Three records were broken at the Lake of the Woods Junior Open golf tournament
By FRED KRONER
Three tournament records were broken on Thursday (July 27) in the annual Lake of the Woods Junior Open golf tournament.
All three record-setters were in the boys’ division.
Mahomet-Seymour junior-to-be Reis Claybrooke shot an 18-hole score of 70 to win the boys’ 16-17 age division.
He posted a 2-shot win over M-S senior-to-be Leif Olson, who placed second in the age group for the second year in a row. Taking third, with a 78, was Jacob Schoudel, an upcoming M-S junior.
Claybrooke won the boys’ 14-15 age division in 2022.
Also breaking a tournament scoring record was Forrest Benson, in the boys 14-15 age division. Also playing 18 holes, he carded a 69 and defeated runner-up Kelton Hennesy by 3 shots. Placing third, with a 77, was Cole Thrasher. Hennesy and Thrasher are both sophomores-to-be at M-S.
The third record was posted by Hunter Benson in the boys’ 12-13 age division. Playing nine holes, Benson scored a 35 to win his age class for the second consecutive year.
Tying for second place, with 42s, were Hayden Hogg and Max Clausen.
Another defending champion who was a repeat winner was Amelia Birge in the girls’ 16-17 age division. She recorded a 90 and outdistanced runner-up Megan Allen by 11 strokes. In third, with a 117, was Macy Printy.
Brooke Hartman, the runner-up last summer, posted a 1-shot victory in the girls’ 14-15 age division. She carded a 91. The runner-up was Sophie Park. In third, with a 95, was Addison Finet. Hartman will start her sophomore year at M-S in August.
In the girls’ 12-13 age division nine-hole event, first-place winner Makenna Peterka registered a 44. Placing second, with a 57, was Adria Moberly. Third place was captured by Lucy Burman, with a 64.
In both the boys’ and girls’ 10-11 age division, the winner was only determined after a one-hole playoff.
Paxten Heinold and Dawson Martin both fired 61s before Heinold secured the win. Martin was the runner-up for the second year in a row. Finishing third was Clayton Glowacki, with a 67.
The boys and girls each played 18 holes on the par 3 course.
In the girls’ competition, April Yu and Savannah Bednar tied for first with 115s. Yu prevailed on the first playoff hole.
The champions in both the boys’ and girls 8-9 age division were victorious last year in the 5-7 age division.
Both groups played nine holes on the par 3 course.
Emmitt Risley’s 36 was good enough for a 5-shot win over Cash Wenzel. Taking third, with a 42, was Beckett Miller.
In the girls’ 8-9 age division, Lucy Shambaugh added another first-place finish. She tallied a 44. Runner-up Ashlyn Moberly shot a 58. Ending third was Iris Acree with a 65.
Risley and Shambaugh are both 8 years old.
The boys’ 5-7 age division played five holes on the par 3 course.
Winner Charlie Arends carded a 27. Runner-up Wyatt Stierwalt posted a 29 and third-place finisher Benji Sebestik came in at 30.
There were no competitors in the girls’ 5-7 age division.
Overall, there were 11 age divisions.
Of the 87 total golfers in the 2023 Junior Open, 72 were boys.
The age division with the most participants was the boys’ 16-17 grouping with 17 competitors.
