It’s A Dream Come True
The NFJG TOUR Shootout presented by
Legacy Trust
and hosted by the
web.com Tour was the best event ever or at least it seemed that way. This was the 3
rd Annual NFJG TOUR Shootout at Atlantic Beach Country Club and every year it seems to get bigger and better. This year a good number of PGA and web.com Tour players were already at the course getting ready for the final event of the year making it a true joy for the NFJG TOUR players. Side by side with the Pros on the range is pretty special and it was easy to see the joy and excitement in the junior’s demeanor.
During the 2017-2018 tournament season (Oct-Aug) 343 NFJG TOUR players competed for numerous higher level and special playing opportunities such as the NFJG TOUR Shootout. Eight NFJG TOUR players (four boys and four girls) teamed up with PGA and web.com Tour Players, plus local media celebrities to battle it out in a 6-hole two best ball formatted shootout.
The junior players were treated like pros for the day. As they checked in at the range tent the caddies were presented caddie bibs with the players name and then players were escorted to the range where many TOUR players were already practicing for this week’s final event, the
web.com TOUR Championship. Name plates where pegged in the ground with the junior players name and eyes were on all as they warmed up. The Pros all took notice, taking a peek at the junior’s ball striking and partaking in some friendly conversation. On the range and putting green were 10-15 pros including Blayne Barber, past NFJG TOUR member and now on tour Julian Suri, Robert Streb, and Maverick McNealy, to name a few.
Teeing it up this year for the boys was Cade Black, Colin Sirbaugh, Andrew Riley and Jack Barned. For the girls, Lisa Colee, Reni Jancsik, Marissa Cardenas and Kylie Turner. The Pros included Robert Streb, Rico Hoey, Dan McCarthy and Maverick McNealy. The fourth player for each team came from Jacksonville’s media celebrity who included Stuart Webber from Action Sports Jax, and three players from “No Laying Up”, Chris Solomon, DJ Piehowski and Tron Carter.
Announcements were made for each player at the 10
th tee prior to teeing it up.
With all the players on the course, it was time for the
First Tee of North Florida junior clinic. More than 150 juniors from ages 5 and up were given outstanding instruction from the Jacksonville University and the University of North Florida Golf Teams. After the clinic they would head to the 18
th green for some Firehouse Subs for dinner and to watch the closing shots of the shootout and the awards ceremony.
In the end two teams tied with a six under par 44. A playoff would determine the victors and team Maverick McNealy, Chris Solomon, Andrew Riley and Lisa Colee would win the playoff with a pitch to eight inches by DeLand’s Lisa Colee.
Many thanks to Web.com Tournament Director Adam Renfroe for hosting and to Kristine McLaughlin from Legacy Trust for sponsoring the event.
