ELGIN, Ill. – The Illinois Junior Golf Association official 2016 season came to a close for the Playing Members Monday at the Highlands of Elgin with the Player of the Year Championship. Four champions were named after 36 holes of competitive golf.
In the overall Player of the Year Points Race, Anthony Accettura (2016) of Countryside, Ill., took the Senior Boys Division; in the Junior Boys Division Jake Dianovsky (2018) of Roselle, Ill., took the top spot on the leaderboard; Haeri Lee (2018) of Buffalo Grove, Ill., took the Senior Girls Division; and Hanna Tanaka (2019) of Glenview, Ill., took top honors for the Junior Girls Division.
This invitation only event features players who excelled during the 2016 regular season, playing in at least 3 point awarding events and placing at the top of the Player of the Year Points leaderboards in their respective divisions. Played at the Highlands of Elgin, the Player of the Year Championship featured 83 junior golfers. The Boys Division played the par 72 course from 6,302 yards, while the Girls Division played the course from 5,470 yards.
The Illinois Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing playing opportunities for its members ages 8-18, conducting educational clinics and events, and serving as a junior golf informational clearinghouse.
In the Senior Boys Division, Benjamin Scherman (2018) of Northfield, Ill., carded a tournament total of 1-under-par 143 to finish atop the leaderboard.
Tied for second at 1-over-par 145 were Jason Folker (2017) of Lake Forest, Ill., James Dvorak (2017) of Riverwoods, Ill., Ricky Leme (2016) of Lake Villa, Ill., and Garrett Tighe (2019) of Algonquin, Ill.
In the Junior Boys Division, a sudden death playoff was conducted after Jackson Bussell (2019) of Lincolnshire, Ill., and William Marshall (2019) of Elburn, Ill., each carded a tournament total of 1-under-par 143. Marshall made par on the first playoff hole to take top honors.
Coming in third was Evan Myers (2019) of Elburn, Ill., with a tournament total of 3-over-par 147. In fourth was Max Farley (2020) of Orland Park, Ill., with a 36 hole total of 5-over-par 149. Rounding out the top 5 was Mark Noonan (2019) of Vernon Hills, Ill., with a tournament total of 6-over-par.
In the Senior Girls Division, Haeri Lee (2018) of Buffalo Grove, Ill., carded a two-round total of 5-over-par 149. Coming in runner-up was Rosemarie Bundy (2017) West Chicago, Ill., who carded a tournament total of 10-over-par 154. Rounding out the top 3 was Nicole Jordan (2018) of St. Charles, Ill., with a tournament total of 12-over-par 156.
In the Junior Girls Division, Hanna Tanaka (2019) of Glenview, Ill., took top honors after carding a 5-over-par 149 tournament total. Coming in runner-up was Sophia Lau (2018) of Glenview, Ill., after finishing the tournament with a 7-over-par 151. Rounding out the top 3 were Caroline Smith (2020) of Inverness, Ill., and Sarah Arnold (2019) of St. Charles, Ill., who each carded a tournament total of 11-over-par 155.
