Stow, M.A. – The New England PGA Junior Tour wrapped up its season with the 2025 Tour Championship on August 18-19 at Stow Acres Country Club. This 36-hole stroke play event compiled the top NEPGA junior golfers in each of the 6 divisions based on Player of the Year Points. The Boys 11 & under and Girls 13 & under divisions played 9 holes each day in an 18-hole tournament. Both days provided perfect weather as 52 golfers drove to North central Massachusetts in hopes to secure the top spot in the Player of the Year race as well as the coveted Tour Champion trophy.
Alexander Barnard of Methuen, Massachusetts took home first place in the Boys 16-18 Division, shooting a +2, 78-67-145 in his two rounds. Barnard’s day 1 round ended not the way he liked, after losing his wedge on hole 13 and going 5-over in his last 5 holes after being +1 through 13 holes. He used this adversity to his advantage in the second round, dominating the front nine shooting a bogey-free 4-under, including a 20-foot birdie putt on hole 9 to carry his confidence into the turn. Barnard’s 5 birdies elevated him to be tied for first at the end of division play, resulting in a playoff between him and Jackson Guy of Wilmington, Massachusetts. Both golfers played tremendously, but it was Barnard who edged his way to victory on the 1st playoff hole and winning the Divisional Championship.
In the Boys 14-15 Division, Marcus Yap of Lexington, Massachusetts fought his way to victory, shooting an impressive
+1, 72-71-143 in his two rounds. Yap headed into day 2 tied for first, and used his momentum from the day before into his second round, dominating the pool. Thanks to his putter, Yap carded 3 birdies today including 2 in the first 3 holes, ending up 1-under heading into 10, where he collected his 3rd birdie of the day. An even par, 71 round two score kept him in the lead all the way through, winning the event by 5 strokes. Yap’s win propelled him to first place in the Player of the Year race, scoring 508 points.
Alicia Wen of Weston, Massachusetts took first place in the Girls 14-18 Division, shooting a +21, 83-80-163, beating out the competition by 1 stroke. Wen never looked back after holding the top spot to herself after round one, and continued her pace with consistent approach shots and fairway finders. Her back to back birdies on 7 and 8 were the deciding factor, and Wen was crowned champion at Stow Acres. Wen also placed first in Player of the Year Points, collecting 970 points in the Junior Tour season.
The Boys 12-13 Division ended with Richard Taylor of Acton, Massachusetts at the top, shooting a score of +6, 73-75-148. Keeping a positive attitude over the past 2 days, Taylor ended his round 1 performance with a birdie on hole 18, giving him the confidence he needed. His 5-wood game kept him alive, and his strong finish in the second round proved to be the cherry on top. Taylor claims victory on the golf course and in the Player of the Year race, allotting 910 points throughout the summer.
Thomas LeBlanc of Saugus, Massachusetts successfully defended his title in the Boys 11 & Under Division, boasting a 5-under, 33-34-67 in the two rounds. LeBlanc cruised through the course with his ball always in play and hitting the putts when it mattered the most. LeBlanc did not card a single bogey in both of his rounds, shooting a pure score and collecting 5 birdies in total along the way, with 4 of them coming on holes 5 and 8 combined. The championship win also pushed his Player of the Year Points to first, winning that competition with 564 points.
The Girls 13 & Under Division did not disappoint, with Mackenzie Malcolm of Hollis, New Hampshire coming away with the victory, shooting a +2, 37-37-74 for the tournament. The definition of consistency, Malcolm shot the same score in both of her rounds, with 2 bogeys each on a par 5 and par 4, and 1 birdie on a par 3 in day 1 and 2. Malcolm’s final birdie on hole 9 in the second round sealed her victory and pushed her lead by 5 strokes to take home the win.
Congratulations to the winners of the Player of the Year. Each junior golfer earns points for competing in tournaments and the higher you place, the more points you earn. The winners of the Player of the Year will be recognized at the end of the year NEPGA Junior Banquet at Winchester Country Club.
Boys 16-18: Robby Marrigan (Billerica, MA): 405 Points
Boys 14-15: Marcus Yap (Lexington, MA): 508 Points
Boys 12-13: Richard Taylor (Acton, MA): 910 Points
Girls 14-18: Alicia Wen (Weston, MA): 970 Points
Girls 13 & Under: Bridget Connelly (Waltham, MA): 451 Points
Boys 11 & Under: Thomas LeBlanc (Saugus, MA): 564 Points
Thank you to every Junior Tour player who participated in the 2025 season, none of this could have been done without the support of the parents and children of the New England PGA family. We hope to see you again next year!
Thank you to Head PGA Professional Dave Carlson, PGA and the entire Stow Acres CC staff for being amazing hosts to the NEPGA Junior Tour Championship!