Matthew Marigliano and Abigail Smith secured first-place victories at Mariner Sands Country Club during the South Florida PGA Callaway Medalist Tour event, played November 2-3. This was the second-to-last regular season event before the SFPGA Junior Tour Championship in December.
In the Boys 13-18 Division, Marigliano of Palm Beach Gardens claimed his third victory of the season, adding to his wins at a Medalist Tour event in March and the SFPGA Labor Day Classic, one of eight junior major tournaments this season.
Marigliano, a 2029 graduate and one of the youngest players in the field, made five birdies in round one, finishing two-under and heading into round two in third place. He followed up with four more birdies in round two, shooting a 3-under 69 and securing the first-place title with a total score of 139.
The race for second place came down to a one-shot difference between Cooper Foegen of Hobe Sound and Gabriel Holtz of Boca Raton. Foegen’s first-round score of 67 set the pace for the tournament, and despite shooting 74 in round two, his eight birdies over the weekend earned him the second-place finish with a final score of 141.
In the Girls 13-18 Division, Smith of Port Saint Lucie took the lead in round one with a 1-under 71 performance, making four birdies. Smith followed up with a round of 76 on day two, completing the tournament at three-over-par with a total score of 147 to claim the first-place title.
Heading into round two, Yool Her of Pembroke Pines and Nirvika Koduru of Boca Raton were tied for second place after both shot 76 in round one, each carding one birdie. However, Jayden Loyacona of Boca Raton made a 10-position comeback, improving from her 12th-place standing after round one. She shot a 73 on day two, with four birdies, to secure the second-place title.
Congratulations to all of our winners for their outstanding performances this weekend!
A special thank you to the Mariner Sands Country Club staff for hosting a great event. The final Medalist Tour event of the season before the SFPGA Junior Tour Championship will take place this weekend, Saturday, November 9, and Sunday, November 10, at Eagle Trace Golf Club. Follow us on social media for more tournament highlights and photos.