May 12
26
The Future Collegians World Tour (FCWT) 2012 Championship weekend began on Friday night with an Awards Dinner, recognizing players for their achievements both in the classroom and on the golf course during the regular season.
Frankie Capan
On Saturday, Round One of the Championship got underway with players beginning to tee off on both the Squire Course and the Championship Course at 7:30 am. The Boys 11-13 division had 14 players from 6 states as well as 3 countries play the opening round. When the scores were posted, Frankie Capan of St. Paul, MN (2018) was in the lead. Capan, who is playing in his 4th season of FCWT tournaments, opened with a round of 71, one under par. He leads Manuel Giona of Windermere, FL (2017) by 3 strokes. Local player Andrew Kozan of Palm Beach Gardens, FL (2017) will start Round Two in 3rd place, just 4 strokes off the pace. David Giandomenico of Boynton Beach (2017) and Miles Castoro of Fort Lauderdale are currently tied for 4th place at 77. Capan and Castoro each carded 3 birdies on Saturday to co-lead this division. Capan , who won this season at TPC Sawgrass, also led in pars with 13.
Luis Garza
A pair of deuces for Luis Garza in Boys 13-15 division
In the 13-15 Boys division, Luis Garza of Mexico (2016) had an unbelievable round – one he probably won’t forget any time soon. Luis carded an albatross (double eagle) on the 14th hole, then went on to make an eagle on # 16. Garza’s one under par 71 leads by two strokes of countryman Alejandro Lopez of Veracruz (2016). Garza, who won the FCWT Saddlebrook tournament, is a student at the Gary Gilchrist Academy. Local favorite Hamilton Long of West Palm Beach, FL (2016) and Jackson Lang of Lexington, MA (2015) are currently tied for 3rd place at 75. Sam Madsen of Pompano Beach, FL (2014) is 6 strokes back of Garza at 77. Long and Madsen co-led in pars with 14 apiece.
An Ace and a near perfect round
Valentina Herrera
The Girls division had their own excitement on Saturday. Before 9:30, Valentina Herrera of Colombia had carded an ACE on the 6th hole with a 7 iron from 130 yards. Later in the day,
Nina Fairbairn
Nina Fairbairn of Orinda, CA (2013) fired a 3 under par 69 to lead all scores. Miss Fairbairn entered the FCWT 2012 Tour Championship as a two-time winner: Coyote Creek and PGA West. Nina has a two-stroke advantage over JiaXin Yang of Beijing, CHINA (2013), who led this division in birdies with 6. Miss Yang is playing in her first FCWT tournament. Ailin Li of CHINA (2015), who led the girls division in pars with 16, is in third place at even par. Three girls are tied for 5th place at 74: Anna Sophia Bohmer (2013), Karen Arimoto of Japan (2015) and Xing Ji Chun Xu of CHINA (2012).
Americans lead an international leaderboard
PGA National is known for its flag circle with the flags of many countries flying in the Florida breeze. The leaderboard in the Boys 16-19 division at PGA National has its own diversity of flags. After both waves of players had completed Round One,
Corey Pereira
Corey Pereira of Cameron Park, CA (2013) was in the lead. Corey fired a 3 under par 69. He leads a trio of players at even par 72: David Snyder of McAllen, TX (2016), Austin Carmack of Newburgh, IN (2015), Anthony Gardner of Hillsboro Beach, FL (2013). Five players are tied for 5th at 73: Evan DeRoche of Key West (2014), Maxime Blandin of Martinique (2012), Jose Hernandez of Santo Domingo, DR (2013), Max Donohue of Sioux Falls, SD (2014), and Eduardo Cabrera of Guadalajara, MEXICO (2013). Ten players are tied for 10th at 74. Lots of golf left in this one. Five players carded an eagle during Round One. Tzu-Wei Lin of Bradenton, FL (2014) led in birdies with 6. Evan DeRoche of Key West, FL (2014) led this division in pars with 17. Corey, who won the Classic Club tournament, will seek to add the FCWT 2012 Tour Championship title to his resume. Round Two resumes on Sunday.
