Frankenberg bags victory in Midwest Juniors golf
Ross Frankenberg of Barrington overcame a 4-stroke deficit to capture the Midwest Junior Players Championship Thursday, finishing with a final round 70 for a 6-under-par 210 total.
In the girls division, Kaira Martin, 17, of Paradise Valley, Ariz., carded a 4-over-par 220 to earn the title at Hilton Indian Lakes Resort's Blackhawk Trace course in Bloomingdale.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Midwest Junior Players Championship was a 54-hole stroke play event with a field of 108 boys and 36 girls, ages 12-18, from 20 states and three foreign countries.
The par-72 course was played at 6,928 yards for the Boys Division and 6,085 yards for the Girls Division.
Last year, Frankenberg, 18, was defeated in a three-hole sudden-death playoff at this tournament, but this week he birdied five holes to come back from a 4-stroke deficit. His final round 2-under-par 70 helped him earn his first AJGA victory.
"Making a lot of birdies helped make up for mistakes this week," Frankenberg said. "On this course if you're not making birdies, you're falling behind. To finally stick it out all the way to the end, especially four shots back is a great feeling."
Finishing in second place was Steve Skurla of Wheaton at 4-under-par 212. Sam Jandel of Dayton, Ohio, finished in third place at 1-under-par 215 and tied for fourth at even-par 216 was Ryan Murphy of Champaign, and Cyril Suk of Bradenton, Fla.
In the girls division, Martin started the final round four strokes back but shot an even-par 72 to seal the win. Ashlan Ramsey of Augusta, Ga., ended the final round with a second-place finish at 6-over-par 222. Tied for third place was Samantha Postillion of Burr Ridge, and Tanaporn Kongkiatkrai of Bradenton, Fla., at 7-over-par 223.
Midwest Junior Players Championship
Hilton Indian Lakes Resort - Blackhawk Trace
Par: Boys: 36-36-72
Girls: 36-36-72
BOYS DIVISION
R. Frankenberg, Barrington, Ill. 69-71-70-210
Sam Skurla, Wheaton, Ill. 70-66-76-212
Sam Jandel, Dayton, Ohio 71-71-73-215
Cyril Suk, Bradenton, Fla. 69-73-74-216
Ryan Murphy, Champaign, Ill. 68-72-76-216
Stephen Powers, Naperville, Ill. 73-71-73-217
Daniele Cabriles, Venezuela 70-75-72-217
Johan Seemann, Pros. Heights, 76-71-71-218
Boo Timko, Girard, Ohio 74-72-73-219
Bryce Emory, Aurora, Ill. 75-71-74-220
Chris Ortiz, Rio Rancho, N.M. 72-74-74-220
Jonathan Hauter, Morton, Ill. 73-72-75-220
Other area finishers
Daniel Stringfellow, Roselle, Ill. 76-73-74-223 Jack Watson, Lincolnshire, Ill. 79-74-70-223 Jordan Stein, Glencoe, Ill. 78-74-74-226
Stephen Marbach, Naperville, Ill. 75-76-76-227
GIRLS DIVISION
K. Martin, Paradise Valley AZ. 75-73-72-220
Ashlan Ramsey, Augusta, Ga. 70-74-78-222
T. Kongkiatkrai, Bradenton, Fla. 73-74-76-223
Sam Postillion, Burr Ridge, Ill. 73-76-74-223
Taylor Ramsey, Augusta, Ga. 75-75-75-225
Kris Yoo, Schaumburg, Ill. 75-73-77-225
S. Swinehart, Lancaster, Ohio 76-77-73-226
Courtney Hooton, Del Mar, CA 79-76-73-228
Kaitlyn Rohrback, Crofton, Md. 76-76-76-228
Ember Schuldt, Sterling, Ill. 76-78-74-228
Other area finishers
Kaela Klune, Itasca, Ill. 80-74-77-231
Jamie Lavin, Deerfield, Ill. 80-74-80-234
Chelsea Michalek, Glenview, Ill. 77-75-85-237