Wellington Teen To Compete In Junior PGA Championship

Anthony Gabriele of Wellington and Valentina Haupt of Weston will represent South Florida next month in the 37th annual Junior PGA Championship. They were the overall winners Thursday, June 21 in the 33rd South Florida PGA Junior Championship at Boca Grove Golf & Tennis Club.

Gabriele, 16, a home-schooled junior, won the boys division by a stroke on rounds of 69-77 (146). Haupt, 15, won girls honors by three shots with 73-77 (150).

“The wind got me a lot today,” said Gabriele, the first round leader. “It was pretty tough but no one ever caught me.”

Gabriele made six birdies and three bogeys on Wednesday, June 20, one birdie, two bogeys and two double bogeys June 21. “My mother, Angela Montello, is from Indiana, and I’ve played a lot of courses up there but not Sycamore Hills. I’m already looking forward to it.”

Other Wellington golfers to compete were Clay Gibbs, who placed second in boys 12 and under front nine, and Isabel Herrera, who placed second in the girls 12 and under front nine.