2025 17u PGA Jr. League Championship: Utah, Florida, Illinois & Texas to Play in Semifinals

The 2025 17u PGA Jr. League Championship semifinals have taken shape at Twin Warriors Golf Club, with Team Utah (Lehi), Team Florida (Orlando), Team Illinois (Lemont) and Team Texas (Farmers Branch) taking the top four seeds.

It’s a shot at redemption for Team Utah, who finished runner-up in the 2024 17u PGA Jr. League Championship. Based out of Thanksgiving Point Golf Club in Lehi, the team took the solo lead early with a 26-under par aggregate team total through their first 9 holes today, ending the day with a 10-shot cushion at 90-under par.

“I’ve seen these kids play some good golf, but today was incredible golf,” said Team Utah Coach Tele Wightman, PGA. “Our four pairings were 17-under, 17-under, 17-under and 15-under [today]. We shot 25-under on the back 9, and we had 10 eagles within the team. Just unbelievably good golf today.”

One of those eagles was a hole-out from 78 yards by Team Utah’s Blake Brown, 15, on hole No. 18.

“I just hit a perfect shot and it rolled right in,” said Brown. “It gave us a lot of momentum going into the last 9 [holes] so we could keep cruising.”

Team Florida and Team Illinois finished tied at 80-under. Semifinal seeding was determined by the first tie breaker of an aggregate team total scorecard playoff using the two-day total of all four pair scores. Team Florida bested Team Illinois 98-under to 96-under to earn the No. 2 seed, and the two will face off in tomorrow morning’s semifinals.

Like Team Utah, Team Florida looks to redeem their runner-up finish in the inaugural 17u PGA Jr. League Championship at Twin Warriors in 2023.

“Today went great, and I’m proud of the team,” said Team Florida Coach Cori McAuliffe, LPGA, of Marriott Golf Academy in Orlando. “Every shot counts. Every hole counts. We’ve been in plenty of scorecard playoffs, so we know how that works.”

Rounding out the semifinals is Team Texas – led by Coach Joey Anders, PGA, of Brookhaven Country Club in Farmers Branch - who finished two shots behind at 78-under par. They will face top-seeded Team Utah tomorrow morning.

“Match play is a whole different animal, and the four teams playing tomorrow are all good,” added Wightman. “Getting off to a good start is key, and so is continuing to apply pressure. It’s really just about keeping the momentum we’ve created.”

At the Italian Ice Social following the rounds to announce the on-course skills challenge winners and final seeding, Derek Gutierrez, PGA of America General Manager & Director of Golf at Santa Ana Golf Club, Inc., recognized and celebrated players who are enjoying their final PGA Jr. League experiences.

“If you’re 17-years-old, this is your last time at this event,” said Gutierrez. “We wanted to recognize you before you move onto the next stage of your personal, educational or golf careers. You have bright futures ahead, and we can’t wait to witness what’s next from all of you.”

Out of Cog Hill Golf & Country Club in Lemont, Team Illinois, led by Coach Kevin Weeks, PGA, reflected on his team’s growth both on and off the course.

“It’s been fun to watch their development and watch them grow as people as well as golfers,” said Weeks. “For our players who age out next year, it’s been an absolute pleasure working with them.”

Sunday morning, the Nos. 1 and 4 seeds and the Nos. 2 and 3 seeds will compete in match play at 8:30 a.m. MT to determine who advances to the Championship match. The Championship match begins at approximately 1 p.m. MT, as does the third and fourth place match.

The eight teams not competing in the semifinals can participate in the Twin Warriors Fiesta de Tamaya, a two-person event with prizes awarded for first and second place and closest to the hole. Team California (Milpitas) finished fifth at 63-under; Team Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh) claimed sixth at 60-under; Team Iowa (Ames) placed seventh at 56-under; Team Connecticut (Middlefield) finished eighth at 53-under; Team Ohio (Chagrin Falls) edged Team Virginia (Dulles) for ninth place after finishing tied at 49-under utilizing the first tie-breaker; Team North Carolina (Fuquay-Varina) finished 10th at 47-under; and Team Kansas (Lenexa) finished 12th at 33-under.