Almenara Golf Club once again played host to the Sotogrande International Young Talents Trophy (SIYTT), 2018.
The SIYTT is a prestigious Junior Golf Tournament and the Major on the JFGA Junior Tour, drawing in Europes best young amateur golfing talent, all vying to earn themselves World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points before the winter settles in.
Almenara has a reputation for being one of the toughest courses in the area, with the never ending water hazards dotted around the Los Lagos course and the tight, tree lined fairways of Los Pinos, and this week proved no different and got the better of many of the participants.
With participants having to deal with the frustration of the wind, and a course with little to no margin for error, it was no surprise that higher than normal scores were being posted, forcing the participants to battle to the end to make the 36 hole cut.
Leading the U25 mens category was 22 year old, former Jason Floyd Golf Academy Student Monty Scowsil and defending champion of the U25 Women’s category Valentina Albertazzi looked set to defend and win her second Young Talents Trophy title in as many years.
The U25 ladies category proved to be a one horse race, with competitors to Valentina trying to take on Almenara golf course to post a low number, all faltered and fell away. Valentina proved far too consistent and her class shone through, posting a final round 70 (-2) to win by an emphatic 7 shots, with Esperanza Serrano Torres and Beatriz Barrios Fernandez of Spain claiming 2nd and 3rd.
A similar, although closer affair too place in the U25 mens category, with Monty Scowsil heading into the final round leading. With the knowledge of limiting mistakes was key, forcing the rest of the field to chase him, Monty set out to defend his slender 2 shot lead.
The chasing pack threw everything they could at the leader, with Wigo Weisner birdieing 10, 11 and 12 to move just 3 behind before the leader had even made the turn. Zak Karkaletsos of England and Saku Tuusa of Finland, playing in the final group with Scowsil did their best to take it to the end, but Scowsil proved to good, holing a 6 foot putt on the last to secure victory by 3 shots of Karkaletsos (2nd) and 5 shots over Tuusa (3rd).
And so concluded the last ever Sotogrande International Young Talents Trophy, as next year, the tournament will bear a new name, “The ACES European Masters”, and will kick off the first major tournament of the brand new “ACES Series” hosted by the JFGA Junior Tour. A series of 11 tournaments, replicating a FedEx Cup style format for Elite Junior Golfers.
Consisting of seven ACES Series 500 tournaments worth 500 points, three majors worth 2,500 points and a ACES Series World Final worth 4,000 points, competitors will compete to earn points and be crowned series champion.
For more information about upcoming tournaments and the ACES Series, please do not hesitate to contact the Jason Floyd Golf Academy on info@jasonfloydgolfacademy.com.
