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Chandler, Arizona- The inclement weather did not stop any of the players from showing up for their tee time Saturday morning despite cold, raining, windy conditions.  With AJGA exemptions and national rankings on the line players put their game face on and played in conditions that were quite challenging for desert golf players.  Brett Wilson of Mesa, Arizona managed to make a move to the top of the leaderboard.  After posting a 77 in the first round in adverse weather conditions Brett finishes strong on Sunday to post the low round of 72 to capture his first Desert Junior Golf Tour Title.  Along with the title Wilson gained an AJGA tournament exemption and the infamous “Go Low” putter cover.  Jacobo Smith of Chandler, Arizona finished in the runner-up position taking home an AJGA performance star.  Jacobo Smith along with Alex Lobeck, Joel Smith and Matthew Liringis all took home an AJGA performance star to get ready for the season.  We are so proud of the players for being committed to their game and not letting the weather stop them from enjoying some great competition. 

Ocotillo also gave our younger players the opportunity to claim some hardware as Colton Share of Canada took home the title in the Boys 12-14 division with Andrew Proctor of Chandler finishing as runner-up in that division.  Playing in a major event prompted some of our younger players like Andrew Proctor, Colton Share, Alex Shin and Drew Fockler to test their skills from the tips with the older boys at 7016 yards.  Posting some very competitive scores proves that these players are on the right track to gaining some valuable experience for the future. 

We wanted to welcome back Alejandro de Zavala who is a seasoned player even if he is only 11 years old.  Alejandro took home the trophy for the Boy 10-11 division and added another DJGT title to his already long list of accomplishments.  Alejandro also challenged himself at a longer yardage to prepare for the Mexico National Junior Championships in which he will compete in this weekend.  Good luck to you Alejandro!

A big “Thank You” to our dedicated parents who walked alongside their favorite junior and never once thought about getting out of the cold rain to watch the Masters in the clubhouse, even if that was real tempting with the excitement playing out in Augusta.  Your support is what will help your junior through their journey and some day you will get to watch them when they play at the Master’s in a few years.   We also want to thank Jason and his staff members who made this event another enjoyable experience at Ocotillo Golf Club.  We will be back!

This event will be a double point event for the Player of the Year standings.  Those that are looking to build their status for the AJGA (American Junior Golf Association) will have a chance at tournaments exemption and performance stars in the Boys 15-19 division.

Tee times are now posted with action beginning at 10:48 am both days.  Come out and enjoy a great weekend on the course with some of the Valley’s finest junior golfers.

Phoenix, Arizona –

With some tee time changes and a wait between holes it didn’t seem to damper the mindset of these players that were focused to WIN!  One such player was Jeffrey Miller of Phoenix, Arizona who put on his game face and closed a 6 shot deficit to win the Boys 12-14.  This was no easy task playing from the Blue Tees that stretched to 6500 yards. Jeffrey managed to pick up 6 birdies on his final 9 and play bogey free to come in at -6 for his inward 9.  Leading the field with 9 birdies throughout the tournament he recorded his tournament best, low round of 67! Jeffrey has placed in the “top 5” in each event this season.  Congratulations Jeffrey for your hard work and determination!  Benjamin Albin of Santa Fe, New Mexico played steady and solid to post an even par round for Sunday and securing the 2^nd place title just one stroke back of Jeffrey.  Great job Ben!  Rounding out the podium in 3^rd place was Colton Gage of Vail, Arizona.  Colton has also put himself in contention in every event this season with a win at Longbow, two 3^rd place finishes, and a 4^th place finish at the Duke.  So you can imagine how close the Player of the Year standings will be in the Boys 12-14 division.

When we talk about tight competition we are talking about the Boys 10-11 division where the top 3 places where separated by one stroke each.  Jack Snyder of Mesa, Arizona managed to claim his second victory of the season by making up 5 shots to win by 1 stroke.  Right on the heels of Jack Snyder was John Sand who earned himself a “Par Breaker” towel by posting a 71 on Saturday.  One stoke from John was the Eagle Mountain champion, Andrew Proctor of Chandler, Arizona.   They had us all on the edge of our seats as we finalized the scores.  Great job!

