SFPGA Junior Tour titles to Herrera, Fan
It had been so long since Wellington's Manuela Herrera won a golf tournament, she couldn’t even remember the name of it.
Herrera had a more memorable day Monday, Sept. 7, winning the Girls Division of the Labor Day Classic in a playoff at PGA National-Estates in Palm Beach Gardens. Herrera won with a par on the second playoff hole after Boca Raton's Noelle Jensen had problems to win for the first time in six years.
“It’s been frustrating because I’ve been working so hard, and the results just weren’t coming,” said Herrera, a 17-year-old senior at American Heritage (Delray). “I hadn’t even had a second or a third, and today I won. It’s crazy, but it feels great.”
Herrera started the day four strokes back, but shot 74 and advanced to the playoff at 9-over 225. Herrera overcame a double bogey at the seventh hole with consecutive birdies on the back nine to catch Jensen (78).
“I just told myself to remain aggressive and confident and let my game come naturally,” Herrera said. “I wanted to let my game come naturally and not put pressure on myself.”
Jupiter's Kiley Malmberg (74) and Weston's Lily Celentano (76) tied for third place at 10-over 226.
In a Boys Division Davie duel, Ethan Fan parlayed a second-round 66 into a three-shot victory over Mateo Desmond. Fan shot a final-round 73 to finish at 1-under 215.
Jonathan Mourid (72) was third at 3-over 219.
The Labor Day Classic, part of the South Florida PGA Junior Tour and run by the South Florida PGA, is sponsored by the Honda Classic, the Boca Raton Championship, Don Law Golf Improvement Center, Florida Golf Coast University PGA Golf Management, Loyal Auto Broker, Junior Golf Hub, Nike Junior Golf Camps, OGIO, The Tee Times, the Fun Group at Mirasol and Titleist.
