Post-Grad student Stokes wins weekend tournament

IJGA post-graduate student Jason Stokes of Jersey Channel Islands, United Kingdom, brought home his second win of the season in the Boys 15-19 Division from the BGGA Orlando Open at Buena Vista in Orlando, Fla. The Jersey Channel Islands native led wire to wire with an impressive performance and finished his season in North America on a high note.

In the first round, Stokes carded five birdies on his way to a career-low round of 5-under 67. His best stretch came on the front nine where he knocked in birdies on three of his first five holes. He led the field by two strokes following the first round.

In the second round, he continued his strong play, tallying four more birdies making his tournament total nine. This tied him for the most of anyone in the competition and earned him the Eyeline Golf Golden Putter Award. Stokes carded his only bogey of the entire tournament on the par-5 hole No. 14 before closing out his round with four straight pars and rebounding well under pressure. His second day total of 3-under 69 brought his tournament total to a whopping 8-under putting him three strokes ahead of the second place finisher.

IJGA freshman Frederic Ruess of Hamburg, Germany, continued his strong spring semester with a fourth-place finish. Ruess carded a career-low with a 4-under 68 in the final round. This performance also earned him the Clazic Belts Low Final Round Award. Ruess was the most improved from round one to round two, shaving a whopping six strokes off his game. His tournament total of 2-under 142 also marked the first time this season Ruess finished under-par in competition.

Conor Byrne of Dublin Ireland, Kanata Irei of Okinawa, Japan, Masato Yoshitsugu of Aichi, Japan, and Trey Wren of Suffolk, Va., also finished in the top 10 in the Boys 15-19 Division.

Wren and senior Kelly Whaley of Farmington, Conn., both carded eagles in the competition. Both were in the first round with Whaley’s coming on the par-5 hole No. 1 and Wren’s on the par-5 hole No. 8.

Whaley led the IJGA girls with a third-place finish. Her strongest stretch of holes was the front nine, where she carded an eagle in round one and four birdies in round two. Whaley made the turn in round two at 3-under and finished the round 1-under with a 71.

Joining her in the Girls Division top 10 were IJGA students Warissara “Mind” Puangcharoen of Chonburi, Thailand, Bunyaporn “Nat” Zeng of Bangkok, Thailand, Chomchana “Cake” Phuchanbanchob of Chiang Mai, Thailand, Jasmine Chee of Hong Kong, China, Sera Tadokoro of Osaka, Japan, and Meredith Langs, Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Congratulations to all IJGA participants!