Now what would you think a 9 year old could shoot from 4700 yards?  How about Jake Carlson of Phoenix, Arizona who posts a final round of 68! That’s right a 68!  A player who waited at the turn because play was backed up took that time to regroup and fire a 33 on his back 9!  Way to take a negative situation and put some positive spin on it! Proud of you Jake!  Rounding out the group was Dominic Wade of Scottsdale, Arizona who finished as the runner-up and Dalton Marsh of Chandler, Arizona who took the 3^rd place trophy home.  We are just amazed at how these young ones have learned to get around the course and managed themselves.  Thank you to the supportive dads who tirelessly keep going round after round encouraging this group who is the future of golf.  Hat’s off to all of you!

The girls division definitely brought some talent with players from Illinois, Canada, Utah, and Arizona.  It was like bringing the best of the best to Club West.  These young ladies played up in division for the experience and showed that they could thrive at the longer distance.  Sabrine Garrison from Alberta Canada edged out Madasyn Pettersen of Illinois by one shot for the title.  It was a battle till the very end as each one of these players put out their best effort on the course.   Brooke Bliss of St. George, Utah took home the 3^rd place trophy as she improved her first round score by 10 shots.  Congratulations ladies!

The stakes were high in our Boys 15-19 division with AJGA exemptions on the line.  Colton Estevez of Phoenix, Arizona managed to keep his hot streak going and took home his second DJGT major title and third AJGA exemption with his recent win at the SWSPGA Ping Junior Series event at Ocotillo and his two DJGT wins.  Colton is destined for greatness in his upcoming season and we are excited to see what the future holds for him.  Colton recorded two sub-par rounds in this tournament to win at -4.  Cody McManus claimed the runner-up position after a stellar first round of 68.  The third place trophy was awarded to Zach Muench of Indiana who posted 35 on his last nine holes to win the scorecard playoff with Ian Hagener.   The AJGA open exemption was awarded to Colton Estevez which will help build his status for the upcoming season.  Players earning a performance star are Cody McManus, Zach Muench, Ian Hagener, and Randy Ross.  Congratulations to all of you.

The “GO LOW” putter cover went to:

Boys 15-19                  Henry Cunningham                 70 (-2)

Boys 12-14                  Jeffrey Miller                          67 (-5)

Boys 10-11                  Jack Snyder                             75

Boys 8-9                      Jake Carlson                            68 (-4)

Girls                             Sabrine Garrison                     78

Congratulations and display your putter cover proudly because you have definitely earned it!

Looking forward to our next event! See you on the course!

This event is also being ranked by the Junior Golf Scoreboard and the Tour Resource Center.  Awards will be given to the Top 3 in each division as well as the famous “Go Low” custom putter cover to the individual who shoots the low final round.  The champion in the Boys 15-19 division will gain one AJGA open tournament exemption and the Top 5(including ties) will recieve one performance star each. 

Come out to Club West to enjoy some great golf and some beautiful weather, temperatures expected to be in the mid 70′s both days.  Tee times will begin at 11:00 am both days.  See you there!

Fountain Hills, Arizona - Eagle Mountain Golf Club will host our first event of the New Year this weekend, January 8-9, 2011.  Registration is available online at www.desertjrtour.com until Wednesday, January 5th at midnight.  This event will continue the Player of the Year points race and the opportunity to gain AJGA performance based status.  National ranking by the Tour Resource Center and the Junior Golf Scoreboard are also great benefits to join us this weekend. 

 See you on the #1 Tee at Eagle Mountain!

Estevez Takes It Low!

MARICOPA, AZ – Temperature’s in the mid 70’s gave way to perfect golfing conditions at this weekend’s DJGT Event at The Duke at Rancho El Dorado. Not only was the weather ideal, but the par-72 course proved to have ideal scoring opportunities. The field stacked up to be the strongest field of the season with players from Mexico, Canada, California, Idaho, Washington, Indiana, and all throughout Arizona.  How low did they go? Well how about back-to-back 68’s by the Boys 15-19 Champion and the Runner-up shooting -6 for the tournament!

