Top Oklahoma juniors to measure skills against Southern Hills Saturday
A tournament with an ultra talented field is coming up fast this month at Southern Hills Country Club.
No, not that one. We’re talking about the Oklahoma Junior Masters, featuring most of the state’s top junior players and scheduled this Saturday.
Ben Stoller, Jake Hopper and Drew Mabrey are the penultimate group at 11:50 a.m., followed by Grant Gudgel, Ryder Cowan and William Sides. On the girls side, Jenni Roller, coming off her third state championship and a state record 62 set Thursday, is in the final girls pairing with Brooklyn Benn, preceded by Olivia Coit, Beans Factor and Peyton Coburn at 9:20. Rylee Roberts, who won Class 6A Thursday in Oklahoma City, is in the first group off with Gracie Doke and Megan Kalapura.
Southern Hills president Scott Mabrey, who coordinates the event with Morri Rose of the Oklahoma Golf Association, said it was actually the idea of Southern Hills superintendant Russ Myers to have the kids play right before the May 19-22 PGA Championship, with the course set up with grandstands and corporate tents. He thought it would be similar to the way Augusta National has scheduled the Augusta National Women’s Amateur just prior to the Masters.
“Russ proposed it and we thought it was a great idea,” Mabrey said. “The kids will love it. We’ve got a very strong field.”
Spectators are limited to two family members per contestant due to tournament preparations for the PGA Championship.