Over the course of the first two weekends in March, 14-year-old Fernando Castillo bested 40 other players to win the inaugural Wellington National Golf Club Championship. Castillo, originally from Mexico, was the youngest player to participate in the tournament.
“The course was very difficult and long,” said Castillo about the championship tournament. “The wind was blowing very hard, and the greens were challenging — it was definitely very tough.”
The championship tournament capped off what has been a strong first year for the Wellington National Golf Club. Under the ownership of Doug Marty, Chip Smith and Andy Apple, Wellington National has become a destination for top-notch golf competition, event hosting and fine dining.
Participants in the championship tournament took off in flights and played 18 holes each day. Castillo, who started playing golf at the age of 2, was part of the championship flight, which played from a total yardage of 6,800. He competed directly with the other 13 players who teed off with him.
“I have always liked golf because of the challenge of working every day to get better,” Castillo said. “My goal is to always give 100 percent in every shot, to control my emotions, and to always remain calm and focused.”
The top three placings were decided only after a competitive final nine holes. Castillo took home the top place honors narrowly with a one-shot victory over Lucas Botero and two shots over Josh Della-Pietra. “It was incredibly exciting to watch Fernando play so well against members of all age groups,” Wellington National owner Doug Marty said. “He played a great tournament, and we are looking forward to a very bright future for this young man. It is really nice to watch him improve while playing on our course.”
For more information about the Wellington National Golf Club, including membership opportunities and a full list of events, visit www.wellingtonnationalgolfclub.com.
