PLAY-OFF FOR GIRLS' TITLE AT CORAL GABLES

 CHILEAN BOY, SOUTH KOREAN GIRL 

ARE JUNIOR ORANGE BOWL WINNERS

REPORT FROM DAVID MACKINTOSH

Coral Gables, Florida: Chile’s Joaquin Niemann and South Korea’s Juwon Jeong secured their place in history as champions of the 51^st edition of the Junior Orange Bowl International golf tournament over the Biltmore course. 

Jeong took the title in a three-hole play-off with Sweden’s Linnea Strom. Both players birdied the 18^th on the first two play-off holes but Jeong’s third consecutive birdie proved decisive.  

Switzerland’s Albane Valenzuela powered into joint third place with a closing 70, tied with overnight leader, Colombia’s Maria Hoyos, who carded a closing 77 to lose her big advantage at the start of the final round.

Niemann’s final round of 67 outlasted overnight leader, Argentina’s Alejandro Tosti, and the U.S.’s Carl Yuan. Yuan carded 68 for outright second place at 279, 5-under par, Tosti solo third with a closing 70 for 280.

Highest credit to Niemann, (67, 71, 72, 67: 277) who withstood the back-nine pressure of charges by both Tosti and Yuan, birdies at the 16^th and 18^th completely closing all opportunity windows.

“I played very solidly all day, only one bogey, five birdies, and was very pleased with my back nine because I made the shots I needed to make when I had to,” the 16-year old from Santiago said, with a wide smile of contentment.    

Yuan began his round with a superb eagle-3 and although he caught, he could never pass Niemann. An opportunity to advance his cause came with birdie two at the 12^th but Niemann responded in kind and when Yuan power lipped a short birdie opportunity at the next hole, the momentum moment was gone.

“After I made that birdie on 12 I thought I might be able to push,” Yuan said, “but my putter didn’t really co-operate on the closing holes. I played well but not well enough, I guess. 

"I tried very hard to make my eagle chip at the 18^th, hoping that I could squeeze into a play-off, but the ball rimmed out and in the end, as Joaquin made a birdie, it wasn’t that important.”

“To come third in such a strong field is a great feat and I played well,” said Tosti.        

Final round highlight scoring featured five-under-par 66s by South Africa’s Tristen Strydom and Germany’s Maximiliam Bodel.

England's Jamie Dick (Forest Hills) from Coleford, Gloucestershire finished with a 71 - his second best effort over the four days - for a total of eight-over-par 292 and a share of 27th place in a  field of 51 boys. 

BOYS' LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x71) Yardage 6,742
277 Joaquin Niemann (Chile) 67 71 72 67
279 Carl Yuan (USA) 71 68 72 68
280 Alejandro Tosti (Argentina) 68 72 70 70
281 Tony Gill (Canada) 72 66 74 69
282 Tristen Strydom (South Africa) 73 73 70 66

SELECTED TOTAL
292 Jamie Dick (England) 70 77 74 71 (T27)
Field of 51 players

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