News: Archives
| AUGUST 2009 |
Russell wins his 60th!
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Russell played great this weekend shooting 71-74 to win at the MAJGT Mini Tour at Bonnie Brook in Waukegan, Illinois.
After a three days of rain, the course at Bonnie Brook was in surprisingly good shape. Hitting fairways and greens, Russell's -1 under par in the first round looked easy. On day two, Russell struggled on the front giving up his lead, but came on strong down the stretch to regain his advantage and ended up winning by 3 strokes. This win marks Russell's 60th career stroke play victory.
Russell wins at Geneva
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AUG 12, 2009 - Russell successfully defended his title today at Illinois Junior Golf Association's YDP 10-11 Invitational. Top finishers from the 10 event season were invited to play in today's event. The season finale Invitational was held at the Geneva Golf Club in Geneva, Illinois.
Two laps were made around the challenging 9 hole course designed by James Foulis and built in 1900. The club was built as a members only course, and remains one today. Russell played great hitting fairways, greens and showing off his short game skills when they were needed. He finished the day at 39-40 (79) to win by four on the demanding 5,000 yd course.
U.S. Kids Golf World Championships - Pinehurst, N.C.
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Russell's competition course was the fabulous Tom Fazio designed South course at the Exclusive Forest Creek Golf Club in Pinehurst, N.C. The course was in incredible shape and the heat and humidity was mild compared to last year. Temps hovered in the high 80's with medium humidity.There were 149 kids entered in Russell's 11 year old division playing 5,580 yds. This is the third year that Russell is playing 18 holes for three days of competition. The front was played as is and the back nine started on hole #11 and the final hole was the 19th "Hog Hole". The "Hog Hole" was a 150 yd par-3 with all carry over water. It made for a great stadium style finish with all the spectators sitting on the hill watching the final groups come thru
Round 1 - Russell started off hole #10 at 7:20a with bogey, birdie, par on the first three holes, then came back with a birdie on the par-5 14th and the par-4 16th. A missed fairway on 17 led to a bogey. Russell finished the 18th with par and birdied the Hog Hole to make the turn at -2. The front nine was more of the same with two birdies and three bogeys as the fairways and greens were drying out from the previous nights rain. Russell finished finishing the first round carding a 71 (-1). It was Russell's first round under par at the World Championships and he finished the day T1.
Round 2 - Russell started off the first tee at 1:10p. The fairways and greens were a lot faster than the morning before. The greens were still sticking, but the putts were getting slippery. Russell started with 3 pars then a bogey on the par-4 4th. 5 more pars and then a blocked tee shot on 9 lands Russell in the far right pine straw. A punch out back into the fairway rolls a little too far and creeps into the rough at the end of the fairway. Russell hit a great shot from 80 yds to about 6 feet left of the hole, but his putt lips the edge and Russell settles for bogey and +2 at the turn. The back seemed to play easier with two pars and two bogeys. Russell finished the day with a 74 (+2) and 12th overall.
Round 3 - Round three started for Russell at 1:00p. With pars on 1 and 2 it looked like Russell was comfortable and ready to play.With two unfortunate bogeys on 3 & 4 Russell kept his head up and made a great par save on 5 and a terrific tee shot on the par-3 6th lead to a birdie 2. A bogey on 7 and two pars on 8 & 9 , Russell makes the turn at +2. The back nine was pretty routine with regulation pars on the first five holes. On the par-4 16th, Russell hit a smooth driver to the right setting him up for a 139 yard approach into the two tiered green , a perfect 5-iron rolled up onto the top tier 10 feet below the hole. Russell rammed his putt 4 feet past and missed the comeback carding his only bogey on the back. Parring his way home, Russell finished the day with a 75 (+3) with a total of 220 finishing 16th overall.
Russell hit some spectacular shots this week. His iron play was second to none. if you ever get the chance to play Forest Creek, make sure you stay under the hole on the greens. Congratulations to Terrance Zhang from Florida with an incredible 67-68-71.
| 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.
| APRIL 2009 |
Illinois Junior Classic
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Everyone was excited to play this years Illinois Junior Classic. The Tournament directors announced that Junior Golf Central was going to make their National Debut with HD camera's filming the action along with first round leader and winner interviews. The weather for Fridays practice could not not have been better. After the past few weeks of bad conditions, these kids deserved a good weekend. Russell got to play with two of his good friends that made the trip up from Florida for the weekend. It was fun to watch them play together like they've done so many times in the past.
