Berkely Behrens (top photo) and Sarah Beckhoff are pictured during the Union County Jr. Golf Academy-Tour event at Darby Creek on Tuesday. The tournament was the next-to-last for the 2019 season.
(Journal-Tribune photos by Tim Miller)
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The weather looked threatening, but youngsters in the Union County Jr. Golf Academy-Tour competed in their next-to-last event of the season on Tuesday.
Young golfers teed off at Darby Creek for the third of four regular-season events.
“Well, we’re semi-dry on the course,” said program co-director Eli Morris. “The course is very green, but Darby Creek drains and dries pretty well, even though we have some casual (puddles) water.
“Some of the bunkers are wet, but we’re raking them as we go and allowing the Tour players to go out of the bunkers.”
Local junior golfers have battled various weather conditions during the first three events of the 2019 season.
The day was picture-perfect for the initial tournament on June 11 at Darby Creek. Sunshine and warm temperatures greeted the golfers on that day.
The weather reversed course last Thursday at Blues Creek when participants had to contend with wind and a temperature in the 50s.
The program. though, has yet to lose an event to weather throughout its history.
Rain is still forecast for Thursday when the championship tournament is held at the Ridge, beginning at 10 a.m.
If that event is rained out, there will not be a makeup date.
“If that happens, we will issue rain checks to our golfers,” said Morris. “That will allow them to play once on their own sometime this summer in order to work on their swings.
“It’s just difficult to reschedule a two-hour window of tee times if we would get rained out on Thursday.”
Morris already has the locations for the 2020 season scheduled.
“Next year, we will be back at Marysville Golf Club, Rolling Meadows, Timberview and the Ridge,” he said. “We will use Darby Creek for our clinics next year.”
Results from Tuesday’s tournament were as follows:
Tour boys-18 holes
Travis Brake-75, Chris Borjas-79, Sammy Ratliff-91, Noah Rausch-100, Myles Young-123, Ryan Beckhoff-148, Jaycer Blevins-151, Zack Koenig-152.
Tour girls-18 holes
Veronique Grand-106, Emily Williams-109, Caitlin Johnson-132.
Academy-nine holes
Berkley Behrens-46, Mason Rausch-48, Finn Edie-48, Jackson Burns-52, Kaleb Cox-57, Nate Russell-59, Brady Adams-64, Jorja Ary-65, Sarah Beckhoff-71.
Premier-nine holes
(no scores kept)
Caroline Cox, Lillian Peck, Adelyn Wisecup.