 Colton Estevez of Phoenix, Arizona had an impressive weekend from tee to green as he continued to light the course up, finding himself the “Birdie leader” with 12 birdies for the tournament.  His ability to dial in his irons helped him earn the victory in the Boys 15-19 division with rounds of 68 and 68 for a weekend total of 8 under par.  Kyle Jones of Taylor, Arizona fought his way in with Estevez going back and forth and finishing with an impressive 6 under par. Trey Kaahanui, 2011 AJGA Player Representative, and Kale Davidson tied for 3^rd at 3 under par for the tournament.  Kale Davidson of Peoria shot the tournament low on Sunday scorching the back 9 with a 32 and finishing with a 67 (-5). Four players came in at 1 under for the tournament which put them tied for the 5^th spot to all earn AJGA PBE.    These players definitely took advantage of the scoring conditions at the Duke.

 In the Boys 12-14 Division, Alex Shin of Gilbert, Arizona posted a 72 to be declared the Champion in that division.  Alex Shin improved his first round score by 10 to sneak in and claim the title by 2 shots over his competitors. The division also saw a two way tie for second place honors at a tournament total of 156. Jeffrey Miller, 2010 DJGT Player of The Year, shot a 39 on the back and claimed the Runner-Up position over Alex Fernandez of Phoenix, Arizona.  Colton Gage of Vail, Arizona finished 1 shot back to finish in 4^th at 157.  No doubt these players came to play!  

 John Sand of Hoquiam, Washington made his journey to the Southwest worthwhile as he captured the Boys 10-11 division title.  John finished with a solid back nine at even par to shoot a final round 75.  During his two days he managed 3 birdies to his name.  Andrew Proctor of Chandler, Arizona got a couple of birdies to secure his runner-up title with a strong final round of 76.  Rounding out the group were two newcomers from Juarez, Mexico, Alejandro Clarke and Sergio Molina.  Our friends from Campestre Juarez brought their game and glowing personalities to this group. 

The future of golf looks bright as everyone witnessed the Boys 8-9 division Champion Jake Carlson of Phoenix, Arizona come in at 72 for his final round to secure his first victory of the season.  Jake played solid golf making the turn at -2 and getting himself down to -3 before the last hole.  Great playing Jake!  Dominic Wade of Scottsdale, Arizona captured the runner-up spot and Elias Franco of Juarez, Mexico claimed the 3^rd and final spot in that division.  The future of golf will be very exciting as we continue watching these young players develop.

After helping her high school win the 5A Arizona Girls State Golf Championship, Saki Iida is victorious once again.  Saki finished strong with a 72 to lock in the Champion trophy in the Girls 15-19 division.   Saki is a first timer on the DJGT and she just showed how she helped her high school team win at State.  Jacquelyn Porman of Gilbert, Arizona bested her first round by 13 strokes to finish second.   In the Girls 12-14 division Ellie Porman of Gilbert, younger sister of Jacquelyn, took the honors.  All three of these girls are new to the DJGT and we look forward to having them back.

The stakes were high at The Duke with national rankings on the line as well as AJGA PBE status, Golfweek Invitational exemptions, and the “GO LOW” custom designed putter covers to the Sunday low round.  Here are the deserving individuals that played their hearts out:

AJGA PBE

1 Open Tournament Exemption:  B15-19 Champion    Colton Estevez of Phoenix, Arizona

1 Performance Star:  B15-19 Top 5  Kyle Jones, Kale Davidson, Trey Kaahanui, Ken Iida, Alex Ricciardelli, Sean Buchanan, and Peter Kyo Won Koo

Golfweek Invitational –West Coast

Boys 15-19 Champion – Colton Estevez

Girls 15-19 Champion – Saki Iida

Sunday Low Round – Putter Covers

Boys 15-19 Division – Kale Davidson (67)

Boys 14-Under Division – Alex Shin (72) & Jake Calrson (72)

Girls Division – Saki Iida (72)

Scholar Athletes

Peter Kyo Won Koo (Gilbert, AZ), Jake Adkins (Boise, ID), Andrew Proctor (Chandler, AZ), Josh Delo (Mesa, AZ), Ellie Porman (Gilbert, AZ), Drew Fockler (Flagstaff, AZ)

Thank you to the staff at the Duke at Rancho El Dorado for hosting a great event.  The lunches provided after each round help the players sustain their energy level and concentration.  Each player took home a tee package which included an embroidered Antigua Polo, a DJGT Towel, and a Bag Tag which will help them remember this event for a long time.

