Yugay, Giles Headline South Florida PGA Junior Tour Players of the Year

Garrett Giles and Nicole Yugay are the 2019 South Florida PGA Championship Tour Players of the Year after a season-long points race that ended on Sunday, December 8 th.

The SFPGA Junior Tour Championship, presented by the Honda Classic took place December 7 th and 8 th at Jonathan's Landing Golf Club at Old Trail and was the last tournament for the 2019 SFPGA Junior Tour season, crowning the 2019 Players of the Year for the Challenge and Championship Tours. 

Giles of Palm City who is headed to Iona College to compete next season, took home the Championship Tour Player of the Year title for the second year in a row, also winning the Challenge Tour Player of the Year in 2017.

Giles competed in six events this season and finished first at the Junior PGA Championship. Due to Giles' strong finish during the SFPGA Major tournaments and the Tour Championship, he was able to bring home the title with 271 points to spare.


Over the course of 10 events, Yugay earned seven Top Five finishes and a total of 1,222.5 points this season, finishing 200 points ahead of her competitors to win the Girl's Championship Tour Player of the Year.

Morgan Pichler of Hobe Sound took home the 2019 Girls 11-12 Challenge Tour Player of the Year. Pichler competed in 12 events this season with two first place finishes and six runner-up titles. In 2019, Pichler broke many personal records and came in under par for the first time in tournament play. Throughout the season, Pichler earned 1,515 points to secure her title by over 300 points.

Pavel Tsar of Palm Beach Gardens was the Boys 11-12 Challenge Tour Player of the Year. Over the course of his nine events this year, he earned a total of 1,208 points. Tsar's most notable achievement was his record-low 65 at Challenge Tour No. 9 at Wycliffe Golf and Country Club.

Jade Scott of Lauderhill, Florida won the 2019 Girls Overall Challenge Tour Player of the Year. With a total of 1,545 points, Scott was able to clinch her title before the SFPGA Junior Tour Championship. Scott competed in 11 events this season with three first place finishes. In addition to Player of the Year title, Scott was also awarded the Honda Classic Most Improved Player for 2019.

Scott dropped a total of four strokes on her yearly average and won her first event with the South Florida PGA Junior Tour this season. With a top five finish at the Tour finale, Scott placed in the top five in nine of her 11 events.

Payne McEntee of Wellington took home the boys overall 13-18 Challenge Player of the Year title. McEntee played in a total of 13 events this season, seven of which were top five finishes and 12 within the top 10. At this year's Tour Championship, McEntee carded a 76-73 for another top 5 finish in his age division.

