Elize Nograbat of St. Johns capped a banner season on the Florida Junior Tour by winning the girls 13-15 division of the FJT Tour Championship Oct. 3-4 at the Lakewood National Golf Club Commander Course.
Nograbat had to rally from the opening-round 75, but she made up ground each day until a flawless final round when she posted a bogey-free 68 for a 54-hole total of 2-under 214. She defeated Madelyn Dickerson of DeBary by five shots.
Nograbat pulled away with birdies at Nos. 9, 10 and 13 for her third FJT Tour victory of the season and fourth overall. Nograbat also clinched the season-long points championship in the girls 13-15 division.
She had 11 top-five finishes and 15 top-10s in 18 starts.
Sahana Chokshi of Jacksonville (214) tied for eighth
in the girls 16-18 division andSophia Moody of Fleming Island (215) was solo 10th. Area players nailed down four spots among the top 10 in the boys 13-15 division, led by Jack Cole of Jacksonville Beach, who lost to Henry Liebwein of Fort Myers in sudden death after both shot 2-under 214.
Jay Huntley of Jacksonville Beach (215) tied for third, Benny Ossi of Ponte Vedra Beach (219) tied for sixth and Christopher Grota of St. Augustine (222) tied for ninth.
In the boys 16-18 division, Ambrose Kinnare of St. Augustine opened 69-67, but after a 71 in the final round, he finished four shots behind winner Darren Zhou of Bradenton, who shot 13-under 203. Charlie Hipp of St. Johns (209) was third and Brady Dougan of Jacksonville (217) was eighth.
Jiratarn Pornchai leads girls 9-10 points title
Jiratarn Pornchai of Middleburg may give the First Coast another FJT points champion. She leads the girls 9-10 division with one event left on the schedule. Max Sullivan of Jacksonville is fifth on the boys' 9-10 points list, Macklin Mucha of St. Augustine is eighth and Kiryn Chary of Ponte Vedra Beach is 10th.
Other area players on FJT points lists:
- Boys 16-18 (season completed): 2. Easton Oliva, Ponte Vedra, 3. Kinnare, 4. Dougan, 8. Hipp.
- Girls 16-18 (season completed): 9. Chokshi.
- Boys 13-15 (season completed): 3. Ossi, 4. Cole, 6. Grota, 9. Huntley.
- Girls 13-15 (season completed): 1. Nograbat, 6. Moody.
Florida's First Coast of Golf honored
Florida’s First Coast of Golf, a destination marketing firm that promotes golf-related tourism in Northeast Florida, earned two Flagler Awards from VISIT FLORIDA, "recognizing innovative destination marketing and the collective strength of Northeast Florida’s tourism and golf industry."
Presented during the 2026 Florida Governor’s Conference on Tourism, FFCG received a first-place Henry Award for its Inmar Moments mobile marketing campaign and a Bronze Award for The Players Championship promotion in the Travel Trade, Meetings & B2B Marketing category.
“These awards validate much more than two successful campaigns — they demonstrate what is possible when a region combines its resources, product and expertise,” said David Reese, President of Florida’s First Coast of Golf, in a statement. “By working together, our destination, golf and lodging partners create the scale, reach and frequency needed to compete nationally and internationally for golf travelers. No single partner has to tell the entire story alone. Together, we give golfers a compelling reason to choose Northeast Florida.”
According to a 2026 University of North Florida Research Lab study, golf tourism generates more than $314 million in economic impact across Northeast Florida, benefiting lodging, restaurants, attractions and businesses throughout the region.
JAGA Scholarship window opening
The Jacksonville Area Golf Association will begin accepting JAGA Scholarship Trust applications Jan. 1 through March 31, 2027. Details are available at jaxareagolf.org/scholarships/apply.
The Scholarship Trust is in its 53rd year. There are currently 63 students at 33 institutions receiving financial aid, including nine at the University of North Florida, seven at Florida, seven at Florida State and four at Jacksonville University.
JAGA will award at least one scholarship to a PGA Associate candidate to support his or her Level 2 or Level 3 educational requirements, which must be submitted by Nov. 30. Beginning in 2027, JAGA will offer assistance to golf course maintenance personnel pursuing agronomy courses. That submission deadline is also Nov. 30, 2026.
Candidates should contact a JAGA director representing their home facility, or consult with the head golf professional.
Therese Quinn wins at King & Bear
Therese Quinn of Jacksonville shot 76-73―149 to win the Super Senior Division of the Women's Southern Golf Association Senior Championship at the King & Bear in St. Augustine Oct. 5-7.
Rain reduced the tournament to 36 holes.
Quinn finished second to Terrill Samuel of Boynton Beach (1-under 143) in the Senior Division. Tama Caldabaugh of Ponte Vedra Beach (157) was 11th, Kathy Nyman of Jacksonville (161) was 23rd and Carolyn Creekmore of Ponte Vedra Beach (162) was 24th.
Creekmore was third in the Super-Senior Division, and Chris Hunt of Ponte Vedra Beach and Lou Tenarvitz of Fernandina Beach (171) tied for fourth.
Tyler Gray posts a 60 at the Everglades
Marsh Landing assistant professional Tyler Gray posted a 12-under 60 in the second round last week to win the Concert Cup at the Golf Club of the Everglades. He opened with a 68 and finished 16-under 128 to win by 10 shots. His 60 included a penalty shot after he hit into a water hazard on a par-5.
Gray, a native of Huntingburg, Ind., played at Evansville University, where he set the school's career-low stroke average at 73.67.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Elize Nograbat wins FJT Tour Championship, clinches points race
