The Leona Curtis Memorial Tournament 2024
Player Information
We are very much looking forward to another exciting weekend of junior tournament golf with you at a venue that has quickly become a firm favorite of players on our schedule. Southern Oaks GC in The Villages is the newest exciting addition to the championship venues in The Villages and we feel sure if you haven’t played there already that you will enjoy playing it as much as we do!
We will commence play on Saturday and on Sunday at 11.56 m and all play will begin from Tee number 1. Below this message you will find individual tee times, pairings, yardages and flight information. We would request that you note the following important information relating to this tournament.
Please come to tournaments prepared with plenty of water, energy drinks and snacks for your player(s). We will have some additional water available, for players on the first tee.
On arrival at Southern Oaks GC please check in with Fiona at our Golfer Registration Desk. We will confirm your tee time and check that the contact info we have for you is correct. It is extremely important that we have your correct contact number in case it becomes necessary to contact you quickly during this competition should it be necessary to relay any messages. At registration we will also issue each player with a rules sheet for this tournament. Venue directions and contact information for Southern Oaks GC.can be found by clicking HERE
Golf carts can be rented on a first come basis at this venue and cost is $25. Please note that to rent and drive a rental cart at this venue you MUST be 18 or over with a license (you may be asked to produce your license) If any player prefers to walk, with your own provided trolley or carry bag instead of using a cart, you can always do so at any of our tournaments.
Southern Oaks GC have “warm up facilities” for use prior to play. These include putting and chipping areas and driving nets. There is no full size golf range at this venue. If you require the use of a driving range the closest Villages facility is Sarasota Practice facility.
- Sarasota Golf Practice Center – Golf Academy – (352) 259-2077
- 133 Moyer Loop, The Villages, 32163
Please note this driving range is approximately 10 minutes’ drive to Southern Oaks. If you are planning on visiting this facility please leave enough time to make your way to Southern Oaks GC.
Please note caddies are only permitted for players aged 15 and under at all of our tournament events. Caddies MUST comply with USGA caddie rules and pace of play MUST be observed at all times. If your group falls behind play, we will advise and request you make all efforts to catch up. To do so you must begin to play “Ready Golf” in order to keep pace with the group in front. If after doing so you are still behind play we will give you a target time to complete the following two holes. If target time not achieved, we will issue penalty strokes to each member of your group.
Electronic devices to assist with yardages are acceptable for use at this competition.
IMPORTANT: It is a condition of this tournament that ALL official player scoring will only be accepted when input into our dedicated CJGT online scoring app, which should be downloaded in advance from your online app store by searching for CJGT
An example image of the app is shown below, if using this app for the first time you will be asked to register (please do so AS A JUNIOR GOLFER and not as a parent/spectator) using player name and player’s email address. Please note we do understand that some of our younger players may not have a phone or an email address of their own. If that is the case, we request that a parent registers the player using the player’s name (please do so AS A JUNIOR GOLFER, not as a parent/spectator) Registration and use of the app for players is always FREE.
When you have registered you can then search for the event by date. You will find that the player tee times as shown below have been pre- loaded into the app already.
There are many benefits to using this app for official scoring and we will explain these prior to play however It IS always advisable that you should also maintain your own paper scorecard record as this can help following play in the event that any errors relating to scoring can be identified and quickly resolved in the app.
IMPORTANT: Weather Watch Texts/ Notifications. At check in we always confirm we have the correct on course contact number for you. The weather is unpredictable, and player and spectator safety is our number one priority. Should it be necessary to stop play at any stage we will notify you by text AND blast one long warning note by airhorn. Please mark your ball position and take immediate shelter. We will monitor the weather and text further instructions as soon as we can. For your information our policy regarding lightning strikes close to our location is an immediate withdrawal from play when sustained lightning is within 5 miles of our location.
As usual on Saturday and Sunday we will be adding a little additional excitement by operating a nearest-the-pin competition, sponsored by Edwin Watts Golf, with a gift card voucher prize for the winner. We will advise which par-3 hole this applies to prior to play. Recording a measurement for this contest will be done by adding your name to the provided sheet by the green being used for the competition.
Please make your way to the 1st tee at least 10 minutes before play where we will provide a short briefing to players on any local rules that may apply to this competition.
Following play on Saturday we will require each player to confirm and agree the scores loaded into CJGT app are correct before you depart for home. On Saturday evening we will email you player tee times and full information for the final round of play on Sunday. Please note on Sunday we will again begin play at 11.56 am from tee 1.
On Sunday afternoon, following the final round of play, we will verify and record scores and conduct brief medal presentation awards. We always plan to conduct these presentations as quickly as we can to ensure you are not waiting around too much but we, and our players, do always appreciate your sportsmanship and support by attending if you possibly can. Please note that in addition to flight winner medal and prize awards, for each lowest scoring player flight winner, we will also be awarding *FJT (Florida Junior Tour) STEP Exemption Awards to our lowest scoring Male and Female player AND our special trophy award, The Leona Curtis Award, will be presented to the junior player who records the lowest overall tournament score.
Please note *FJT STEP Awards are only applicable to players aged 13 and above and to receive these additional awards ALL players must be a current Claret Tour Annual Membership Player, prior to the tournament beginning, and the recipient player score achieved must be no higher than an average 80 strokes or less for each 18 holes played. Eg. A total score of 160 or less after 36 holes are complete.
