Kiko Francisco Coelho (FSGA)
Maybe the toughest challenge on the Florida junior circuit, the 66th Boys’ Junior Championship hosted by The Black Course at Streamsong Resort proved to be quite a test.
Kiko Francisco Coelho outlasted the highly talented field, clearing them by three shots to claim the Boys’ Junior Championship.
“It means a lot,” Coelho told the Florida State Golf Association. “It’s one of the greatest junior tournaments in Florida. I felt great about my game coming into it and I played really well this week.”
Beginning the day one-shot back of the leaders, Coelho teed off on No. 10 and immediately got to work. With four birdies on his first nine holes, Coelho was confident heading into his final nine holes.
“I knew being one-shot back was nothing on this course,” Coelho said. “I just tried to start well and I played really good on the front nine.”
Cooling off a bit on his back nine, Coelho was 5-under on the day before back-to-back bogeys nearly de-railed his championship contention. Gaining his composure, Coelho rallied with two birdies down the stretch to post a 68 and clearing the field by three strokes.
With an opening 66, Coelho claimed low round of the tournament, following it up with a one-under 72 before closing with a 68 to claim his second-straight win as he took home the Mission Inn title last week.
Coelho had plenty of challengers as Brendan Valdes and Nicholas Gabrelcik both made runs with final-round 68s to finish in a three-way tie for second at 209.
13-15 Division
Jack Turner
Winning by a little more than a touchdown is good if you’re playing football. Winning by more than a touchdown when you’re playing golf is simply awe-inspiring.
Jack Turner did just that at the at The Black Course at Streamsong Resort. Carding rounds of 70-70-67 (207), Turner made easy work of the course. Even with a huge margin of victory, Turner knows had his game not been on, it could have been a different story.
“My putting was definitely the strongest part of my game, especially on these greens," Turner told the FSGA. "You can hit a lot of greens out here and still shoot over-par. My speed control and my short putts were really solid this week. I think that is what helped me get the win.”
Beginning the final round with a four-stroke lead, Turner simply went off. Posting a tournament-low 67, Turner nearly tripled his lead. Closing the event out with a birdie on No. 10, Turner came away with an 11-shot victory.
Marking down three bogeys and two double-bogeys, Turner tallied 17 birdies and an eagle over the course of the 54-hole event. Joined by Danny Erickson under par, the two-class of 2023 golfers were the only golfers to post red numbers. Erickson claimed a distant second-place finish at 1-under for the tournament.
Rounding out the top-5 was Chase Carroll (219), Chase Brewer (219), Jack Snedaker (223), and Nicholas Prieto (223).
View results for Florida Junior Amateur
ABOUT THE
Florida Junior Amateur
54 holes of stroke play to crown the top junior
in the state. Non exempt players need to
qualify at sites across the state in 18 holes of
stroke play. Started in 1955, former Boys
Junior Champions include Gary Koch, Len
Mattiace, Josh McCumber, Jeremy Anderson
and Matt Kuchar. Male amateur golfers ages
13-18. Entrant must not reached their 19th
birthday and not attending college. All players
must walk and carry their own clubs.
View Complete Tournament Information