Final Results - IJGT at Penn State University

Sollon Captures Three-man Playoff

Hernandez Repeats in Girls Division

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - The International Junior Golf Tour's (IJGT) Northeast Tour was in State College, Pa., on Oct. 19-20 for the College Classic at Penn State University. The two-day, 36-hole tournament was hosted by Penn State Golf Courses Blue Course, with players competing for national rankings and IJGT Merit Points. The field consisted of 71 players, ages 10-19, representing seven states and two countries.

Penn State's Blue Course is home to the Pennsylvania State University's Men's and Women's Division 1 Golf teams. The tournament was played in rough weather during the first round, as wind and rain led temperatures to fall into the 40s. The final round was completed with sunny skies and temperatures in the 50s.

In the Boys 15-19 Division, Jake Sollon of Venetia, Pa., came away on top in a three-man playoff with Harry Jin of Palisades Park, N.J., and Nick Musshafen of Fairport, N.Y.

The top of the leaderboard was jammed after the first round, with Curren Mody of Monmouth Junction, N.J., being on top with a score of 1-over-par 73. Sollon, Jin, Musshafen, and Eamon Marone of Belvidere, N.J., were all just one stroke behind.

The leaderboard did not get any clearer during the final round. Mody fell off the pace, unable to repeat his performance from the prior day, but the others remained in the hunt, while Mike Bliss of Newtown, Pa., and Nick Rencis of Long Valley, N.J., entered serious contention.

Teeing off on the front nine, many of the players took the turn in red numbers, headlined by Bliss who shot a 2-under-par 34. The tournament came down to the 18th hole, with all six players having a great shot at victory.

Bliss made par to finish the tournament with a total score of 149 and waited as the rest of the groups completed the round. Musshafen entered No. 18 with a share of the lead with Jin, but he hit his tee shot into a hazard and was forced to take a drop. He bogeyed the hole to finish with a 148 and eliminate Bliss. Rencis had a shot at birdie to match Musshafen, but he could not connect. Sollon was able to make his par to tie with Musshafen. The clubhouse leaders awaited Jin and Marone, hoping for a playoff.

Unaware he was holding a one-shot lead; Jin went for the green in two and hit a tree. His wedge shot from the rough came up short of the green, and after a chip, he left himself a long putt for par and the victory. Jin could not connect and bogeyed the hole, ensuring at least a three-man playoff with his 148. Marone had an opportunity to join the three but he could not connect on his birdie putt, finishing one shot back.

With Jin, Musshafen, and Sollon all tied, they headed to the 18th hole, an uphill par-5, for a playoff.

All three found the fairway off the tee in the playoff. With wind in their face, the players were forced to layup. Sollon's approach from 130 yards came to a rest 10 feet from the cup, giving him a good look for birdie. Jin's shot came next and he landed on the front of the green, giving himself a long putt for birdie. Musshafen was the last to hit his shot into the green, and he had the best of the three. Musshafen's wedge shot stopped six feet from the cup, and he appeared to have the upper hand.

Seeing both Jin and Sollon miss their putts, Musshafen knew he had a putt for the victory. Like Sollon, though, Musshafen under-read the green's break, and his putt rolled two feet past the hole. Musshafen and Jin, putting from almost identical spots, needed to sink their putts to keep the playoff going.

Neither was able to convert which cemented Sollon's victory.

"I planned on getting the ball on and two-putting [for par]," Sollon noted.

It worked out for him, winning in his first event in the Boys 15-19 Division. All three players in the playoffs finished with scores of 74-74-148 for the weekend.

Bliss was the recipient of the Clazic Belts Low Final Round Award, as he shot an even-par, 72, highlighted by draining a 50 foot putt for eagle on the fifth hole.

In the Girls Division, Claire Hernandez of Palgrave, Canada, followed up her victory at Penn State last season with a repeat performance.

Hernandez was on top of her game from the opening hole, which she birdied. Dealing with the wind and rain, she shot an impressive 38 on her opening nine, carding five pars along with her birdie. After three consecutive bogeys she responded with a birdie at the sixth hole and after one more bogey at No. 9, finishing the day with a leading score of 77.

Alyssa Schiera of West Windsor, N.J., put together a strong first round, shooting a 78 to sit one stroke behind Hernandez. Schiera's first round was highlighted by birdies on the par-5, fifth hole and the par-3 17th hole. Mary Bryan Owen of Baltimore, Md., shot an opening-round 80 to join Hernandez and Schiera in the last group during the final round.

