WILLIAMSBURG — Youth golfers of all ages descended on Williamsburg over Labor Day Weekend for the National Car Rental PGA Jr. League Regional Championship.
According to the PGA Junior League website, the league brings kids ages 17 and under together to learn and play golf on coed teams, wear numbered jerseys and receive expert coaching from PGA and LPGA Professionals. Following recreational play in the spring and summer, hundreds of 13u All-Star teams (boys and girls ages 10-13) and 17u All-Star teams (boys and girls ages 14-17), are formed in each league to compete in the National Car Rental PGA Jr. League Championship Season.
With Kingsmill Resort as the backdrop for the competition, Williamsburg’s Jimmy Lappas, 13, and Yorktown’s Rose Hall, 12, played 18 holes as members of the Eagles 1-MAPGA 13u All-Stars team.
Lappas and Hall have been playing golf together since the age of six. The two have grown up together on the green and were excited to be at the regional championship together.
“This weekend is going to be fun and special to have this experience. I’m confident going into this,” Lappas said. “It means a lot to me to be out here competing at a championship level,” added Hall.
Jenny Lappas, Jimmy’s mother, and Sabrina Hall, Rose’s mother, eagerly watched their two children on the links. For Jenny and Sabrina, they are glad that their children have found a passion in their early years.
“I’m so proud that Rose loves the sport she learned when she was young and she continues to enjoy it. It makes me really happy to see her happy,” Sabrina said.
“I’m excited that they’ve continued so long with it because they clearly have a passion for it. It’s fun to see the same people from when he first started that are still involved with the sport now. This is a community and it’s affirmation for me that this is a positive path,” Jenny added.
The tournament consists of two days of competition. All eight teams will first compete in a stroke play qualifying event on day one. Then, on day two, the top four teams from the qualifying event will progress on to a match play qualifier in the morning while the lower four teams from the qualifying event will play in an additional stroke play shootout. Then on day two in the afternoon, the winners from the match play qualifier will compete in a final match play championship.
Dan Shea, coach of the Eagles 1-MAPGA 13u All-Stars team, knows the road that it took for his team to arrive at the regional championship.
“We’re so happy to be here. There’s a lot of kids who are super talented that didn’t get here. We’re happy to be here and just excited to give the kids an opportunity. This is all on them to work together and do what they can to get results,” Shea said.
Kingsmill played host to the tournament for the second time in 2023. PGA President John Lindert is grateful to Kingsmill for the support of the PGA Jr. League program.
“For competitive players, the National Car Rental PGA Jr. League Championship Season is a fun, exciting and aspirational experience each fall. The Regional Championships are an integral part of this pathway, and we’re proud to partner with Kingsmill and their PGA Members for such memorable events.”
As final results rolled in, the Eagles 1-MAPGA 13u All-Stars team ranked sixth out of eight teams with a final score of 15 under par.
