Upcoming Schedule:
July 13-14, 2009
MAJGT Blackberry Oaks
August 6-8, 2009
USKG World Championships,
Pinehurst, North Carolina
Latest News:
| JUNE 2009 |
2009 Pepsi Little Peoples
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Russell played in his 6th Pepsi Little Peoples tournament this week in Quincy, Illinois. This was the 36th year of the event with just under 600 players in 8 boys and 8 girls divisions.
Kids travel from around the world to play in this well respected Junior tournament. The weather was very hot and humid with temps in the high 90's and a heat index of 110.
Round 1 - Russell played some of the best tee to green golf of the season ,but had trouble getting the putts to drop. He had 6 lip outs in the first round at the River View Golf course in La Grange, Missouri. Russell shot a respectable 4 over (74) to finish T8 for the day.
Round 2 - There were a lot of highlights in the second round of the tournament. On the 7th hole, Russell chipped in for birdie from the back of the green. Nathan Chuwait sank a 15' foot putt for birdie and then Parker Redding drilled his 20' footer. All three boys made Birdie. It was really fun to watch. Russell played great carding +1 on the front and even par on the back for a 1 over par 71 moving him up three spots to finish T5 in the 43 man field.
The highlight of the event was watching Nathan and Andy Ogletree in what turned out to be a 5 hole playoff for second. both boys played terrific and on the 4th, Andy's "the rock shot" will be remembered for a long time. On the par-3 fifth. Andy stuffed his tee shot to a foot for the playoff victory and second place over Nathan. Congrats to Philip Barbaree for two terrific rounds under par and the overall win.
2009 World Youth Team Challenge
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The 3rd Annual World Youth Team Challenge took place this past week in Bolingbrook, Illinois. 10 teams including 5 USA Teams (Defending Champs, East, West, Central & Midwest) and 5 South American teams including two from Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela & Puerto Rico played 18 holes of alternate and four ball formats over 4 days. Russell was a member of the Team USA Central in the boys 10 division.
Day 1 - Russell and partner Owen Miklos from Ohio defeated the Colombian boys 4 and 3 in the morning and 1 up in the afternoon best ball format. Team USA Central went 14 and 4 for the day and sat in the top spot in Pool B.
Day 2 - Russell and Owen played great golf against the the Mexico B team squaring the morning matches. In the afternoon best ball match, they were 2 down after the third hole and remained 2 down with 2 to go. Russell and Owen won the final two holes squaring the match on the ninth… there were no winners or losers and all the kids had a great time together. Team USA Central won 13.5 points and lead Mexico A in Pool B by 3 points.
Day 3 - On Day 3 the Boys were paired against the USA East Coast team. Russell and Owen struggled a bit in the morning and lost the match 1 up. They got it together in the afternoon and won the best ball format 2 and 1. Team USA Central continue their winning ways and score another 11.5 points and make the finals against Team USA West in Pool A.
Day 4 - The Finals Russell and Owen shared some great shots in the alternate shot format. The Boys beat the USA West team in the morning match 2 up. Team USA Central had a 2 point lead over the West team in the morning matches. Rain was predicted for the afternoon match and it started pouring by the 2nd hole. Umbrellas, Hats, Jackets and Rain gloves all came into play. The boys were told that if play were to be suspended, the matches would end from the last completed hole. On the fourth green, the official word came thru that standing water on the course from the heavy rain has suspended play. The Central and West boys were all square thru 3. Play was unable to resume and USA TEAM CENTRAL was named the 2009 WYTC Champions.
Congratulations to all the Team Central Members and Coach John Elliott.
A special thank you goes out to Pete and the rest of the WYTC organizers. www.ijgc.com
MAJGT Mini Tour
The Mid American Junior Golf Tour (MAJGT) made it's Mini Tour debut at Mill Creek in Geneva, Illinois. Russell hit some great shots in the first round of the 36 hole event ,but just couldn't score. He came back on day two with a terrific 3 over 74 and 3rd place overall. There are 6 Mini tour events thru the summer and fall with an Invitational championship at the end of the season.
| MAY 2009 |
Dupage County Junior Classic
Due to an unfortunate mix up at the second tee box, Russell was disqualified from the Dupage County Junior Classic. He respects the rules of the game and handled it like a professional. It was a learning experience he will never forget or let happen again. This was the first time in 130 events that Russell has failed to finish.
From the USGA rule book:
11-4. Playing from Outside Teeing Ground
b. Stroke Play
If a competitor, when starting a hole, plays a ball from outside the teeing ground, he incurs a penalty of two strokes and must then play a ball from within the teeing ground.
If the competitor makes a stroke from the next teeing ground without first correcting his mistake or, in the case of the last hole of the round, leaves the putting green without first declaring his intention to correct his mistake, he is disqualified.
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