
Other winners included Russia’s Artem Yalovenko and Orlando, Florida native Lisbeth Espinal who took the top spots in the boys and girls 11-14 divisions, respectively.
The Southeast Kickoff was ranked by the Golfweek/Sagarin Junior Rankings and Junior Golf Scoreboard, with top finishers earning AJGA Performance Based Entry status. The top-3 in each division also earned invitations to the IMG Academy Junior World Florida Challenge, to be held in the Sarasota area, Dec. 13-16.
For full results from the Southeast Kickoff at Falcon’s Fire, visit the IMG Junior Golf Tour website, HERE.
