MAY, 2015

Valeria Pacheco Looks to Become South Florida’s Next Star When it comes to young junior golf stars, South Florida has produced some of the best rising stars on the PGA and LPGA Tours. Lexi Thompson, Brooks Koepka and Jaye Marie Green are just a few of South Florida’s home grown talent that are making an impact on their respective tours who also came through the SFPGA Junior Tour. When looking at South Florida’s current junior stars, one name is starting to climb the ranks on a national level, Valeria Sofia Pacheco. Pacheco, who started golfing at age seven, had arguably one of the best seasons in 2014. Pacheco’s 2014 campaign included an appearance in eight SFPGA Championship Tour events. During those eight events, the then 14 year old captured five victories, one of which was the SFPGA Junior PGA Championship. In the other three events, Pacheco managed to finish in second place in all three. Pacheco’s Junior PGA Championship win earned her a spot in the National Junior PGA Championship in Texas last year. Pacheco was unable to make the cut during the event but was able to draw attention from many big college programs. Pacheco closed out the 2014 season with a 7th place finish at the Dixie Amateur.

Pacheco isn’t showing any signs of letting up in 2015. Her season started with a victory at Championship Event #1 at Madison Green Golf Club, followed by a win at the AJGA Junior All-Star at Innisbrook. Pacheco also just returned from Mexico where she and the rest of the Puerto Rico team competed in the Toyota World Team Championship Qualifier, finishing second.

Pacheco plans to add more national events to the 2015 season, including two AJGA events, a qualifier for the Women’s US Open and of course more SFPGA Championship Tour events. Although we are unsure of what the future holds for this young star, one thing is for certain, the sky is the limit.

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SOUTH FLORIDA PGA JUNIOR TOUR

Ryder Sutcliffe

Championship Tour POY Leader

Mary Janiga

Championship Tour POY Leader

Brett Roberts

Challenge Tour POY Leader

Elle Nachmann

Challenge Tour POY Leader

MAY, 2015

Ryder Sutcliffe The Challenge Tour is designed to provide a platform for the younger junior players in South Florida to hone their skills and prepare them for the Championship Tour. In 2014, the long hitting lefty took full advantage of his time on the Challenge Tour. Sutcliffe, who resides in Jupiter, led the Challenge Tour in 2014 in scoring average (74.67), finished second in birdies (31), and had a final round scoring average of 72.83. Sutcliffe won five of the eleven events he participated in 2014, which was enough to capture the Player of the Year Title for the Challenge Tour.

Sutcliffe’s 2014 campaign geared him up for his debut season on the Championship Tour in 2015. At only 15 years of age, the rising star is still relatively young to his peers on the Championship Tour, but his talent is enough to put him as a top contender every time he enters an event. Sutcliffe has participated in three Championship Tour events so far this year, winning Championship Event #2 at Sandridge Golf Club. Sutcliffe is currently leading the Player of the Year race and with a tough schedule coming up, he has positioned himself to be South Florida’s next star.

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Quick Hits Our Favorite Pics of 2015

So Far

MAY, 2015

ALUMNI CORNER Ashley Burke Continues to Dominate Ashley Burke of Boynton Beach, is a well-known alumnus of the South Florida PGA Junior Tour. During her SFPGA Junior Tour career, Burke logged an impressive 35 top-10 finishes, which included four first place finishes. Her success would not stop there, as Burke continued to start a new chapter playing collegiate golf on a scholarship at the University of South Florida.

In her freshman year at USF, Ashley showed that she was there to play and started her career with 4 top-10 finishes, while competing in 11 tournaments for the Bulls. Recording 41 rounds during the season, Burke had a 74.4 scoring average including six rounds at par or better, not to mention 4 rounds in the 60’s. Burke got her first collegiate win at the Florida Challenge, which was played at the very difficult Black Diamond Ranch Golf Club in Lecanto, FL. Not only did Burke get her first win but she continued to impress by placing second in the Old Waverly Bulldog Invitational, tying for tenth in the American Athletic Conference Tournament and qualifying for the NCAA Regional Tournament as an individual. To top it all off, Burke was named an All-Conference Honoree for the ACC Conference. We wish Ashley all the best in her next upcoming seasons at the University of South Florida.

The SFPGA Junior Tour Alumni Association’s mission is to connect with past Junior Tour members and cultivate ongoing alumni support of current programs and participants.  The goals of the SFPGA Junior Tour Alumni Association are to create alumni networking opportunities, hosts events, provide updates on alumni success and provide charitable donation opportunities through the SFPGA Foundation.  Joining the Alumni Association is a great way to stay involved and informed on not only SFPGA activities and programs, but also in your local community.

To join the Alumni Association, please visit www.sfpgajuniorgolf.com and click on the Alumni

Corner tab.

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Ashley Burke

Brooks Koepka

Jaye Marie Green

Sam Smolen

MAY, 2015

JUNIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

One of golf’s major championships for juniors, the Junior PGA Championship is where the best in the world get their start. The top-finishing boy and girl from the South Florida Section will advance to represent the Section in the Junior PGA Championship, held on August 3-6, 2015 at Miramont Country Club in Bryan, Texas.

Age Divisions • Boys 12 & Under/Girls 12 & Under: $25.00 (18 holes one day – June 17th) • Boys 13-15 / Girls 13-15: $100.00 (36 holes) • Boys 16-18 / Girls 16-18: $100.00 (36 holes)

Entry DeadlineMonday, May 25th, 2014

Qualifiers All players will need to qualify to attend the South Florida Junior PGA Championship. There will be three (3) qualifiers held throughout the section, and players will be required to participate in 1 of the 3 qualifiers. It is suggested that the players register for their nearest qualifying location.

