By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Topeka Junior Golf Association wrapped up its two-day 2024 City Championship Tuesday at Western Hills, crowning eight champions.
Eighty players competed in the city tournament, ranging in age from 7 to 17 years old.
"It's very exciting and the game of golf is growing,'' said Washburn Rural golf coach Jared Goehring, who has been the director of the TJGA program for 20 years. "Our numbers were up this year as far as registrations go with the tournament play. Kids love being on the golf course and I think that's a tribute to the success that Topeka has with Junior Golf.
"That dates back to Gary Woodland, Andrew Beckler, Lukas McCalla, Abby Glynn, a lot of those former players that went on to play either professionally or went on to play collegiately. The game is at an all-time high and I think we're seeing that with the local golf courses here in town continuing to stay busy.''
Peyton Wright (middle) won the girls 15-17-year-old title in the Topeka Junior Golf Association City Championship, while Izzy Glotzbach (left) finished second and Reece Randall third. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Avenley Head (right) won the girls 13-14-year-old title in the Topeka Junior Golf Association City Championship, while Chloe Schmidtlein (left) finished second. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Rowan Martinek won the girls 12-and-under title in the Topeka Junior Golf Association City Championship. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/Special to TSN]
On the girls side, Peyton Wright won the 15-17-year-old title while Avenley Head won the 13-14 division and Rowan Martinek was the 12-and-under champion.
James Kuta (middle) won the boys 15-17-year-old title in the Topeka Junior Golf Association City Championship, while Tagan Monasmith (left) was second and Jack Donovan third. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/Special to TSN]
Easton Moulin (middle) won the boys 13-14-year-old title in the Topeka Junior Golf Association City Championship, while Brody Buessing (left) was second and Jaxson Leonardi third. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/Special to TSN]
Jase Head (middle) won the boys 11-12-year-old title in the Topeka Junior Golf Association City Championship, while Camden Swords (left) was second and Callen Baldwin third. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/Special to TSN]
Nikhil Rao (middle) won the boys 9-10-year-old title in the Topeka Junior Golf Association City Championship, while Trig Baird (second from left) was second and Beckham Schmidt (second from right) third. Cameron Anderson (left) and Dash Knowland (right) also posted top-five finishes. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/Special to TSN]
Mason Walker (second from left) won the boys 8-and-under title in the Topeka Junior Golf Association City Championship, while Jaxson McFarland (middle) was second, Grayson Gudenkauf (left) and Hayes Wempe (right) tied for third and Colby Swords (second from right) finished fifth. [Photo by Trevor Falcon/Special to TSN
James Kuta won a three-hole playoff to take the championship in the boys 15-17 division while Easton Moulin was the 13-14 champ, Jase Head won the 11-12 division, Nikhil Rao was the 9-10 champ and Mason Walker won the 8-and-under title.
Wright, who attends Baldwin High, recorded a 36-hole score of 156 (79-77), while Head had a winning 18-hole total of 93 and Martinek won with an 18-hole score of 122.
Kuta won with a 36-hole score of 147 (67-80) while Moulin posted a 36-hole win at 157 (76-81), Head won with an 18-hole score of 75, Rao won the 9-10 division with an 18-hole total of 76 and Mason Walker shot a winning 18-hole score of 83.
"The talent's crazy,'' Goehring said. "The future looks very bright for the city of Topeka and the most important thing is the kids enjoy it. If they love the game first the sky is the limit for them. They continue to practice and I just can't wait to see what the future holds for them.''
TJGA CITY GOLF TOURNAMENT
Final results
15-17 girls (36 holes) -- 1. Peyton Wright, 79-77 -- 156; 2. Izzy Glotzbach, 87-82 -- 169; 3. Reece Randall, 87-83 -- 170.
13-14 girls (18 holes) -- 1. Avenley Head, 44-49 -- 93; 2. Chloe Schmidtlein, 49-45 --94.
12 and under girls (18 holes) -- 1. Rowan Martinek, 62-60 -- 122.
15-17 boys (36 holes) -- 1. James Kuta, 67-80 -- 147 (won playoff) ; 2. Tagan Monasmith, 74-73 -- 147 ; 3. Jack Donavan, 78-72 -- 150.
13-14 boys (36 holes) -- 1. Easton Moulin, 76-81 -- 157; 2. Brody Buessing, 80-78 -- 158; 3. Jaxon Leonardi, 78-81 -- 159.
11-12 boys (18 holes) -- 1. Jase Head, 35-40 -- 75; 2. Camden Swords, 42-36 --78; 3. Callen Baldwin, 39-45 -- 84.
9-10 boys (18 holes) -- 1. Nikhil Rao, 36-40 -- 76; 2. Trig Baird, 54-57 -- 111; 3. Beckham Schmidt, 55-59 -- 114.
8 and under boys (18 holes) -- 1. Mason Walker, 43-40 -- 83; 2. Jaxson McFarland, 45-41 -- 86; 3. (tie) Grayson Gudenkauf, 43-49 -- 92, and Hayes Wempe, 44-48 -- 92.
