The 2022 National Car Rental PGA Jr. League Championship came down to Team North Carolina and Team California, with the kids from the Tar Heel state coming out on top, 7 ½ to 4 ½.
North Carolina earned its first win in the event, with the duo of John John Santospago, 13, of Charlotte, and Miles Russell, 13, of Pinehurst, clinching the title on the 17th hole.
Playing 332 yards, the drivable par 4 proved to be the pivotal spot at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. Santospago drove the green while Russell’s tee shot came up short of the green. But the duo chose to play from Russell’s spot, which meant chipping on, instead of a downhill putt from about 60 feet away.
“We thought with the wedge shot we had, we could put that closer than the putt,” Russell said. “With the putt, the best we could have done was 10 feet at best coming down that mound. The wedge shot was pretty simple.”
After chipping on, Santospago poured in a three-foot putt for birdie, while California’s Kenyon Kahler, 13, and Mia Clausen, 12, both of Carlsbad, couldn’t match.
Team Florida won the third-place match, 8 ½ to 3 ½ over Team Illinois. Team Utah, which one the event in 2021, came in fifth. Utah’s team featured Tony Finau’s son, Jraice, 10, and nephew, Jordan Ofahengaue, 12.
The PGA of America reports that about 70,000 boys and girls are involved in the PGA Jr. League.
“This is a great event,” said Finau. “I was really blown away by the production and presentation of it all. This is something that my son will definitely play in the future, and hopefully, we will have that opportunity next year.”
The Raptor Course at Grayhawk will be the site of the 2023 NCAA Championships in May for a third year in a row but this was the final year for the PGA Jr. League Championship at the venue after six events, as it will move to the PGA of America’s Fields Ranch at PGA Frisco in Frisco, Texas.
Final standings
- Team North Carolina (Charlotte)
- Team California (Encinitas)
- Team Florida (Orlando)
- Team Illinois (Lemont)
- Team Utah (Lehi)
- Team Texas (Farmers Branch)
- Team Oklahoma (Broken Arrow)
- Team Minnesota (Blaine)
- Team Connecticut (Torrington)
- Team New Jersey (Haworth)
- Team Pennsylvania (West Mifflin)
- Team New York (Saratoga Springs)
Past champions
- 2022: North Carolina
- 2021: Utah
- 2020: No event, canceled due to COVID
- 2019: Georgia
- 2018: California
- 2017: Georgia
- 2016: California
- 2015: California
- 2014: California
- 2013: Georgia
- 2012: California
Last Thursday, prior to the event teeing off, the PGA of America hosted a National Car Rental Welcome Party which included a panel moderated by ESPN’s Michael Collins and Colt Knost from CBS Sports as well as Finau, Michelle Wie West and Stanford sophomore and World Amateur No. 1 Rose Zhang.
