2023 SCPGA Junior Tour Virtual Banquet Of Champions

The SCPGA Junior Tour Virtual Banquet of Champions is dedicated to celebrating the past season’s accomplishments while recognizing not only those players who have excelled on the course, but also the people and organizations who have supported junior golf.  Below you will find the list of champions from the 2023 season!

CLUB AWARD – RIVER RIDGE GOLF CLUB
In 1984, the Club Award was created to acknowledge and thank clubs/organizations that have demonstrated outstanding support for junior golf and the SCPGA Junior Tour.

River Ridge Golf Club has been a frequent tournament stop for the SCPGA Junior Tour over the past several years due to its great layout and solid course conditions.  River Ridge has generously offered to host our Toyota Tour Cup Extended Field events, Players Tour 2-Day tournaments, and Players Tour Series Championships on an annual basis.  The club and its staff members have always been extremely welcoming and supportive of our junior golf tournament program and junior golfers in general.  Their staff has always supported us in making the tournament experience nothing short of first-class for our members.  We can’t thank River Ridge Golf Club enough for their continued support of the SCPGA and junior golf in the Southern California region.  

FOUNDATION AWARD – NIXON LAURITZEN & SOFIA VARGAS
Beginning in 1999, the SCPGA Foundation has annually recognized a junior golfer who exemplifies outstanding character, sportsmanship, and leadership. The recipient of this award has demonstrated a positive influence on their fellow SCPGA Junior Tour Members and has set a notable example for all others to emulate.

Nixon Lauritzen – Nixon has been a member of the SCPGA Junior Tour since 2022.  In his relatively short tenure, he has amassed four total victories, including three wins on the Toyota Tour Cup.  What’s more impressive than his skills on the golf course is the way he is respected by his fellow playing competitors as someone who exemplifies a positive attitude, sportsmanship, honesty, and integrity.  He truly embodies the qualities this award represents.  We are honored to present our 2023 Foundation Award to Nixon Lauritzen and wish him all the best as he takes his talents to Grand Canyon University this coming fall.

Sofia Vargas – Sofia has been a member of the SCPGA Junior Tour since 2018, where she started as a member of the JDT.  Over the past few seasons, she has worked really hard on her game to advance to the Toyota Tour Cup in a relatively short time.  Sofia now has six victories, including one Toyota Tour Cup win in the summer of 2023.  Most importantly, though, her reputation among her peers as someone who embodies outstanding character, integrity, and sportsmanship is what made her an obvious choice for this award.  We’d like to again congratulate Sofia on a terrific season, and we are very proud to present her with the 2023 Foundation Award. 

LOU BASTANCHURY AWARD – ROMAN LUQUE
This award was established in 1989 after Lou Bastanchury for his dedication to junior golf. The award is given to the boy who earned the most combined Player of the Year Points throughout the year.

Jason had 12 victories in 74 events played in the 2023 season. He had 49 finishes inside the top 5 and 66 finishes inside the top 10.

AMY ALCOTT AWARD – LOREN FEARENCE
The Amy Alcott Award is given to the girl who earned the most combined Player of the Year Points throughout the year. During Alcott’s 27-year career, she won 32 professional tournaments worldwide, including five major championships. Alcott is a member of the LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame.

Loren had 14 victories in 43 events played in the 2023 season.  She was the winner of the Summer Series Championship and 2-Day Fall Series at Rancho, California. Loren had 41 top-10 finishes, including 36 inside the top-5.

TOYOTA TOUR CUP PLAYERS OF THE YEAR –  EMILY SONG & MATTHEW DIEHL
The TTC Player of the Year is awarded to the boy and girl with the most player of the year points at the end of the season.

2nd Place Points – Kandice Chuang

• 2 Toyota Tour Cup wins, including the Toyota Tour Cup Championship
• 4 finishes inside the top 5
• Low round of 66 at Las Posas CC

3rd Place Points – Zoe Sprecher

• 4 runner up finishes in 12 events played
• 9 top 10 finishes
• She had 7 rounds of par or better (low round of 67)

RALPH MILLER AWARD – JASMINE KOO & BILLY DAVIS
The Ralph Miller Award is given to the boy and girl members of the SCPGA Junior Tour who earned the most points in nationally recognized events.  It takes into consideration their finish in the following organizations and events: Junior PGA, USGA Championships, SCGA Championships, Junior World, CIF, AJGA, Toyota Tour Cup, Wyndham Cup, Jr. Solheim Cup, Jr. Ryder Cup, Jr. President’s Cup, and Boys and Girls America’s Cup.

Jasmine Koo

• Winner of the AJGA Ping Invitational
• Winner of TTC Patrick Cantlay Inv. at Bear Creek
• Runner-up at AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions
• Selected to Jr. Solheim Cup & AJGA Wyndham Cup
• AJGA Rolex 1st Team All-American

Billy Davis

• Semi-finalist at the U.S. Junior Amateur
• Runner-up finish at the Junior PGA Championship
• Winner of the AJGA Mayakoba Invitational
• Selected to Jr. Ryder Cup & AJGA Wyndham Cup
• AJGA Rolex 1st Team All-American

HOWARD SMITH AWARD – NIKKI OH & LUKE BAILEY
The Howard Smith Award is presented to the boy and girl Junior Golfers who retain the lowest scoring average within the TTC series with a minimum of (4) events played.

Nikki Oh

• Scoring average of 72.38
• 8 total rounds in the Toyota Tour Cup in 2023
• 2 rounds in the 60’s (low round of 65)
• 1st place finish at TTC Rancho California 
• Runner-up finish at Southern California Junior Amateur

Luke Bailey

• Scoring average of 70.88
• 8 total rounds on the Toyota Tour Cup in 2023
• 6 rounds of par or better, including 3 rounds in the 60’s
• Runner-up finish at TTC Patrick Cantlay Finale  
• Finished even or under par in all 2023 Toyota Tour Cup events played

CURTIS CUP AWARD – ANNA DAVIS & BILLY DAVIS
The player receiving the most number of votes from the All Southern California Junior Teams ballot becomes the Curtis Cup Player of the Year.

Billy Davis

• #11 in Junior Golf Scoreboard & #3 in AJGA Rolex
• AJGA Mayakoba Invitational Champion
• Earned exemption to PGA Tour Mayakoba Championship
• Semi-finalist at US Junior Amateur Championship
• Runner-up finish at Junior PGA Championship
• Selected to Jr. Ryder Cup and AJGA Wyndham Cup
• AJGA Rolex 1st Team All-American

All Southern California Team (Girls)

Anna Davis – #5 Junior Golf Scoreboard, #4 AJGA Rolex, #6 WAGR, Rolex 1st Team All American

Jasmine Koo – #1 Junior Golf Scoreboard, #2 AJGA Rolex, #59 WAGR, Rolex 1st Team All American

Nikki Oh – #11 Junior Golf Scoreboard, #9 AJGA Rolex, Rolex 2nd Team All American

Alice Ziyi Zhao – #9 Junior Golf Scoreboard, #7 AJGA Rolex, Rolex 1st Team All American

Kylie Chong – #18 Junior Golf Scoreboard, #12 AJGA Rolex, Rolex 2nd Team All American

Kaili Xiao – #10 Junior Golf Scoreboard, #14 AJGA Rolex, 2 AJGA wins