It did not take Hernandez long to increase her lead. Hernandez played her best golf of the tournament over the front nine, carding five pars and a chip-in birdie on No. 17, to shoot a 1-over-par 37, making the turn with a seven-stroke lead.

That was the slimmest her lead got the rest of the day. Hernandez finished with seven pars and two bogeys on her final nine, and finished the final round with a 3-over-par 75, winning the Clazic Belts Low Final Round Award for her efforts. Her final score of 77-75-152 was 11 shots clear of second place.

Hernandez said the conditions caused her to change her game around, saying, "It was tough. My irons usually are high so I had to focus on keeping the ball low."

Megan McLean of Lebanon, N.J., and Schiera tied for second with total scores of 163.

The Boys 14 & Under Division had a familiar name atop the leaderboard. Joe Parrini of York, Pa., was victorious for the fourth time this season, fueled by a final-round comeback.

The star of the first round in the division was Will Klein of Bethesda, Md. Klein only bogeyed seven holes, while finishing with par on 10 others, and a birdie on No. 5 to shoot a low-round 78. He had matching nine-hole scores of 39. Leo Hernandez of Stewartsville, N.J., sat four strokes off Klein's lead.

From the start, the final round was not to be for Klein. Again teeing off on the back nine, by hole No. 11, his lead was gone, as Parrini and Hernandez surged. Parrini started his round with four consecutive pars, while Hernandez had five straight, to put them in a tie for first. A birdie on the 18th hole gave Parrini a one-stroke lead over Hernandez entering their final nine holes. Klein finished the back nine with a 43, two strokes back.

Parrini's lead was up to three strokes after the first two holes on the front side and remained that way until the final hole. Hernandez could not get anything going until a birdie on the final hole, by which time he was out of contention. Parrini completed his day with a bogey at No. 9, finishing the tournament with scores of 81-80-161, putting him two shots ahead of Klein and Alex Lawson of Pittsburgh, Pa.

Parrini had many notable shots during the round, but the most memorable was on hole No. 18.

"On 18, I had about 210 to the green and I hit a cut with my hybrid and reached the green," said Parrini

He went on to birdie that hole.

The IJGT will be at Hershey Links in Hummelstown, Pa on Oct. 26-27. Hershey Links will be hosting their final IJGT Event, as the course is closing at the end of the season. To sign up for this Event, or others, visit www.IJGT.com/info or call 888.936.5327.

About the IJGT

The IJGT provides exceptional junior golfers with the opportunity to develop and showcase their competitive skills while setting high standards to preserve the traditions and integrity of the game. As a tour that operates primarily throughout the academic year, the IJGT hosts approximately 60 tournaments annually. In addition, the IJGT hosts three international events. Each event provides multi-day competition for junior golfers of all skill levels ages 9-19. Players representing 45 states and 43 countries around the world regularly compete in events at venues such as TPC Sawgrass, Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, Kiawah Island Resort, and Harbour Town Golf Links. Official partners of the IJGT include Bridgestone Golf, Quagmire Golf, CHAMP Spikes, Clazic Belts, AB Golf Designs, The First Tee, Sundog Eyewear, Golfweek morodZ, PURE Grips, and the International Junior Golf Academy.

To obtain more information about the IJGT, please visit www.IJGT.com/info or call 888.936.5327.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Final-round results of the IJGT College Classic at Penn State conducted by the International Junior Golf Tour completed October 20, 2013. Boys 15-19 Division: Blue Tees - 6,793 yards, Par 72 (72.8/135) Boys 14 & Under Division: White Tees - 6,239 yards, Par 72 (70.1/127) Girls Division: Gold Tees - 6,043 yards, Par 72 (75.1/137)

Weather: Saturday: Rainy with temperatures in the low 50's with 15-20 mph winds
Sunday: Cloudy with temperatures in the low 50's with 15-20 mph winds

International Junior Golf Tour
College Classic at Penn State University
State College, Pa.
October 19-20, 2013

