The Golfweek East Coast Junior Invitational will put together some of the elite junior players in the country the first weekend of November in Orlando, and amid this group of players will be a fair representation from the Golfweek Junior Tour, particular from the Midwest region.
On the girls side, Cherise Otter will go up against one of the strongest fields assembled this year. Otter, a resident of Bloomington, Ind., has won three times in the Girls 14-and-Under division of the GJT and now will get to test her game against the best juniors in the country.
In the girls field are 14 players that are currently ranked in the top 100 of the Golfweek/Sagarin national rankings and 33 ranked in the top 200. Otter, who is currently ranked 516, would be able to skyrocket in the rankings with a strong showing, so we’re certainly pulling for her here!
On the boys side, four GJT players will head to Orlando to compete in what is yet another talented field.
Callahan Elzey, a resident of Fort Wayne, Ind., earned an exemption into the field by virtue of his leading the Midwest region points race. Elzey has played in seven GJT events this season and earned four top-5 finishes included three times as runner-up.
Devan Schulert, a resident of Kingsville, Ontario, has won four GJT events dating back to last year and is a veteran of the Golfweek East Coast Junior Invitational, having played in last year’s event at Shingle Creek.
Tyler Green, a Columbia City, Ind. resident, has played in eight GJT events in 2012 and will be making his first appearance at a Golfweek Junior Invitational. He’s garnered a top-4 finish in each of his last three GJT appearances, included a tie for second at Indiana University back in September.
John Fortuna, a resident of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., will also be making his first appearance at a Golfweek Junior Invitational. He was victorious in the GJT Fall season opener at Notre Dame when he beat Elzey and Tyler Prentkowski in a three-way playoff.
The boys field features at least two players that are ranked nationally in the top-25 and 20 more that are ranked in the top 200.
The Golfweek East Coast Junior Invitational will take place Nov. 3-4 at Celebration Golf Club in Kissimmee, Fla. across from Walt Disney World near Orlando. In terms of strength of field, last year’s event ranked No. 15 nationally among all junior tournaments.
ACES ABOUND. October brought a couple holes-in-one to the GJT, one on each region.
In the Midwest, Ethan Ray turned the trick during the final round of the event at Heartland Crossing Oct. 7. Ray, of Collierville, Tenn., made his shot at the par-3 11th hole in the Boys 12-and-Under division.
In the West region, David Magee had his ace during the final round of the Major at Sandpiper Oct. 14. Magee, of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., hit his shot came at the par-3 fourth hole and it helped propel him to a top-10 finish in the Collegiate Prep Boys division.
Carlton Reese is a Tournaments Manager for Golfweek and covers the Golfweek Junior Tour. If you have interesting information you would like to see in his blog, you may e-mail him at creese@golfweek.com.