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Three champions from the 2009 New York State Golf Association season were named first-team Rolex Junior All-Americans on Tuesday. Yarik Merkulov, Gavin Hall and Kristina Wong were recognized for their outstanding play in national competition by the American Junior Golf Association.
Merkulov, a Penfield high-school senior, ended the season No. 3 in the Polo Golf Rankings and was an All-American first-team selection on the strength of four top-10 finishes in six national junior golf competitions. His best finish on the national platform was a runner-up performance at the Junior Players’ Championship, where he shot a 3-under-par 213 on the famed TPC Sawgrass Course.
The All-American team was decided exclusively through the Polo Golf Rankings, which takes into account results from national junior golf competitions. However, Merkulov’s efforts in state competition hardly went unnoticed with record-breaking performances in the Men’s Amateur and Junior Championship. At the age of 17, he became the youngest individual to win the state amateur following a 72-hole score of 7-under 281. Merkulov later etched his name into the Skaneateles Country Club record book after a course record 10-under-par 61 on the final day that allowed him to defend his Junior title.
Merkulov competed on this year’s Canon Cup East Team with fellow All-American first-team pick Gavin Hall. The 15-year-old Pittsford Mendon freshman, Hall, notched four top-15 finishes in national junior golf events this summer. He posted second-place finishes at the AJGA Cliffs Championship and the Rolex Tournament of Champions.
At the state amateur in Victor, Hall played all four rounds at even-par or better for a second-place finish behind Merkulov. He went on to defend his Boys Championship title at Skaneateles with a 13-stroke victory. Hall joins the list of Tommy Nixon (1984 & 1985) and Nick Park (2001 & 2002) as the only players to repeat as champions in the boys division.
Merkulov and Hall are the only individuals from northern schools to receive the All-American accolade.
Meanwhile, Kristina Wong earned Junior All-America honors on the girl’s team for the fourth year as she placed in the top three at three national junior golf tournaments. Wong represents one of four players who were named first-team All-Americans for the second time. She tied for second at the Scott Robertson Memorial and earned a share of third place at the McDonald’s Betsy Rawls Girls Championship. Wong, who is a member of the PING Junior Solheim Cup Team, placed third at the Thunderbird International Junior.
In state play, Wong was crowned champion at the 80th Women’s Amateur Championship at Drumlins East. The Vestal teenager walked away with the Oak Hill Cup after posting a three-day total of 216. She is currently in her freshman year at Stanford University.
Submitted by Kevin Solan
NYSGA Media Intern
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