Huntsville All-Stars capture PGA Jr. League section title
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Dylan Shephard and Jordan Debonis finished 1-2 at the recent Alabama-NW Florida Section Assistant’s Championship at Pine Tree Country Club, earning invitations to the national tournament later this year.
Shephard was one shot off the lead going into the final round, but fashioned a 3-under-par 69 to finish at 142. That was one shot better than Jordan Debonis, who opened with a 74, also shot 69 in the final round to finish second.
23 Vied for Section Assistant’s Championship at Pine Tree CC
Shephard is an assistant at FarmLinks. Debonis is an assistant at The Ledges in Huntsville. A field of 23 players teed it up hoping to earn a spot in the national assistants’ tournament.
Willow Point’s Paxton Tidwell finished third at 146, while Mountain Brook’s Jake Greer and RTJ at Magnolia Grove’s Paul McClure tied for fourth place at 147. All three are alternates for the national tournament.
Shephard took the lead Alabama-NW Florida Section Assistant’s PGA Championship with a front-nine 33 in the second round and then came home in 36 for his 69. Debonis shot 34-35 to fall one shot short of forcing a playoff.
First-day co-leaders Jammie Lett and Lindsey Harrison struggled in the second round. After opening with a 72, Jammie Lett closed with 76 to fall into a tie for sixth place. Harrison shot 80 in the second round and tied for 11th.
Huntsville All-Stars advance
The Huntsville All-Stars advance to the regional qualifier in Florida in September after winning a PGA Jr. League sectional qualifier recently at Valley Hill Country Club.
The Huntsville All-Stars beat HMS Hurricanes in the semifinal matches, 11.5-0.5, and then took down Birmingham 1 11-1 in the final to advance to the regional qualifier for the third consecutive year.
The regional, set for Sept. 10-12 at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Florida, features teams from Georgia, North Florida and South Florida. Winners there advance to the National Car Rental PGA Jr. League National Championship on October 7-10, 2021, at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.
The 17U team from RTJ Highland Oaks led by PGA professional TJ King will also join the Huntsville All-Stars in Sandestin.
Gregg Dewalt is the editor of Alabama Golf News.
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Featured photo: Alabama-NW Florida PGA