Penn State Golf Courses - Blue Course

Boys 15-19 Division - Blue Tees, 6,793 yards, Par 72
1. Jake Sollon, Venetia, PA, *74-74--148**
2. Nick Musshafen, Fairport, NY, *74-74--148
2. Harry Jin, Palisades Park, NJ, *74-74--148
4. Mike Bliss, Newtown, PA, *77-72--149
4. Nick Rencis, Long Valley, NJ, *75-74--149
4. Eamon Marone, Belvidere, NJ, *74-75--149
7. Eric Terminello, White Plains, NY, *75-76--151
8. Curren Mody, Monmouth Junction, NJ, *73-79--152
9. J.T. Barker, Bethlehem, PA, *80-73--153
10. Griffin Colvin, Media, PA, *78-76--154
11. Cody White, Sweetser, IN, *78-77--155
11. Garrett Bastardi, Boalsburg, PA, *75-80--155
13. David Ross, Lorton, VA, *78-78--156
13. Peter Skynner, Oakville, Canada, *79-77--156
13. Colin Dubnik, Rochester, NY, *76-80--156
13. Eddie Zhang, Murrysville, PA, *76-80--156
13. Jesse Kovacs, St James, NY, *75-81--156
18. Anthony DeNapoli, Catonsville, MD, *82-75--157
18. Sean Stanistreet, Camillus, NY, *76-81--157
20. Patrick McDonnell, Pittsburgh, PA, *80-78--158
20. Will Snyder, Clifton, VA, *81-77--158
22. Nick Stottlemyer, Port Tobacco, MD, *81-78--159
22. Bryan Morris, Beltsville, MD, *80-79--159
24. Jared Swick, Gaithersburg, MD, *82-78--160
24. Spencer Shepperly, New Vernon, NJ, *78-82--160
26. Paul Edgar, Kitchener, Canada, *86-75--161
27. Justin Ayanian, McLean, VA, *84-78--162
27. Davis Diethrich, Allison Park, PA, *80-82--162
27. Joshua Greenly, Ontario, NY, *78-84--162
30. Grant Brongo, Spencerport, NY, *82-81--163
30. David Sinisi, Harrisburg, PA, *85-78--163
30. Paul Terminello, White Plains, NY, *80-83--163
30. Edward Owen, Baltimore, MD, *78-85--163
34. Ethan Means, Landenberg, PA, *83-81--164
34. Andrew Hudencial, Markham, Canada, *85-79--164
36. Will Haller, Gaithersburg, MD, *83-82--165
37. Liam McGrath, Huntingdon Valley, PA, *82-84--166
38. Josh Huhn, Wexford, PA, *83-84--167
38. Victor Adamson, Silver Spring, MD, *85-82--167
40. Alex Tanabe, Sewickley, PA, *87-81--168
40. Hunter Lee, Great Neck, NY, *82-86--168
42. Jamie Agnew, Fairfax, VA, *82-88--170
42. James Pelcher, Baldwinsville, NY, *88-82--170
42. Bobby Hapanowicz, Presto, PA, *85-85--170
45. Cristian Cerza, Greenwich, CT, *82-90--172
46. Thomas Kaczan, Clark, NJ, *91-82--173
47. Phillip Held, Lafayette Hill, PA, *89-85--174
47. Michael Duffy, Nazareth, PA, *86-88--174
49. Alex Hepburn, Corning, NY, *82-94--176
49. Connor Jaenke, Arnold, MD, *87-89--176
51. Will Dolin, Oakton, VA, *90-88--178
52. Will Lusk, Venetia, PA, *89-92--181


DID NOT FINISH
Andrew Neal, Chevy Chase, MD, *DQ (Rule 6-3a)

Boys 14 & Under Division - White Tees, 6,239 yards, Par 72
1. Joe Parrini, York, PA, *81-80--161
2. Alex Lawson, Pittsburgh, PA, *83-80--163
2. Will Klein, Bethesda, MD, *78-85--163
4. Dylan Plis, Camillus, NY, *83-83--166
4. Leo Hernandez, Stewartsville, NJ, *82-84--166
6. West Shaw, Alexandria, VA, *83-84--167
7. Chris Tanabe, Sewickley, PA, *84-84--168
8. Teddy Trosset, Cooperstown, NY, *88-81--169
9. Ryan Pongrac, Freehold, NJ, *87-92--179

Girls Division - Gold Tees, 6,043 yards, Par 72
1. Claire Hernandez, Palgrave, Canada, *77-75--152
2. Megan McLean, Lebanon, NJ, *82-81--163
2. Alyssa Schiera, West Windsor, NJ, *78-85--163
4. Allyson Wentworth, Stewartsville, NJ, *84-82--166
4. Yeji Shin, Norwood, NJ, *86-80--166
4. Raphaella Kang, Bayside, NY, *81-85--166
4. Mary Bryan Owen, Baltimore, MD, *80-86--166
8. Carley Hopton, Madison, NJ, *82-92--174
9. Anessa Amin, Easton, PA, *90-95--185
10. Annie Caputo, Manlius, NY, *100-95--195

**Won Playoff