Battle Creek 13u All-Stars advance to PGA Jr. League Championship
Above, the championship team representing Battle Creek. From left to right: Braxton Thomas, 10, Stilwell,; Eli Seals, 11, Broken Arrow; Jexton Langer, 10, Broken Arrow; Braxton Sheffield, 11, Coweta; Coach Amanda Fisher, LPGA; Dia Singh, 12, Bixby; Gray Gerloff, 12, Tulsa; Max Cronin, 10, Tulsa; Paxton Hart, 10 Broken Arrow.
Tiebreakers made for an exciting finish at the Region 8 PGA Jr. League Championship this weekend at Paradise Pointe Golf Complex in Smithville, Missouri. Nine All-Star teams of junior golfers representing five states and three PGA Sections — Gateway, Iowa and South Central — enjoyed two days of competition.
In the end, the Battle Creek All Stars prevailed by the narrowest of margins and will compete as Team Oklahoma t the 13u PGA Jr. League Championship to be played at PGA Frisco’s Fields Ranch West in Texas, Nov. 16-20.
Battle Creek, the No. 2 seed, faced off against the top-seeded Oak Brook Orange 13u All-Stars of Edwardsville, Illinois, in Sunday afternoon’s match-play Championship match. Both teams finished the match tied 6.0-6.0, with Battle Creek winning the tiebreaker (number of holes won) with 10 holes to Oak Brook’s 9.
Led by Coach Amanda Fisher, LPGA, Battle Creek represents Battle Creek Golf Club in Broken Arrow. After shooting a -24 in Saturday’s stroke play qualifying, Battle Creek entered semifinal play on Sunday morning as the No. 2 seed. Remaining seeding to advance to Sunday’s semifinals included:
- No. 1 seed at -26: The Oak Brook Orange 13u All-Stars representing Oak Brook Golf Club in Edwardsville, Illinois, led the field by two strokes. The team is coached by Mike Suhre, PGA, and Assistant Coach Brian Moore.
- No. 3 seed with a -17: The Legends Country Club 13u All-Stars, led by Coach Brian Schmersahl and Assistant Coach Shawn Patton, representing Legends Country Club in Eureka, Missouri.
- No. 4 seed at -10: PGA of America Golf Professional Don Kueper’s GOAT Ranch Academy 13u All-Stars, representing GOAT Ranch Academy at Carlyle Lake Golf Course in Carlyle, Illinois.
On Sunday morning, the top-seeded Oak Brook Orange 13u All-Stars took on the fourth-seeded GOAT Ranch Academy 13u All-Stars, with Oak Brook advancing to the afternoon Championship with a 10-2 win. In other semifinal action, Battle Creek defeated the No. 3 seed Legends Country Club 13u All-Stars 6.5-5.5.