Share this story

July 30, 2025
Palm Beach Gardens, FL - Carter Brooks and Alayna Friedt won the South Florida PGA Junior Cup, the sixth SFPGA Junior Major of the Year, played July 28-30 at BallenIsles Country Club - North Course.
By Chance Bressler July 17, 2025
ATLANTIS, FL - Yuanzhou Ye and Jayden Loyacona won the Srixon South Florida PGA Junior Medalist Tour event, played July 16-17 at Lost City Golf Club.
By Caitlin White July 12, 2025
The 2025 Brendan Cunningham Junior Open concluded today with standout performances and a heartfelt tribute to a cherished figure in South Florida golf. Held at Hammock Bay Golf & Country Club in Naples, Florida, the event welcomed 71 players. While taking a year off in 2024, the tournament returned this year.
July 3, 2025
Hampton Beebe, a West Palm Beach native and current junior at Score Academy, has quietly become one of the brightest rising stars in junior golf. With a strong résumé that includes a verbal commitment to Auburn University, multiple tournament wins, and national rankings of No. 140 on the Junior Golf Scoreboard and No. 63 by AJGA, Beebe is putting together a career built on consistency, passion, and the unrelenting desire to improve.
By Caitlin White June 25, 2025
Jupiter, FL — The Bear’s Club and Tequesta Country Club hosted the 41st Nicklaus Junior Championship, held Monday and Tuesday, welcoming a field of 160 junior golfers.
June 18, 2025
Boca Raton, FL – June 18th – The South Florida PGA Junior Tour staged its third major of the season, welcoming 80 junior golfers for the Junior PGA Championship, held June 16-17 at Stonebridge Country Club. The major belonged to Gabriel Holtz of Boca Raton and Eva Lye of Naples, who each turned in championship performances to win titles in the Boys' and Girls' 13-18 divisions.
June 10, 2025
Palm City, FL - Gabriel Holtz and Michelle Lu won the Srixon South Florida PGA Junior Medalist Tour event, played June 7-8 at Hammock Creek Golf Club.
June 5, 2025
Drawn to the game of golf, Sabrina Fonda began her competitive journey in 2009 when she joined the South Florida PGA Junior Tour. Over the next decade, she competed alongside her younger sister, Jenna, while dedicating herself to developing her own skills and passion for the sport. In 2020, Sabrina graduated from the Junior Tour and went on to play collegiate golf at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina. While at Winthrop, Sabrina was a consistent contributor on the Eagles’ roster, competing in countless events during her four years of eligibility. Fonda, a Wellington, Florida native, logged thirty-six collegiate rounds with a scoring average of 80 and a career-low round of 75. During her junior golf career, Sabrina played in 83 SFPGA events, but when asked which event stood out the most, her answer was immediate: the 2012 tournament at Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo. “It was such a special place,” she recalled. “Having my family and friends at the resort made it feel like more than just a tournament—it was a full experience.” Despite years of competition, Sabrina says her most meaningful memories aren’t defined by scorecards but by the friendships and camaraderie she built along the way. “Playing alongside my sister and my high school teammates made it competitive but so much fun,” she said. Looking back, Sabrina attributes many of her life skills—perspective, integrity, discipline, and patience—to her junior golf experience. These values, she explains, became even more critical in college, where time management and self-discipline became essential. “In college, you have your team, but at the end of the day, it’s your responsibility to show up, put in the work at practice, and stay on top of your assignments,” she said. “Junior golf teaches you those lessons without you even realizing it—the structure, the integrity, the personal accountability—it all carries into your life after golf.” Today, Sabrina works in commercial banking at EverBank as an Associate Commercial Relationship Manager. While she didn’t pursue a career in the golf industry, Sabrina says the habits and mindset she developed through years of competition now help her manage clients, deadlines, and challenges with confidence. “Golf taught me discipline and how to stay composed under pressure,” she reflected. “There were times I’d be so hard on myself for a missed shot, but now I realize those moments were small in the grand scheme of things. That perspective helps me even today—whether I’m on a golf course or in the office.” Sabrina’s story is a testament to the lasting impact of junior golf—not just in shaping athletes but in preparing individuals for success far beyond the course. Her journey reflects the core values of the South Florida PGA Junior Tour, and we’re proud to count her among our alums. Whether navigating a round of golf or a professional career, Sabrina continues to embody the discipline, integrity, and perspective the game instilled in her from the very beginning. Sabrina Fonda | LinkedIn Sabrina Fonda | Winthrop University Share your story with us! Links to Legacy | Alumni Form
By Brianna Alonso May 27, 2025
(Fort Myers, FL - May 26th) – The Srixon South Florida PGA Junior Tour administered its second major of the year, the Patty Berg Junior Championship at Kelly Greens Golf and Country Club, May 24-26, welcoming 79 junior golfers.
May 11, 2025
Palm Beach Gardens, FL - Cameron Kuchar claims the boys division by five shots as Mila Zalsman captures the girls division after a three-hole playoff at the Srixon South Florida PGA Medalist Tour event, played Saturday and Sunday at PGA National - Fazio Course. Cameron Kuchar, a 2026 graduate from Harrison, ID, fired a first-round score of 3-under par, one shot behind Palm Beach Gardens resident Maximillian Mieschke. Kuchar carded a steady even-par final round to claim his first victory on the Srixon South Florida PGA Medalist Tour with a score of 69-72-141 Mieschke placed runner-up with a two-round total of 68-78-146, while Oscar Crowe of Boca Raton and Charlie Woods of Palm Beach Gardens finished in a tie for third at 3-over. After 36-holes, Lilly Parker of North Palm Beach and Mila Zalsman of Saint Petersburg were tied at 7-over, both carding rounds of 77-74–151. The two headed back on the course for a sudden death playoff that saw Zalsman, a 2029 graduate, ultimately came out on top with a par on the third playoff hole. Roisin Scanlon of Atlanta, GA, Jensi Krampel of Estero, and Lilly Riegger of Fort Lauderdale, finished a tie for third at 9-over. Saturday’s opening round also served as a qualifier for the South Florida Junior PGA Championship, with 18 boys and six girls qualifying for the Championship, which will be held June 16-17 at Stonebridge Country Club. Boys: Cameron Kuchar, Henry Crowe, Jose Carlos Lopez-Lay, Charlie Woods, Luke Leonard, Martin Bustos, Chris Nana Tanke, Patrick O’Connor, Ryder Kenney, Gavin Duffy, Andrew Stein, Alfonso Goyenenche, Leo Graham, Nicholas Zaccagnino, Weston Mead, Jack Davidson, Borja Friend, and Tristan Rodenizer. Girls: Amelie Phung, Ella Hrbata, Lilly Riegger, Lilly Parker, Mia Zalsman, Sarah Earle. The Srixon South Florida PGA Junior Medalist Tour season will continue May 24th - 26th at Kelly Greens Country Club for our Patty Berg Junior Championship.