FSGA Jr. Match Play Invite: Barber and Popson Win Titles
NAPLES, Florida (August 27, 2006) - Blayne Barber and Erica Popson each won
their second Championship of the year capturing the 16-18 age division of the
Junior Match Play Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples on August 26-27.
In the 13-15 age division, Curtis Thompson and Casey Kennedy each won their
respective divisions of the 2006 Championship.
The 2006 Boys Junior Champion Blayne Barber won four matches en route to claiming
the boys 16-18 age division. Playing from 7,060 yards, the same distance and
hole locations as Greg Norman’s Shark Shoot-Out, top seeded Barber played
steady golf to reach the finals. In the final match, Barber, 16, of Lake City
, overpowered Joshua Leppo 4 and 2 to win the 2006 Championship. Leppo, 17,
of Naples , the sixth seed, went 5-under to win his first match 6 and 5 and
then upset third seed Tyler Hock 5 and 3 in the quarters. Erica Popson, of
Davenport , secured the girls 16-18 age division beating Kristen Hill in the
final match. Popson made four birdies through 12 holes to win the match 7 and
6. The 15-year-old Popson prevailed in her first two matches with two holes
remaining in each. “I played my best golf in the final match,” said
Popson. “My putting improved from the first day and everything just came
together in the final match.” Popson earned the second seed with a Florida
Junior Tour (FJT) victory in the 16-18 age division and winning the 13-15 age
division of the Florida Girls Junior Championship.
In the boys 13-15 age division, third seeded Curtis Thompson, of Coral Springs
, defeated Alex McMahon, of Naples , 2 and 1 to win the division. Thompson,
13, won his first two matches 7 and 5 to advance to the finals. McMahon, the
eighth seed and playing his home course, made six birdies to upset the top
seed Phillip Choi in the quarterfinals 5 and 3 before reaching the finals.
Casey Kennedy, 15, of Venice , beat the number one seed in the girls 13-15
age division to win the title. Kennedy defeated 11-year-old Alexis Thompson,
of Coral Springs , in the finals 4 and 3. Both Kennedy and Thompson advanced
from their semifinal match after making birdie on the 19th hole.
This invitation only event featured the top male and female junior golfers
ages 13-15 and 16-18. Invitations are based on the Boys and Girls Junior Championships
and the Florida Junior Tour rankings. The boys 16-18 age division consisted
of a field of 16 while all the other divisions featured eight players.
To view complete results, click on the appropriate link below:
Girls 16-18
Boys 16-18
Girls 13-15
Boys 13-15
About the FSGA
Organized in 1913, the Florida State Golf Association is a not-for-profit
organization that governs amateur golf in the state of Florida . In addition
to conducting 22 championships for amateur golfers in the state, the FSGA is
responsible for more than 40 qualifying tournaments for USGA National Championships
and the Florida Junior Tour. The FSGA also maintains the USGA Handicap System,
performs course ratings throughout Florida and assists in junior programs and
scholarships.
ABOUT THE
Florida Junior Match Play
This match play invitation-only
event features the top junior golfers ages
13-18. Boys 16-18 play on one course, and boys 13-
15
and all girls play on another. Invitations are based
on
the Junior Championship and Florida Junior Tour
(FJT)
rankings.
View Complete Tournament Information