Lehi Sports
Lehi-based 13U golf team earns 3rd at Nationals
The region champion 13U boys all-star golf team based at Thanksgiving Point finished third at the 2024 National Car Rental PGA Jr. League Championship on Sunday (Oct. 13) at PGA Frisco Fields Ranch West in Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas.
Through the first two rounds on Friday and Saturday, Team Utah (Lehi) held onto their No. 2 spot, finishing at 65-under.However, in the Sunday semifinals, Team Florida managed to slip past Team Utah by a single point 6.50-5.50.
In Sunday’s third-place match, Team Utah easily bested Team Virginia 8.50-3.50. The Lehi-based group includes Jraice Finau, Emery Johnson, Cove Cummings, Luke Manning, Nicklaus Miller, Logan Wilde, Crue Harward and Drew Wilson.
The team is skippered by head coach Tele Wightman, PGA and assistant coach Tony Finau, PGA. Wightman is the PGA General Manager at Thanksgiving Point Golf Club and Finau is a professional golfer currently ranked No. 24 in the world.
After the team finished up on Saturday, Wightman commented on the secrets to their success. “One, they’re incredible putters, and two, they have incredible belief in themselves,” he said.
“They’re having so much fun … it’s like they don’t feel the pressure, they don’t feel the cameras, they don’t feel the moment, they just go and play. This is really fun,” he added.
Team Utah might have had a little luck in the form of not one, but two holes-in-one carded during the event.
On Saturday, Utah’s Drew Wilson, 13, holed out on No. 16 with the world watching. Wilson and his partner, Crue Harward, 13, went birdie, hole-in-one, birdie, eagle to close out the day. Wilson’s shot took one bounce and landed in the cup.
However, when it comes to golf memories, his teammate Emery Johnson, 12, may have done him one better.
On Friday, Johnson made his first career hole-in-one on the fifth hole of the course. His tee shot went 132 yards straight into the hole. Not only was it an epic ace, it was in front of Tony Finau, his assistant coach.
As if that weren’t enough, the shot was broadcast live on ESPNand was later selected as the day’s No. 2 on SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays.
When interviewed by ESPN’s Michael Collins following Saturday’s rounds, Johnson and Wilson couldn’t have been more complimentary of each other’s aces and couldn’t quite pick a winner between the two.
“We’ll find out on SportsCenter tonight,” joked Collins.
The PGA Jr. League brings families and friends together around fun, team golf experiences for kids ages 17 and under, with expert coaching from PGA Professionals.
The Thanksgiving Point 17U All-Stars also advanced to the National Car Rental PGA Jr. League Championship for their age group, to be held Nov. 14-17 at Twin Warriors Golf Club in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico.
