Driscoll drives it home for first FCWT titleConnor Driscoll of Encinitas, CA (2007) found himself in 4th place at the end of the first round of the Teal Bend Junior Golf Classic. The first round was delayed an hour and a half and then the weather was cold and windy, but Driscoll had managed an opening round of 75 so he was still in the hunt with two rounds to play. On Sunday, Driscoll improved his score by 2 strokes to put a 73 on the board and find himself in a tie for 2nd going into Monday's final round. On Monday, Driscoll teed it up in the next to the last group in the Boys 16-18 division. He would not know how the leaders were faring, nor where he stood. It didn't matter. Driscoll went out and fired a final round of 3 under par 69 to tie with Robby Ziegler of Canby, OR (2008) for the Low Round honors of the day. However, there would be no tie for the title - Driscoll's round of 69 was just enough to give him a one shot advantage over the overnight leader seventeen year old Josh Dupont of Poway, CA (2007). Dupont, who led this division in birdies with 11, carded a round of even par on Sunday to take the lead from FCWT newcomer Zack Kanny of Ventura, CA (2007). Dupont's final round of 73 matched his opening round, but wasn't enough to give him the win this time. Dupont, an FCWT veteran, has had Top 5 finishes each of his three years on tour. He will enter the final round with a three stroke advantage over second place. Finishing in 3rd place was another FCWT veteran, senior Nicolas Podesta of Yuba City, CA. Podesta opened with a round of 77 but fought his way back with 2 consecutive rounds of 71 to finish in a medalist spot. Kenneth McCready of Placerville, CA, the FCWT 13-15 Western Region Player of the Year in 2003-04, carded a second round of 72 to move from tied for 8th to 6th, then carded another round of 72 to finish in 4th for the event, one shot ahead of Robby Ziegler of Canby, OR, who tied Driscoll for the Low Round honors with 69. Zack Kanny of Ventura, CA (2007), the first round leader, finished in 6th place in his first FCWT event. Jonathan Cockerill of NV carded 2 eagles during the final round on holes 3 and 17! In the Boys 11-12 division, Jay Burlison of Salinas, CA (2013), took the lead from Kyle Bowser of Danville, CA (2012) on Sunday and went on to win in his first FCWT event! Burlison, fired a final round of even par to extend his advantage over Bowser from 3 strokes to 8 on the final day. Twelve year old Andrew Olson of Brentwood, CA, finished in third place. In the Boys 13-15 division, fourteen year old Parker Houston of Rancho Santa Fe, CA (2010), fired a one under par round on Sunday to move from second place into 1st place and then carded a second round of 71 to win by 7 strokes over Reid Martin. Houston, who won the FCWT Tucson event in November, will now be nominated for the FCWT 1st Team All-American in the 13-15 division. First round leader Reid Martin of Mukilteo, WA (2009), who was the 2003-04 FCWT Boys 11-12 National Champion, earned his second Top 3 finish of the season. Martin led this division in birdies with 10. Matt Rawitzer of Bellingham, WA (2009), 15, finished in 3rd place. On Sunday, Rawitzer moved from 5th to 3rd with a second round score of 73. Kevin Rei of Sonora, CA (2008), finished in 4th place and Sam Smith of Turlock, CA (2009) rounded out the Top 5 |
