Shams Jahangir-Arshad, fresh off a ninth-place finish at last summer’s 14-and-under World Junior Golf Championships, moved up to the top junior age class to win last week’s 45th annual Andria’s Seafood Classic.
The event, part of the Ventura County Junior Golf Association Mini-Tour, was held at the par-72 Rancho Maria Golf Club in Santa Maria.
Jahangir-Arshad, a 14-year-old freshman at San Marcos High, ran away with the Boys Championship Division with a 7-under 137. He made six birdies in the first round to finish at 4-under 68 and carded a 3-under 69 in the final round.
He finished nine strokes ahead of second-place Francis Catalano of Camarillo, who shot a two-over-par 146. Leo Metzger, another San Marcos High golfer, placed fifth at 5-over 149 while Santa Barbara High’s Hudson Hatton was tied for seventh at seven-over 151.
Other area finishers in the Boys Championship division were Callaway Winans (tied for 27th at 168), Jeffrey Forster (tied for 35th at 173), and Rye Winans (41st at 190).
Jahangir-Arshad’s ninth-place finish at last summer’s 12th annual FCG Callaway World Junior Golf Championship came at courses in Temecula, Menifee and Fallbrook. He shot 80, 73 and 71 for an eight-over 224.
Teddy Vigna, who tied for 44th at that same World Junior event with a 244, won the VCJA Andria’s Seafood Classic Boys 11-14 Division by beating Valencia’s Kai Miyata in a playoff. They tied at 8-over 152 after the regulation 36 holes. Vigna shot 76 in each round, overcoming Miyata’s three-stroke lead after the first round.
Austin Downing was tied for sixth with a 168. Other area golfers to place were Von Gordon (14th at 186), Marcelo Andrade (15th at 192), and Holdt Gore (16th at 194).
Abigail Kim won the Girls 11-14 Division with rounds of 80 and 78 for a total of 158 to finish seven strokes ahead of second-place Kiley Reisner of Northridge.
Upcoming VCJGA events include the 34th annual Oxnard City Junior Championships at the River Ridge Golf Club on Feb. 20-21, the 23rd annual McGillvray Construction Classic at Camarillo’s Sterling Hills Golf Club on March 13-14, and the MiniTour Spring Series at Ventura’s Buenaventura Golf Club on March 21.
email: mpatton@newspress.com
