Rivers Academy defended its national championship and Milton finished second, as Georgia schools finished one-two at the PGA High School National Invitational in Frisco, Texas.
Rivers Academy shot 15-over over 54 holes to beat Milton by six shots in the team competition at The Fields Ranch Courses at PGA Frisco, California was third at 29-over par.
Rivers Academy, a private school in Alpharetta, had tournament champion in Charles Beeson and the runner-up, Nicholas Canitano. Beeson, a rising junior, shot 5-under 211 and eagled the final hole to erase a one-shot deficit and defeat his teammate. Canitano, a rising freshman , shot 4-under 212. Other contributors for Rivers were Kai Marko (T61), Joseph Canitano (T49) and Patmon Malcom
Milton, the defending Class 7A champs, was led by rising senior Aman Vantipalli, who shot 3-over 219 and tied for ninth, and Craig Long II, who shot 5-over 221 and tied for 19th. The Eagles also counted Rahul Rajendran (T36), Drew Sacia (T38) and Mason Fundingsland (T78).
“It’s all about friendships,” said Beeson, who works with PGA teaching professional Danny Elkins of the Georgia Golf Center in Roswell. “You’re going to play with these kids your whole high school career and maybe even college. It’s fun to be with the team. Everybody is rooting for each other.”
Beeson approached the par-5 537-yard 18th hole not only knowing Georgia (RVA)’s team victory was in sight, but also that he needed at least a birdie on the final hole to force a playoff with his teammate. Canitano, who had finished just two groups earlier with an even-par 72 and held a one-stroke lead in the clubhouse, was among those cheering Beeson on the 18th green.
“I hit a nice little driver down the center fairway,” said Beeson. “I had 220, so hit a nice six-iron and with adrenaline down wind, put it at about eight feet. Nicholas is in first at that point and he wanted me to make it just as much even though it was to beat him. It was a fun way to finish the round.”
Beeson’s hole-out for eagle won him the individual medalist honors, giving him a final round of 2-under-par 70 and a three-day total of 5-under-par 211. Canitano finished one stroke back (4-under-par 212), followed by Tyler Brand (Virginia CLG) in third at 1-under-par 215 and Jack Jerge (California DLS) in fourth at even-par 216.
As the individual medalist, Beeson will receive exemptions into the 2024 North & South Junior Championship and the 2023 Junior PGA Championships.
“There was definitely a little bit of extra motivation,” said Rivers Academy’s Nicholas Canitano. “We didn’t want to be the losing team and have them remind us of that every day. But now we get to do it to them, so that will be fun.”
“I mean, it feels great that our friends won,” said Milton’s Fundingsland. “But I mean, it’s kind of a pain to lose to them because we’re never going to hear the end of it.”
The 2023 PGA High School Golf National Invitational was the first amateur championship played at PGA Frisco and the fifth edition of the event since its debut in 2019. The invitation-only field consists of golfers who have won their respective state high school championships as a team or as an individual from small, large, public or private schools. Individual and team champions are crowned following the three-day 54-hole stroke-play event.
Credit: PGA
Credit: PGA
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