PNGA Junior Championships

Graf Wins 51st PNGA Junior Girls’ Amateur

Monika Graf of Wenatchee, Wash., defeated Seo Hee Moon of Mukilteo, Wash., 1-up in the final match to capture the 51st PNGA Junior Girls Amateur Championship. The annual event was held at Mt. Si Golf Course in Snoqualmie, Wash.

After the two halved the first hole with pars, Graf took a 1-up lead with a birdie on the par-5 second. The two finalists both parred the third and fourth holes before Moon took temporary control of the match by winning the fifth and sixth holes for a 1-up lead.

Graf struck back quickly by winning the seventh, eighth and ninth by making birdie-par-birdie, for a 2-up lead at the halfway point. Hole Nos. 10, 11 and 12 were halved, and then Moon won the 13th to get to within one. After halving the 14th with pars, Moon got the match to all-square with a par on 15. A three-putt by Moon on the 16th gave Graf a 1-up advantage and, with pars on the final two holes, Graf hung on to claim the championship.

Grimberg Bests Jonson in Junior Boys’ Final

Eric Grimberg of Portland, Ore., defeated Carl Jonson of Bainbridge Island, Wash., 5 and 4 in the finals of the 52nd PNGA Junior Boys’ Amateur Championship on Friday at the Resort at Ludlow Bay in Port Ludlow, Wash.

Grimberg was up to the challenge of playing 144 holes of golf in five days, an average of about 28 holes a day.

In the morning 18, the 17-year-old Grimberg took charge and led 4-up. Both players showed a great deal of fatigue in the afternoon, halving some of the holes for bogey on the second 18.

Jonson, only 13, had a few chances to come back but never took advantage of his opportunities. Grimberg stayed strong and won the match on the 31st hole, 5 and 4. This was Grimberg’s last junior event as he won’t be eligible next year. However, Jonson has four more years to win the PNGA title.

The Jonson family's PNGA legacy is alive and well as Carl Jonson follows in the footsteps of his father, grandfather and great uncle. Jonson’s father, Ed Jonson, was the PNGA Men’s Amateur champion in 1974 and PNGA Men’s Amateur Public Links champion in 1993. His grandfather, Ernie Jonson, was a PNGA Director for over four decades, PNGA President 1977-78 and PNGA Executive Director from 1959-1960, 1964-1966.

Jonson’s eponymous great uncle was one of the founders of Sahalee Country Club. He was also a long-time PNGA Director and PNGA President from 1966-67 and PNGA Senior Men’s Amateur Champion 1975 and 1977. Young Jonson owes a great deal to his grandfather and uncle, two people who kept the PNGA afloat both financially and administratively in the 1960s and early ‘70s. A victory on Friday would put another Jonson name on a PNGA trophy.

http://www.thepnga.org/championships/junior_boys/jboy.asp.