Qualifier #1 – May 31st – Hammock Creek Golf Club, Palm City Qualifier #2 – May 31st – Trump National Doral (RED) – Miami Qualifier #3 – June 7th – Bonita Bay Club – Bonita Springs

**Only boys and girls competing in the 13-18 age divisions will be eligible to qualify for the national event.  Players under the age of 13 may “declare up” to be eligible to qualify and are required to play from the same tees as the 13-18 age divisions.  If any player under the age of 13 would like to attempt to qualify for the national event or compete in the 36 hole event must sign up for the 13-18 age division.

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MAY, 2015

DORADO BEACH JUNIOR

June 24-25, 2015 The South Florida PGA Junior Tour is excited to announce the inaugural South Florida PGA Dorado Beach Junior Classic.  The South Florida PGA is composed of 1,800 PGA Members ranging from Vero Beach down to the Florida Keys.  What many people don’t know is that Puerto Rico is part of the South Florida PGA Section.  We are excited to bring our Junior Tour to Puerto Rico!

The tournament will take place on the magnificent East Course at the TPC Dorado Beach Club near San Juan, Puerto Rico.  The East Course features an outstanding layout with breathe taking views of the Atlantic Ocean.  The tournament will be a 36-hole stroke play event and will feature a luncheon following each round for the players.

Tournament Information

The tournament is open to any 2015 SFPGA Junior Tour Challenge or Championship Tour member.  Entry Fee for the tournament is $100 which includes two rounds of golf and a player luncheon each day. Registration for the event is now open!

Field Size

The tournament field will be limited to 60 players.  The field will be composed of SFPGA Junior Tour members as well as local Junior Golfers from the Puerto Rico area.  Players are advised to sign up quickly to reserve their spot.

Travel Information

All players will be responsible for travel to and from the tournament.  Players will also be responsible for their travel on the island.

Hotel Information

We have set up a rate of $109 per night at the Hyatt Place in Bayaman, PR.  The hotel is located about 15 minutes from the course and includes complimentary breakfast and wifi.  

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MAY, 2015

2015 BIRDIE CLUB Now is your chance to play one of South Florida’s most exclusive clubs! The top earner of the 2015 Birdie Club will be given a foursome at Lost Tree Club in Jupiter, FL.

Are you aware that without the South Florida PGA Foundation, the South Florida PGA Junior Tour would not exist?

In 2008 the SFPGA developed a fund-raising program called the Birdie Club to help raise money for the SFPGA Foundation, which financially supports the South Florida PGA Junior Tour on an annual basis. The Birdie Club was developed as a player performance-based fund drive to get Junior Tour members involved in community outreach.  Through an interactive and fun approach this program helps juniors gain a further sense of pride and accomplishment beyond their performance during Junior Tour events.

Since its inception in 2004, the SFPGA Foundation has been supported primarily by individual donors and corporations with a passion for supporting the Section’s outreach efforts. The SFPGA Junior Tour is run under the Foundation, and we felt it we felt it was time to get the beneficiaries involved in our fund-raising efforts, resulting in the creation of the Birdie Club initiative.

In addition to the support given to the Junior Tour, the Foundation continues to support numerous South Florida community-based programs that benefit South Florida Residents. To learn more about the Birdie Club or the SFPGA Foundation, please visit www.sfpgajuniorgolf.com.

For the 2015 season, the SFPGA looks to  continue promoting and growing the Birdie Club. With the continued growth of both Junior Tours our goal in 2015 is to raise $10,000 through the Birdie club program, with the top fundraiser receiving a premium gift for their effort and support.

Past Birdie Club Winners

2014 - Taylor Morgan

2013 - Michael Checo

2012 - Michael Checo

2011 - Kyle Williams

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MAY, 2015

2015 SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINES QUICKLY APPROACHING!

The South Florida PGA is committed to helping students achieve their goal of getting a college education. The South Florida PGA Foundation annually awards several college scholarship grants to deserving students.  Eligibility for each scholarship varies based upon need, grades and community service.  The following scholarships are offered:

Michael O’Brien Scholarship ($1,000 – South Florida Resident)

The Don E. Beattie Scholarship ($2,500 – Palm Beach County Residents)

The Bobby Goodman Scholarship ($2,500 – Statewide Scholarship)

PGA Golf Management Scholarship at Florida Gulf Coast University ($2,500 – FGCU PGA Golf Management Student)

Jim McLean Elite Camp Scholarship

Deadline for all Scholarships is June 15th! For information on requirements and applications for each

scholarship, please visit www.sfpgajuniorgolf.com and click on the

additional resources tab.

2015 PRO JUNIOR PRESENTED BY CALLAWAY GOLF

The South Florida PGA 2015 Pro Junior will take place on June 27th at Ballen Isle Country Club. Teams must comprised of any one Professional and one Junior ages 10-18. Juniors must not be

enrolled within a university and must reside within the South Florida Section. For more information please visit www.sfpgagolf.com and visit the tournament section.

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MAY, 2015

SFPGA JUNIOR TOUR PARTNERS

The SFPGA Junior Tour would like to thank the 2015 Junior Tour Sponsors for their continued support of Junior Golf in South Florida.

DON LAW GOLF ACADEMY MAKES BIG IMPACT

Students of the Don Law Golf Academy in Port St. Lucie decided to use their spare time to raise money for the South Florida PGA Foundation. Kritsarin Oukosavanna, who is the head of the student council at the academy, wanted to find a charity to raise money for during a golf outing at Club Med. Under the council of Don Law, PGA, Oukosavanna ultimately decided that the SFPGA Foundation would be a great beneficiary of the money. The students put on various contest during the round to raise funds as well as petitioned members of the club to make additional donations. A special thanks to Kritsarin and the rest of the students at the academy for their outstanding generosity.

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