NEXT UP:  Palm Valley GC – December 18^th-19^th

National Rankings, AJGA PBE towards Player of the Year, Golfweek Invitational Exemption for Troon North, Sunday Low Round Putter Covers and a Toy Drive.

Maricopa, Arizona – Top area junior golfers will compete for honor and an AJGA exemption at the Desert Junior Golf Tour’s next event on November 13-14 at the Duke Golf Club in Maricopa. This 36-hole, weekend event features four boys divisions (for ages 8-9, 10-11, 12-14 and 15-19) and three girls divisions (for ages 8-11, 12-14 and 15-19). This event is considered a ‘major’ on the Desert Junior Golf Tour. For this major event, the Champion of the Boys 15-19 age division will receive one American Junior Golf Tournament Exemption and the top five of that division will also receive an AJGA performance star.  Event results for this event contested at the David Druzisky-designed Duke Golf Club will be ranked by Junior Golf Scoreboard (permitted the division meets the required ranking guidelines). Furthermore, this tournament is a Golfweek ranked event and the Champion in the Boys 15-19 and Girls 15-19 division will receive an invitation into the Golfweek Junior Invitational – West Coast on January 16-17, 2011 at Troon North. 

Registration for this two round event is open through November 10^th and the entry fee is $240 for a non member and $215 for members of the Desert Junior Golf Tour. To register for this upcoming tournament register on-line at www.desertjrtour.com or email: info@desertjrtour.com

“With an AJGA Exemption on the line and Performance Stars on the line the competition at The Duke looks to be fierce,” stated Lisa Kaahanui, owner of the Desert Junior Golf Tour. “This field will certainly be a diverse one in that we have entrants from Indiana, Utah, Washington, Idaho and even Mexico.  We still have limited spots available so we encourage juniors who are interested in competing to go to www.desertjtour.com and register today for this exciting event.”

The Desert Junior Golf Tour had recently announced that eight OB Sports-affiliated golf facilities will serve as the exclusive host to all 12 events on the tour’s 2010/2011 schedule of tournaments. Upcoming Desert Junior Golf Your events for the 2010-2011 season include:

• The Duke at Rancho El Dorado (Major event) – November 13 &14 at Duke at Rancho El Dorado in Maricopa, Arizona
• Palm Valley Classic – December 18 & 19 at Palm Valley Golf Club in Goodyear, Arizona
• Eagle Mountain Challenge – January 8 & 9, 2011 at Eagle Mountain Golf Club in Fountain Hills, Arizona
• Mid Season Major – February 12 & 13 at Club West Golf Club in Phoenix, Arizona
• Sandia Open – March 19 & 20 at Sandia Golf Club in Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Longbow Open (Major) – April 9 & 10 at Longbow Golf Club in Mesa, Arizona
• Angel Park Championship – May 21 & 22 at Angel Park Golf Club in Las Vegas, Nevada
• Talking Rock Open (Major) – June 18 & 19 at Talking Rock Golf Club in Prescott, Arizona
• Palm Valley Summer Classic – July 23 & 24 at Palm Valley Golf Club in Goodyear, Arizona
• Ø  Tour Championship – August 1 & 2 location to be determined  

About The Desert Junior Golf Tour

The Desert Junior Golf Tour (DJGT), founded in the fall of 2002 by Dan and Camilla Plunkett, gives boys and girls between the ages of 8-19 the opportunity to compete in nationally ranked tournaments, showcase their talents and receive national recognition at a very reasonable cost.  Tournaments are held at first-class, championship-caliber golf courses, organized and operated by professionally trained tournament staff.  Originally an outlet for elite junior golfers to hone their competitive skills during the fall/winter off-season, the DJGT has now expanded in its ninth year to a year-round schedule. The 2010-2011 season (consisting of 12 events: four Majors, Seven Opens and a Tour Championship) also marks the first season that the tournament schedule will take players outside of Arizona to events in Albuquerque, New Mexico and Las Vegas, Nevada.  Scottsdale-based OB Sports Golf Management is the exclusive host of Desert Junior Golf Tours in 2011. The ideal climate of the desert Southwest attracts players from all over the United States as well as from Canada, Mexico and Switzerland. The goal of the tour is to provide resources for junior golfers to succeed at the highest level, on and off the golf course.  For example, they compete on top-notched venues where they can be noticed by college recruiting officials.  Players also learn the value of community service, physical fitness, and how to prepare mentally for success at the collegiate and professional level. For more information about the Desert Junior Golf Tour, visit www.desertjrtour.com or send an email to info@desertjrtour.com.