If you have any questions and need to contact us urgently, please don’t hesitate to email info@claretjuniortour.com or call or text prior to play on 716-436-8691 (Keith)
Player Tee Times, Yardages and Flight Information Below:
Flight Key; St Andrews Flight – Boys 16+, Carnoustie Flight – Boys 13/15, Troon Flight – Girls 14/15, Turnberry Flight – Boys 12 Under and Leona Flight – Girls 12 Under
| GAME | TIME | PLAYER | TEE BOX/YDS. | FLIGHT NAME |
| 1 | 11.56 AM | TRACE KIRKLAND | GOLD/6512 | ALUMNI |
| GRADY LOGAN | GOLD/6512 | ST ANDREWS | ||
| BRAXTON WILLIAMS | GOLD/6512 | ST ANDREWS | ||
| 2 | 12.04 PM | TRIPP WATKINS | GOLD/6512 | ST ANDREWS |
| GORDON N GOETZ | GOLD/6512 | ST ANDREWS | ||
| JASON KAISER | GOLD/6512 | ST ANDREWS | ||
| 3 | 12.12 PM | AJ BURNS | GOLD/6512 | ST ANDREWS |
| LORENZO ZUNIGA | GOLD/6512 | ST ANDREWS | ||
| KALE FASHIK | GOLD/6512 | ST ANDREWS | ||
| 4 | 12.20 PM | TYLER BUDILL | GOLD/6512 | ST ANDREWS |
| LOGAN MELDE | GOLD/6512 | ST ANDREWS | ||
| DEVAN MICKELSON | GOLD/6512 | ST ANDREWS | ||
| 5 | 12.28 PM | TRENT SPIRES | BLUE/6052 | CARNOUSTIE |
| ISAIAH DANIEL | BLUE/6052 | CARNOUSTIE | ||
| TURNER HERSEY | BLUE/6052 | CARNOUSTIE | ||
| 6 | 12.36 PM | RYKER HUTHER | BLUE/6052 | CARNOUSTIE |
| KANAV MATHUR | BLUE/6052 | CARNOUSTIE | ||
| AIDEN SKROCKI | BLUE/6052 | CARNOUSTIE | ||
| 7 | 12.44 PM | CARLIE STEWART | WHITE/5544 | TROON |
| MIA MORRIS | WHITE/5544 | TROON | ||
| NATALYA PALAZZOLO | WHITE/5544 | TROON | ||
| 8 | 12.52 PM | NATALIE HARRIS | WHITE/5544 | TROON |
| LUZ MELENDEZ GONZALEZ | WHITE/5544 | TROON | ||
| 9 | 1.00 PM | RHETT KIRKLAND | BLUE/6052 | CARNOUSTIE |
| CHANDLER UDVARI | BLUE/6052 | CARNOUSTIE | ||
| GRANT I GOETZ | WHITE/5544 | TURNBERRY | ||
| 10 | 1.08 PM | REAGAN SMITH | WHITE/5544 | TURNBERRY |
| REECE HARRIS | WHITE/5544 | TURNBERRY | ||
| JAYDEN WEI | WHITE/5544 | TURNBERRY | ||
| 11 | 1.16 PM | HEER MODI | GREEN/4746 | LEONA |
| CHLOE LIEU | GREEN/4746 | LEONA | ||
| 12 | 1.24 PM | MAREN RICHARDS | GREEN/4746 | LEONA |
| SOPHIE BLOUET | GREEN/4746 | LEONA | ||
| 13 | 1.32 PM | MICHELLE LU | GREEN/4746 | LEONA |
| EDEN WILKINS | GREEN/4746 | LEONA | ||
| LYDIA LU | FRIENDLY/4019 | LEONA |
The Leona Curtis Memorial Tournament 2024
Leona Curtis – Our Friend.
When Fiona and I arrived from Scotland, to begin our new life in Florida in 2018, we met so many fine people across so many different walks of life! Some became passing acquaintances, and some became friends. In the case of Leona we may not have had the benefit of knowing her for a lifetime like some but, regardless of the time we had from first meeting to her recent passing in 2023, Leona Curtis was our friend!
We met Leona through Greg (aka our very own Coach Grumpy), her loving husband and fierce advocate and supporter of junior golf, particularly here in The Villages where he worked hard over many years to introduce so many of our current local juniors to our sport. Leona, like Greg, was a great supporter of junior golf in our community and it was always an absolute joy to have her with us at so many of the local tournament venues we played. Even when illness began to restrict her energy levels and her health was diminishing, we still recall Leona’s determination and extraordinary spirit as she made the huge effort to come along and support us, and our junior golfers as they played, especially our young lady golfers!
We feel we were indeed blessed to know such a kind, happy and courageous lady. We take great comfort in the many happy memories we personally have of times with Leona and knowing that, while she left way too soon, she is no longer suffering any pain or discomfort. We believe she forever rests peacefully, and in a better place.
At the beginning of 2023 Greg and Leona asked if they could help to support both our tour, and a developing young player, by providing a player scholarship award to a deserving young lady golfer who is just beginning her own journey in the game they both love. The young golfer chosen to receive their support, that allows her to play tournament golf free all year long, and is now in its 2nd year, is Clermont based Maren Richards (12) pictured below with Greg. This was an exceptionally kind gesture and one that we, and Maren’s family, are extremely blessed and grateful for! Our wish was that Leona had had a little more time in good health to see more of Maren play but we do suspect she is still watching from the golf course in the sky as this exceptionally talented and happy young lady golfer makes her mark in golf with Leona’s help! We are all VERY proud of Maren, both as a golfer and more important as a fine young lady and we are extremely happy that she is playing in this important tournament with us today. We think Leona will always be smiling upon her!
Thank you, Leona,
Yours in Golf,
Keith and Fiona, xxx
The Golf Course in the Sky
As 18 flags flew at half-mast and
glasses were soberly raised high,
the latest member was having a ball
at the golf course in the sky…