Round 1- It's not looking good, Mother nature has done it again with heavy rain, lightning and thunder minutes before tee time. After a minor delay, play is underway. Russell got off to a great start with birdies on the first and second holes. With a bogey on 4 followed by another birdie on 5, Russell remains at -2 thru 5. He pars the next three leading up to the par-5 ninth. With a great third almost dunking for an eagle, Russell was left with a 2' foot putt for birdie and made the turn at -3. Russell kept the momentum for the next 4 holes hitting fairways ,greens and two putting for pars. The 14th hole is a 175 yd par-3 with with the wind directly in your face. Russell over powered his 3 wood pulling his tee shot into the greenside bunker. Russell was left with a downhill lie and a steep face in front of the pin. He struck the ball thin flying it over the green into a small collection area. Up and down from here would be a great bogey save. Russell hit a perfect shot, hopping twice, checking and catching the rim of the cup. His ball came to rest up against the stick. One of the other boys in his group says "bump the pin and it's in". Russell proceeded under the rules to wiggle the stick allowing the ball to drop in the cup... that was a great par save. The black clouds moved in again and this time it was for good. The committee made a call that play was to be suspended and all scores would revert back to the front nine only. Russell's -3 at the turn would give him a 4 shot lead on day one.
Round 2 - Because the rain from Saturday afternoon continued all night and another heavy downpour just before Round 2, the committee cancelled play for the day due to unplayable conditions. The course was soaked and would not be able to drain in time to make conditions playable. Russell ends up Champion in the boys 10-11 division with his front nine score from round one. There were a lot of disappointed players that wanted to finish, but they understand that these things happen and there is always next week.
"Battle at Cantigny"
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This was Russell's second PJGT event in the last two weeks.
Saturdays weather could not have been better for Chicago in the spring. 70, sunny and no wind. Russell shoots a 78 in the boys 10-11 division and leads the field by 5 after day one.
Sunday's weather was another story all together. 52 degrees with a steady rain all day. Russell played a terrific front nine shooting a 1-over 37. After the turn he made a couple of approach errors costing him a few strokes on 11 & 12, but bounced back coming home. At this point all the kids were soaked and getting tired. The parents should really give these kids credit for hanging in there all day with no caddies, no rangefinders and pushing their own carts while managing the wet grips, umbrella's & headcovers.
Russell finished the day at 82 and wins by 10 strokes.
Total: 78-82 (160) This was Russell second consecutive PJGT win at Cantigny.
"Bettinardi Windy City Challenge"
The weather is always at factor at the annual Cog Hill event.
Saturdays weather was decent with partly sunny skies and temps in the 60's. Russell plays a great front nine, but struggled around the greens on the back. He cards a 79, two shots off the lead on day one.
Sundays forecast was ugly. A big front was coming and it was going to be cold and windy. The real feel temp was 28 degrees with a brisk 20 mph wind. Russell played good golf considering the conditions and ended up in second place behind his good friend Jackson Wendling.
Congrats to Jackson for two great rounds of 77-79.
| FEBRUARY 2009 |
U.S. Kids Golf Regional Championships - Jekyll Island, Georgia
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This was Russell's 6th trip to the U.S.Kids Golf Jekyll Island Cup. With his first win in '07 and fresh off a broken arm last year, Russell was determined to get back on top this year.
This event is always difficult for the Midwest kids because most have them have not been on grass due to snow since thanksgiving. The weather is always a factor with windy and cold conditions.
Round 1 - Russell's short game was spot on with up and down par saves on the first three holes. with a chip in birdie on 8, he went to -1. On the ninth, the golf gods kicked out a par putt and Russell made the turn at even par. Two more pars on 10 and 11, then a great tee shot on the par-3 12th lead to another birdie. Russell carded five more pars thru 17 then drilled a 10' putt for birdie on 18 for a Round One score of -2 under, at 70. He was in the first group in his boys 10 division and had to wait for the rest of the field to post before he learned he was the first round leader by 1.
Round 2 - Round 2 didn't seem to get off to a good start with a pull hook into the fairway bunker and his second shot into the greenside bunker. Russell hit a good shot out of the bunker and sank a 15 foot putt to save par and turned things around. The officials showed no mercy with the pin placement on number 2. All three boys made good putts that wouldn't stop when they got near the hole and all three rolled off the front of the green. All three boys in the final group made bogey on number 2. It was good to see them all be able to laugh at the situation knowing they all hit good putts. On the par-5 third, Russell hit his 6 iron to inches and tapped in for birdie to get back to even for the day and a three stroke lead overall. Russell carded four more pars, then hit a great approach on 8 that lead to another birdie taking him to -1 thru 8. With a bad tee shot on 9, his ball was deep in a divot leaving him no shot at the green. His approach left him in another divot, ultimately leading to Russell's only double bogey of the event. Russell made the turn at +1 with a four shot lead overall. On the 10th, Russell hit a great approach leading his third birdie of the day. He made par on 11, 12 & 13 then miss-hit his approach on 14 leading to a bogey 5. Russell made a great putt on 15 to save par, then made another par on the 158 yd par-3 16th. On the par-5 17th, Russell sank an uphill 12 footer for birdie getting him back to even par for the day. Russell played safe coming home on 18 with a center of the green approach and a two-putt par for the win. Russell finished the day at even par 72.
We are all very proud of the way Russell played and the way he conducted himself on and off the course. Russell always enjoys seeing and playing with his golf friends and can't wait until next time.
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