About Duke Golf Club

The Duke at Rancho El Dorado is a 7011 yard, David Druzisky-designed golf course located 12 minutes west of I-10 on Queen Creek Road. Ranked as the “#1 Player Friendly Course in Phoenix/Scottsdale” by Golf Tips Travel Annual, 2006, the Duke is features a stunning 7011 yard, par 72 layout, complete practice facility and award winning clubhouse that is home to the popular Silver Spur Grill. Known for its laid-back Old West-inspired ambiance, The Duke superbly mixes unassuming hospitality with a high-end golf experience. For more information on The Duke, visit www.thedukegolf.com or call 480.844.1100.

About OB Sports

OB Sports is a diversified, golf-oriented company with a long history of success that currently manages 36 premier golf courses and country clubs throughout the United States. Known for its comprehensive and personalized services since 1972, OB Sports has become widely acclaimed as the leader in boutique-style golf course management. For more information on OB Sports, visit www.obsports.com, call 480-948-1300. Become a Fan of OB Sports on Facebook at www.facebook.com/obsports or follow OB Sports on Twitter: www.twitter.com/obsportsgolf.

There was no better place to kickoff our season than Longbow Golf Club.  Jay Larscheid, GM at Longbow, suprised everyone that showed up for the Kickoff seminar with appetizers on the patio.  The misters kept eveyone cool on the patio as players finishing up their practice rounds walked off the 18th green to join us.  After grabbing a bite to eat, we all headed inside for a presentation by Dr. Ronald Mann and Jared Allen.  First, Lisa Kaahanui, Tour Owner, went over some of the new and exciting changes to the DJGT.  Some of the new changes this season are,  a new website, the integration of the BlueGolf system, seminars, college recruiting services, community service opportunities, a 1 year membership with the Tour Resource Center, and even personal blogsites for players that want the exposure to college coaches.  The staff members are committed this season  to bring you all the necessary tools to succeed at the highest level of junior golf and prepare YOUR PATH TO COLLEGE GOLF.  It was now time for the main event!

Parents and players eagerly took out their notepads and pencils as Dr. Mann spoke about the importance of clearing your mind on the course. He also shared how you should allow yourself, as a player to use the left part of your brain vs. the right side.  He showed everyone how to incorporate a simple breathing technique into your preshot routine that would maximize relaxation and release the tension in your body.  One of the most interesting topics was how our thoughts can create beautiful water cystals if we put a good thought in our mind.  Everyone had a opportunity to ask questions and even ask Dr. Mann about what he thought about Tiger’s situation.  Will Tiger be able to come back?  Very interesting to learn simple techniques that can improve your life along with your game.

The second half of the evening was spent with Jared Allen, CEO of ProFitness in Tempe.  He set us all on track with our fitness goals for the season.  We learned stretching techniques prior to a tournament round.  Many of us were suprised to find out that traditional stretching actually told your body to shut down instead of “fire up” and get ready for some action.  Parents were able to ask about the proper age to start training as well as the specific type of training that will benefit a junior golfer the most.  Jared gave everyone a list of foods that you should eat prior, during and after a round.  There goes my Snicker bar!  Stick with simple nuts and grains, no sugars.  We all learned that Gatorade is your best friend on the course when you need something to replenish your electrolytes quickly.  After listening to both Dr. Mann and Jared  we now had some important tools to keep our mind and body ready for competition.  You can find Jared and Dr. Mann on our website under “Meet our Staff”.

The evening was a huge success with many happy faces walking out the door.  I’m sure the juniors were excited to take what they learned and apply it in their rounds of golf on the weekend.  Dr. Mann and Jared will be doing another seminar at our first MAJOR in November.  They are both committed to helping us help YOU!!!

Thank you to all the families that came out and made it a huge success.