Jacobo Smith and Charatta Thongbai win 2011 Boys & Girls Junior Golf State Championships at Forest Highlands Golf Club, Flagstaff, Arizona

2011 Boys State Champion Jacobo Smith
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Jacobo Smith, of Chandler, claimed the Boys State Championship at Forest Highlands Golf Club – Meadow Course, on the first play-off hole over Zach Wright, of Phoenix. Smith and Wright were tied at even par-144 for two rounds. Smith recorded a par on the par 4, 9th hole for the victory.  

In the Girls State Championship, Charatta Thongbai, of Gilbert, won with rounds 74-80, for a 2-day total of 154, to claim a two stroke victory over Saki Iida, of Chandler.  

Smith posted rounds of 71-73, on the 7358 yard, par 72 Meadow Course at Forest Highlands. Smith’s final round included five birdies, on hole’s 3, 5, 6, 10 and 15. Wright also posted consecutive rounds of 71-73 and with five birdies in his final round. Blake Toolan, of Phoenix, finished in 3rd place with scores of 73-72 for a 2-day total of 145. Rounding out the top 5 was Brett Wilson, of Mesa (76-70) and Prescott Mann, of Scottsdale (69-77) who tied for 4th at 2-over par 146.

Thongbai posted an even par 36 with two birdies on her back nine to claim the Girls State Championship. Thongbai was able to hold off Iida by two strokes, the 2010 runner-up and 2009 Girls State Champion. In 3rd place was Madison Kerley, of Chandler, who posted consecutive rounds of 79-79 for a 2-day total of 158.

The tournament was organized by the Junior Golf Association of Arizona (JGAA), Southwest Section PGA, Arizona Golf Association and the Arizona Women’s Golf Association for the third year.  “By combining the efforts of all four organizations the state junior golf championships for the boys and girls has been elevated to a new level”, said Tom Cunningham, Executive Director of the Junior Golf Association of Arizona. “Matt Bailey, Director of Golf at Forest Highlands Golf Club and his staff were just terrific in hosting the event for the third year. Our staff, the players and their parents and other relatives are most appreciative of their enthusiasm for junior golf and their support”.