Round 2 Recap

Senior Geoff Gonzalez of Diablo, CA, began the final round of the Hunter Ranch Junior Golf Classic in second place, one stroke back of first round leader Senior Grant Doverspike of Bakersfield, CA.  On Sunday, Gonzalez, who opened with a round of 1 over par on Saturday, fired a round of 4 under par 68 to win by 4 strokes and earn his second FCWT title of the 2005-06 season.  [He won at Bayonet earlier this month.]  Geoff began Sunday's round with 4 pars in a row and then carded 4 birdies in a row, making the turn at 4 under par.  A bogey on 11 was offset by a birdie on 15, thus the 4 under par total.  For Doverspike it was a solid event of 72-73 and his fourth Top 3 finish of the season, including two wins at Bear Creek West and Coyote Creek.  Clark Granum of San Diego, CA (2007), the only player to card an eagle in the opening round, finished in 3rd place - his second Top 3 of the season.  Graham Kent of Lynden, WA (2007), playing in his first FCWT event of the season, finished in 4th place at 148 (75-73).  Sixteen year old JD Archibald of Simi Valley, CA (2008) and senior Ben Wescoe of La Jolla, CA, finished in a tie for 5th.

Second place at the end of round one seemed like a good place to be this weekend on the FCWT.  Both the Boys division winners at Orange Lake came from 2nd place to win and so did both the Boys divisions winners at Hunter Ranch.  On Saturday Cory McElyea of Santa Cruz, CA (2010) took the first round lead with a round of 73 (+1).  McElyea, who won at Coyote Creek, recently finished T5 at Bayonet.  Starting the day on Sunday in a tie for 2nd at +4 were Matt Rawitzer of Bellingham, WA (2009) and Sam Smith of Turlock, CA (2009).  Rawitzer won in February at Turkey Creek and Smith won earlier this month at Bayonet.  On Sunday, it was Sam Smith who fired a round of 67, 5 under par, that included 6 birdies and only one bogey and landed in the winner's circle for his second FCWT title this month.  McElyea carded his own final round of 1 under par but Smith finished 1 stroke ahead of him.  Thirteen year old Patrick Grimes of Palo Alto, CA (2011) also carded a final round of one under par 71 to finish in 3rd place in his first FCWT event.

In the Boys 11-12 division, 11 year old Jay Burlison of Salinas, CA (2013), led from wire-to-wire to earn his second win of the season - the first being at Teal Bend.  Burlison led this division in birdies with  4 and finished 5 strokes ahead of Kraig McLeod of Pebble Beach, CA (2012), who won at both Castle Ridge and Escena.  FCWT newcomer 11 year old Michael Decker of Pebble Beach, CA finished in 3rd place.

 Jay's older sister, Sydney Burlison,  pulled away from first round co-leader Diane Kwon of Fremont, CA to earn her second FCWT victory of the season. 

After one round of play at the Hunter Ranch Jr. Golf Classic two sophomores Diane Kwon of Fremont, CA, and Sydney Burlison of Salinas, CA, were tied for the lead at +4.  Miss Burlison, who won the Bermuda Run event in November, played a consistent second round on Sunday carding a 75 which gave her a 2 stroke margin of victory.  However, the margin was not over Miss Kwon, but over 14 year old Alexandra Stewart of Elk Grove, CA (2010), who led this division in birdies on both Saturday and overall.  Miss Stewart carded the Low Round on Sunday and moved up from fourth place to earn her second 2nd place finish this month.  Miss Kwon finished two strokes back of Miss Stewart in 3rd place in her first FCWT event.  Ariana Patterson of Carmel, CA (2009) finished in 4th place and Amber Hensley of Tulsa, OK (2007) finished in 5th.