Binowski beats Hoshida in sudden death for overall crown
GILROY – The Gilroy City Junior Golf Tournament had a little bit of everything over the annual two-day event on Tuesday and Wednesday at Gilroy Golf Course.
It came complete with a two-person, sudden death playoff between Jami Binowski – who won the overall championship on the second extra hole by sinking a 12-foot par putt – and Thomas Hoshida – the 15-and-older age division champion.
It also had shades of Annika Sorenstam battling against the male golfers in the Colonial as female champion Kristen Campos was in contention to become the first woman to win the overall title before falling short on the final day.
In addition, the junior tournament fielded 17 area youngsters – including the talented twin brother tandem of Zack and Ryan Colton as well as a number of first-time participants.
But most of all, the 18-hole competition supplied tons of fun in the sun for everyone involved.
“It’s funny being twins when we’re done putting a hole the person keeping score asks which one got the better score because it’s hard to tell us apart,” said Ryan Colton, who is one minute younger than his Zack. “I started off a little slow, but later on in the day I got better and better.”
Ryan Colton, 11, of Gilroy, finished third in the 11-12 year-old age division with a 110 two-day total behind his brother – who shot a combined 107 for second – and division winner Gene Park – whose 93 total was only two strokes shy of making it a three-man playoff.
“It’s fun,” said Park of playing in the junior tournament. “Yesterday my short game was kinda rusty. Today, it was great. My short game save me a lot.”
Park, of Hollister, a two-time age group winner of the annual Beatty Memorial Classic, only plays at Gilroy Golf Course during the summer tournaments. But the 12-year-old golf sensation knows what it takes to win.
“Sometimes the trees are in the way,” Park said. “You have to have good accuracy on this course.”
Zack Colton, 11, of Gilroy, enjoyed testing his golf game against not only his brother but a player with the skills of Park.
“Every summer I’ve got to do it,” said Zack, who gets plenty of holes in at Gilroy GC as well as Corde Valle where his father is a member. “I did good the first day and then had to come back and play with Gene today, which is a challenge. It gives us [Ryan and I] and Gene something to shoot for.”
Playing in his first junior golf tournament did not stop Binowski from taking the overall title, as he followed his day-one 44 with a day-two 47 to push into a playoff with Hoshida – who topped his day-one 48 with a day-two 43.
“Actually I played all right yesterday. I got nine on the first hole today so I wasn’t even thinking about winning until I hit three, four pars in a row,” Binowski, 14, of Gilroy, said. “In the playoff, I played my best two holes.”
After both golfers bogeyed the first hole, Binowski’s par bested Hoshida’s bogey on the second hole to determine the first name that will be engraved on the perpetual Dustin Bettencourt Trophy.
“There was a lot of pressure,” Binowski said. “He already put his close to the pin to tap in for bogey. All I wanted to do was putt it close to tap in and not shoot it too strong past the hole.”
Binowski sank his 12-foot putt to make him a perfect 1-for-1 in his tournament career.
“I play a lot here,” the champ said. “I was just happy to be out there. I’ll probably play in the rest of the tournaments here in Gilroy.”
Campos (97) – who was a freshman slugger on the Lady Mustang varsity softball team as a freshman – topped the ladies’ field ahead of Carissa Filice (108) and GHS soccer standout Jackie Iwanaga (143).
“I hit one over than I did yesterday, but I felt like I played better today,” said Campos, who also played on the Gilroy High varsity golf team last season. “I play a whole lot (at Gilroy GC) and at Eagle Ridge…”
Although she did not win the overall, Campos showed what Sorenstam attempted at the pro level – females can play golf just as well as males.
“In a softball swing, your weight should be forward,” said Campos, who won the Adult-Junior Tournament two years ago on the same course. “When I come play golf, I have to work on bringing my weight back.”
With Binowski being the overall champ, Kyle Harrigan won the 13-14 division title with a 92. Hoshida’s 91 edged Robert Reineccius’ 92 in the tight 15-over age group. In the 9-under division, Ben Hartl took the title with a two-day total of 106.
Overall Champion
Jami Binowski 44 47 – 91*
Ages 15 and over
Thomas Hoshida 48 43 – 91*
Robert Reineccius 49 43 – 92
Chad Wilson 56 47 – 103
Ages 13-14
Jami Binowski 44 47 – 91*
Kyle Harrigan 51 41 – 92
Jordan Miller 46 47 – 93
Matt Shields 57 53 – 110
Alex Jacobs 63 54 – 117
Jeffrey Suniga 63 64 – 127
Ages 11-12
Gene Park 51 42 – 93
Zack Colton 53 54 – 107
Ryan Colton 50 60 – 110
Nick Colmon 60 62 – 122
Ages 9 and under
Ben Hartl 55 51 – 106
Girls
Kristen Campos 48 49 – 97
Carissa Filice 51 57 – 108
Jackie Iwanaga 70 73 – 143
*Binowski defeated Hoshida on the second hole of their sudden death playoff to win the overall championship
