UJGA history made in first local tournament with a cut

Alpine's Joe Parkinson and South Jordan's Sirene Blair stepped into the UJGA history books by securing first-place wins in the Optimist Qualifier.

The two were among 28 junior golfers in the 16-18 Division to make a third day of play in the tournament held at East Bay, Fox Hollow and Riverside Country Club. It was the first UJGA tournament in which players had to make the cut to go onto the third and final day of play.

Parkinson said he went into the final day with the plan of playing safe and having birdies come to him. It also helped, he said, that he had three skilled competitors push him in his final round.

Parkinson's win earned him a qualifying spot in the July 2009 Optimist International Junior Golf Championship in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Also earning a qualifying spot in the national tournament were Patrick Fishburn, Farr West, and Taylor Haws, Park City. Qualifiers in the Girls 16-18 Division were Sirene Blair, South Jordan, and Tara Green, Harrisville.

Other qualifiers were named after participating in the first two days of the tournament. Those qualifiers and their divisions are:

BOYS 14-15 -- Travis Norseth and Christopher Turner, both Salt Lake City

GIRLS 14-15 -- Lea Garner, Washington Terrace

BOYS 12-13 -- Austin Banz, Salt Lake City, and Ryan Lowe, Sandy

GIRLS 12-13 -- C.C. Collingsworth, Draper

BOYS 10-11 -- Rhett Rasmussen, Draper