THE FLORIDA JUNIOR TOUR - THE HARBOR HILLS OPEN BY NIKKI HOFFMAN

Reggie Zhu and Izzy PellotWindy conditions did not deter one motivated group of young golfers from swinging their way to the Florida Junior Tour trophy. The Florida Junior Tour (FJT) is considered the premier championship series for youth in the Southeast. FJT events are held at many of the state’s most challenging and premium courses. In mid-April, Harbor Hills proudly hosted 77 young, ambitious golfers for this challenge.The junior tour is conducted by the Florida State Golf Association, a volunteer organization of 500 individuals who provide support for junior and amateur golf in their local areas. The Association, headquartered in Tampa, provides college scholarships and grants for those aspiring golfers. Volunteers assist with tournaments, state championships and USGA qualifying events. Former players of the junior tour include Brooks Koepka, Daniel Berger and Lexi Thompson.Individual gross stroke play was the format for the two-day, 36 hole challenge at Harbor Hills. Boys and girls ages 16-18 competed.  Jackie Twitty, FSGA tournament manager, stated the course was in great shape and a challenging test for the juniors especially with Saturday’s windy day! Reggie Zhu from Winter Garden and Izzy Pellot from Orlando battled it out to win their trophies.This summer, the 2022 Junior Florida Cup will be played in a Ryder Cup format. North Florida versus South Florida for the win! Sixteen junior player teams play three 18 hole matches over two days. The winning team takes home the trophy as well as bragging rights for the year!Preserving and promoting the game of golf starts with our youth. For pictures of the winners of the Harbor Hills Open and more info on the Florida Junior Tour check out https://www.fsga.org.============