News

JGAA names annual award winners

PHOENIX, Arizona (October 19, 2011) – The JGAA Awards Party was held on Saturday, October 15 at ASU Karsten Golf Course. The Player of the Year winners for each age division, along with Sportsmanship, Volunteer of the Year, Most Improved and Hole-in-one recipients were recognized. A new tradition was started, with the unveiling of the Thomas Cunningham Perpetual Player of the Year Trophy. This award will recognize the past, present and future JGAA Player of the Year winners. Thanks to the Gresco family for generously donating the trophy. Jordan Carter captured Player of the Year honors for the Girls Championship division of the Junior Golf Association of Arizona. Carter finished in the Top 5 in five of her 9 events on the season, including two wins and two runner-up finishes. She won the Tucson Conquistadores Spring Classic and the Antigua Milt Coggins Stroke Play Championship. Her low round of the year was a 5 under-par 65 at the Tucson City Junior Championship, in which she finished 2nd. The Boys Championship Player of the Year was Anthony Maccioli of Mesa. Maccioli had seven top 3 finishes in 15 events, including a victory at the Spring Stableford and 2nd place finishes at the Tucson City Junior Championship, Antigua Milt Coggins Stroke Play Championship and AZ Boys Match Play Championship. He also finished 3rd in the Mesa City Junior Championship and the Phoenix City Junior Championship. “All of this year’s award winners are not only talented players on the golf course, but truly display the characteristics of champions off the course as well,” said Melanie Boyles, Tournament Director of the JGAA. “We are extremely proud of what these young players accomplished on the fairways and greens, but are especially proud of what outstanding individuals they are developing into.” The following represents the remaining JGAA Player-of-the-Year Award Winners: 2011 Player of the Year Awards Girls Championship – Jordan Carter Girls 15-18 – Katie Dunaway Girls 13-14 – Mariola Szmit Girls 11-12 – Ellie Porman Girls 10 & Under – Grace Chung Boys Championship – Anthony Maccioli Boys 15-18 – Frankie Wu Boys 13-14 – Zach Stodola Boys 11-12 – J.J. Gresco Boys 10 & Under – Jake Carlson The JGAA also announced its Sportsmanship Award winners with Yesong Han and Brett Wilson leading the Girls and Boys Championship divisions. “Golf is a sport that cherishes its traditions, most importantly, that of good sportsmanship. All of our winners this year exemplify those traits,” added Boyles. Other Sportsmanship Award winners and their respective age brackets were:

Grace Knadler — Girls 10-Under
Gabriel Salvanera — Boys 10-Under
Lily Worden — Girls 11-12
RJ David — Boys 11-12
Lariat Adams — Girls 13-14
John Souza — Boys 13-14
Megan Hauptman — Girls 15-18
Mitchell Holmes — Boys 15-18

Most improved girl golfer in 2011 was Megan Knadler of Phoenix. She posted nine Top 3 finishes this year (compared to one last year) including wins at the Thunderbird Junior Classic, Antigua Milt Coggins Junior Stroke Play Championship and PING AZ Junior Masters. Prescott Mann won the year’s most improved golfer for the boys division, with five top 5 finishes. Mann fired five under-par rounds, including back-to-back 67’s at the Antigua Milt Coggins Stroke Play Championship to finish 3rd. He also had 2nd place finishes at the Tucson City Junior Championship and PING AZ Junior Masters, while shaving off five strokes on his average this season. Lynn and Doug Applegate were this year’s recipient of the Volunteer of the Year Award. Lynn Applegate has been the co-chairwomen of Transportation Committee for the Waste Management Phoenix Open since 2006. This is a thankless job, requiring many hours, in the weeks before the tournament, tons of hours during the tournament and additional time after the event coordinating the assignments of vehicles to the PGA Tour players and finding vehicles. During the week of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, the transportation committee also provides transportation to the PGA Tour wives and families. Lynn’s husband Doug is also a fixture throughout the week, helping with transportation. Finally the ace in the hole, the following golfers fired holes-in-ones during the season and was also honored at the Awards Banquet at ASU Karsten Golf Course:

Holden Huff – Scottsdale, AZ April 16, 2011 at Las Colinas Golf Club Hole #8, 185 yards using a 7 iron Spring Stableford
Corey Scheid – Phoenix, AZ July 16, 2011 at Encanto Golf Course Round 1, Hole #3, 195 yards using a 6 iron Antigua Milt Coggins Arizona Junior Stroke Play
Aliece Pierce – Prescott, AZ June 29, 2011 at Moon Valley Golf Course Hole #7, 124 yards using a 7 iron PING Junior Match Play

For more information on the JGAA, visit the website: www.jgaa.org or contact the JGAA office at (602) 944-6168. To view photos from the event click here.