GIRLS DIVISION
It was a bright sunny day as the 2nd annual Record-Courier Kids Amateur, as the Girls Division took over the front nine of Kent State University with 24 girls ages 12 and under last Sunday.
Parents, grandparents, babies in strollers, aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters walked the fairways with the girls, encouraging their swings and applauding every shot.
With the help of Bryan Harvey, coach of the Kent Roosevelt girls, Larry Picicco, assistant coach, and Jarrod Page, director of golf at Kent State University Golf Course, the girls completed nine holes, six holes or four holes depending on their age.
Carrying their clubs, exchanging scorecards to tally their strokes and checking the greens for pin placement, the girls learned the competition side of golf in what was for many their very first tournament.
“Everyone is a winner in this event,” said Harvey.
The tournament encourages the joy of golf. The girls keep score but every girls receives a medal for their participation and certificates are awarded to the to three in each division.
Many scores were close.
Maren Seaholts won the oldest division of girls, playing the front nine at Kent State with Sarah Lenzo taking the runner up and Sydney Leavery and Samantha Winterich in a tie for third.
In the nine and 10 year-old division, Lane Shannon won with Ashlyn Leavery and Anna Piccico landing in second and third place.
In the eight and under age division, Coco Golden and Ava Moore were the champions with Sophie Heroux, Ella Houk and Sarina Winterich tied for third place.
The tournament demonstrated that golf is alive and growing in Portage County as may of the girls in the 11-12 year old age division are looking to compete in the Matt Mishler Junior Portage County Amateur in one week.
Everyone gathered in the clubhouse following the conclusion of the tournament as girls shook hands with their coaches and each other.
FINAL RESULTS, GIRLS DIVISION
2016 RECORD-COURIER PORTAGE COUNTY KIDS AMATEUR
KENT STATE UNIVERSITY GOLF COURSE, KENT
Sunday, July 17, 2016
AGES 11-12
1st _ Maren Seaholts;
2nd _ Sarah Lenzo;
3rd _ Sydnie Leavery and Samantha Winterich
Golfers also in division: Morgan Bauza, Lucy Clapper, Abigail Retherford, Maren Seaholts, Ava Shannon, Tessa Stein, Elizabeth Vinyard.
AGES 9-10
1ST _ Lane Shannon;
2nd _ Ashlyn Leavery;
3rd _ Anna Picicco.
Golfers also in division: Abby Fletcher, Madolyn Kost, Ashlyn Leavery, Darya Olefir, Anna Picicco, Carly Ramos, Lydia Sherer, Alyssa Zumbo
AGES 8 and Under
1st _ Coco Golden, Ava Moore;
3rd _ Sophie Heroux, Ella Houk, Sabrina Winterich
BOYS DIVISION
Golfers in the 2nd Kids Amateur for the boys spent two days show their families that golf is one of their favorite sports.
Intended to be an introduction to tournament golf, the boys followed the Girls Kids Am held on Sunday to start the week.
Top three golfers on the first nine-hole day were Aaron Baker of Aurora, Maximillian Rasalan of Kent (tied for first) and Jude Thiry of Mogadore in third.
During the second day, Connor McLaughlin of Kent grabbed first place, Thiry repeated his top three performance to end up in second and Nathan Fulks of Rootstown and Rasalan tied for third.
But for the Kids Am it wasn’t about who won or lost, it was the experience as parents cheered the golfers and look forward to playing golf with their kids.
FINAL RESULTS, BOYS DIVISION
2016 RECORD-COURIER PORTAGE COUNTY KIDS AMATEUR
KENT STATE UNIVERSITY GOLF COURSE, KENT
Monday – Tuesday, July 18-19, 2016
DAY 1
Aaron Baker, Aurora 52
Maximillian Rasalan, Kent 52
Jude Thiry, Mogadore 53
Nathan Fulks, Rootstown 56
Lane Hudson, Kent 56
Drew Greenwald 60
Rowan Baynes, Kent 66
DAY 2
Connor McLaughlin, Kent 47
Jude Thiry, Mogadore 49
Maximillian Rasalan, Kent 52
Nathan Fulks, Rootstown 52
Drew Greenwald, Kent 58
Rowan Baynes, Kent 62
Lane Hudson, Kent 66
Liam Sherer, Kent 69
