Former champs look to repeat at 2016 Tommy Moore Memorial
Anticipation for this year ’ s junior golf tournament is building around an extremely competitive field consisting of previous champions and elite talent at the 2016 Allstate Sugar Bowl Tommy Moore Memorial Junior Golf Championship ( TMMJGC ).
The girls ’ division features 2015 champion Yujeong Son of Norman , Oklahoma , and 2013 champion Julia Johnson of St . Gabriel , Louisiana . Last year , Johnson and Son battled down the stretch , with Son prevailing with birdies in five or her final six holes to pull away with the victory and an impressive final round 65 .
Son has been steadily rising up the ranks since her TMMJGC title and sees no signs of slowing down . She was recently ranked as the # 1 junior by Golfweek and has three victories this year . Her expectations are high for this year ’ s tournament . “ I ’ m getting a lot of practice in and I ’ d really like to win it again this year – it would be a great accomplishment ,” said Son .
Johnson is the # 1 ranked junior in Louisiana and is excited to compete . “ I always feel like I ’ m at the peak of my game at the Tommy Moore , and the competition keeps getting tougher and tougher ,” said Johnson . “ I love to play against the best players in the nation – it ’ s why I love this tournament .”
2012 champion Presley Baggett is the reigning 2016 Mississippi Girl ’ s Junior Amateur Champion , while Oklahoman Kaitlin Milligan and Alabama ’ s Michaela Morard are also vying for the TMMJGC crown . Milligan dominated the Oklahoma Junior Golf Tour with three wins in four tournaments , while Morard has notched three wins and four top 5 finishes this year . Both players boast rankings in the top 50 female junior golfers in the country .
Three-time champion Jacob Bergeron of Slidell looks to win his fourth TMMJGC title in six years . Like Son , Bergeron has also improved since last year , ranking in the top 20 nationally . Bergeron ’ s approach to the tournament will be business as usual . He said , “ Sticking to my process and playing my game will be the key . I ’ ve matured as a golfer since last year and really looking forward to testing myself at English Turn .”
Among his three victories in 2016 , his most notable included a final round 64 en route to the Trusted Choice Big ‘ I ’ National Championship . Bergeron said , “ It hasn ’ t sunk in yet . The whole experience was unreal .”
With 41 other participants in the boys ’ 16- 18 division , the competition will be fierce . Benjamin Nelson of Madison , Mississippi , and Joey Kirkland of West Monroe , are notable returning champions from 2014 . Nick Daniel , 2016 Louisiana Boy ’ s Junior Amateur Champion , also looks to add another title to his resume .
The 2016 Allstate Sugar Bowl TMMJGC will be played at English Turn Golf & Country Club in New Orleans , LA , on Dec . 28 – 29 . The deadline to receive applications for junior participants of the event is Friday , Nov . 4 .
Deadline for entry is Nov . 4 !
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