Fort Worth Junior Boys
and Girls Golf Association

Defending champ enters girls tournament

Defending champion Paloma Nunez of Granbury has entered the Fort Worth City Girls Junior Golf Championship that is scheduled July 6,7,8. She joins a talented field that includes Gabriella Dominguez, the winner of the 1A state championship the past four years. Gabriella set a scoring record for the third time when she won the past tournament with a 5-under-par 137. Others in the field include Grace Choi of Dallas, who became the youngest winner of the Dallas City champion last year when she was 13; Stephanie Kalapach, 17, a Boswell player who won her past two district titles; and Julia Bazaldua, a Mansfield player who was third in her district competition. Several other girls on school teams have entered. Deadline to draw up pairings was at 5 p.m., June 29, but girls who did not enter online or through the mail can still play. They can arrive at Rockwood Golf Course before 7 a.m. on July 6 and be paired if there is a no-show or if there are enough walk-ons to form another pairing. Parents and participants should be prepared for hot weather and bring extra water and sports drinks. Water will be available on the courses, too. Parents, relatives or friends can bring ice and water in coolers and share with participants. However, golf advice isn't allowed during competition. Please read the rules about spectating. The boys city championship is July 13-14-15-16, and deadline is July 6. Entry forms have been available at participating courses, however juniors can enter online. NOTE: Several AOL users have had problems with the form being submitted. If a junior's name has been submitted through AOL but is not listed, please resubmit the entry via regular e-mail to admin@fwjga.net. The course lineup for the girls: July 6 -- Rockwood; July 7 -- Diamond Oaks C.C.; and July 8 -- Woodhaven C.C. First tee times are scheduled at 7 a.m. at each course. Course lineup could change because of unexpected circumstances. Boys 13-younger will play each day at Sycamore Creek G.C. First-day 9-hole scores will determine flights, which will be single-elimination 9-hole match play. The 14-older boys will be split, according to scores, with the lower handicap players opening at Rockwood and the others at Z Boaz. After the first round, the Rockwood players will be split into two divisions. After the second round, flights will be determined, including the Championship Flight. The Z Boaz players will form the fourth through seventh flights. The lineup for 14-older boys: July 13 -- Rockwood, Z Boaz, Sycamore; July 14 -- Division I at Ridglea C.C. North Course; Division II at Diamond Oaks C.C.; 4th and 5th flights at Glen Garden G&C.C., 6th-7th flights at Pecan Valley Hills; July 15 -- Championship & First flights at Mira Vista C.C.; Second and Third flights at Shady Oaks C.C.; 4th-7th at Meadowbrook. July 16 -- Championship through Third flights at Colonial C.C.; 4th-7th at Woodhaven C.C. Awards to be presented at Colonial after play finishes. First tee times at each course are scheduled at 7 a.m.. The FWJGA congratulates 2008 girls champion Paloma Nunez for being awarded the $2,000 Nicholas Stafford Award from the Northern Texas PGA Financial Assistance Fund Scholarship Program. She was among five winning scholarships from the foundation. *** Luncheon honors former champs Visit here to see slideshows of the luncheon Slideshows, Pictures by Allan Akins A DVD of all the pictures is available for $25. Call Allan Akins at 214-460-7941 or e-mail d.allanakins@yahoo.com Photo by Allan Akins Photography Angela Stanford Lee Trevino Hunter Haas 2-Time Winner Rae Rothfelder Deal 4-Time Winner A luncheon to honor past winners of the 18-hole boys and girls Championship Flights was held Jan. 22 at Colonial Country Club. Many of the former champs attended, including 1940 winner Charles Royer, '42 winner Doug Higgins and '43 winner Jack Kibbee, and four-time girls winner Rae Rothfelder Deal, who flew in from Arkansas to attend.. Specials guests included golf legend Lee Trevino, Angela Stanford (the only other girls' four-time winner) and author Dan Jenkins. Each gave a short talk to the attendees that also included volunteers and other special guests. Marty Leonard, whose father Marvin started the tournament along with Dr. Alden Coffey, was the host. Honored were boys co-directors John Conditt and Martin Phillips, and Wendell Conditt, who has been directing or helping run the tournament since 1959. Jenkins' comments included reflections of Ben Hogan and Colonial, among other local insights. Stanford, an LPGA competitor and ranked eighth in the world, recalled how the Fort Worth girls city tournament was important for her because her family didn't have the finances available for her to travel and play in other tournaments. Trevino delighted the crowd with his mostly humorous talk, but he also had some interesting stories about Ben Hogan and how Colonial was the first to offer PGA competitors free golf balls, food and transportation. ``We used to have to pay for all that,'' he said. ``We loved coming here.'' Unfortunately, he said, players today believe it's their ``right'' to have these perks and don't appreciate them as much as he and others of his era. He also talked about Tiger Woods, and why he's so great (talent, heart and works harder than anyone else) and why he needs to change his swing somewhat to avoid another knee injury. He said tournaments such as the city junior events are important for the sport's future. *** As has been since the boys tournament began in 1936, there will be no entry or greens fee charged to participants. The FWJGA is grateful for the continued support of the City of Fort Worth, the city's country clubs and public courses that donate their courses for the tournaments, and to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and Coca-Cola for their continued sponsorship. The permanent Marvin Leonard trophy, pictured, is named after the late businessman Marvin Leonard, who along with Dr. Alden Coffey, founded the boys tournament. The trophy includes the names of all the winners of the boys' championship flight.