Gateway PGA Teams Punch Tickets to PGA Jr. League Championships

Two Gateway PGA teams are headed to the national stage after capturing their respective divisions at the Region 8 PGA Jr. League Regional, held Sept. 25-27 at the Country Club of St. Albans in St. Albans, Missouri.

The Legends 13u All-Stars from Legends Country Club in Eureka, Mo., and the Christensen Golf Academy (CGA) 17u All-Stars from Quincy, Ill., both claimed Region 8 championships and earned trips to their respective PGA Jr. League Championships.

The Regional featured 11 teams from the Gateway and Kentucky PGA Sections.

Legends 13u All-Stars | Team Missouri

The Legends 13u All-Stars capped off an impressive weekend by defeating the Western Kentucky 13u All-Stars in the championship match. After the match ended tied at 6-6, Legends advanced on a 7-5 holes-won tiebreaker.

The victory marks the first trip to the 13u PGA Jr. League Championship for Legends.

Led by Coach Brian Schmersahl, PGA, Legends entered the championship match as the No. 1 seed after dominating stroke play at 27-under par — 19 shots ahead of Western Kentucky. The team then defeated the Derby City All-Stars 7.5-4.5 in the semifinals before securing the regional title.

A pair of clutch moments helped Legends secure the championship. Price Sanftner, 13, of St. Ann, Mo., holed a 64-yard bunker shot for eagle on No. 14, while Sanftner and Madison Pyatt, 12, of Eureka, Mo., teamed up for a birdie from the trees on No. 13. Both points proved valuable in the holes-won tiebreaker.

The Legends 13u All-Stars will represent the Gateway PGA Section as Team Missouri at the 13u PGA Jr. League Championship, Nov. 11-15 at Fields Ranch West at PGA Frisco in Texas. The championship will be broadcast live on ESPN platforms.

Christensen Golf Academy 17u All-Stars

The Christensen Golf Academy 17u All-Stars also captured the Region 8 title, defeating the Western Kentucky OG 17u All-Stars, 6.5-5.5, in the championship match.

The championship marks the first trip to the 17u PGA Jr. League Championship for CGA.

Led by Head Coach Mark Christensen, PGA, CGA entered the championship match as the No. 1 seed after leading the field in stroke play at 22-under par. The team advanced to the championship match with a dominant 10-2 semifinal victory over the FLGC Pin Seekers.

In the championship match, Nolan Murphy, 17, of Carthage, Ill., delivered the clinching moment by sinking a putt on No. 17 to help secure the regional championship.

CGA will represent the Gateway PGA Section at the 17u PGA Jr. League Championship, Oct. 22-25 at Twin Warriors Golf Club in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico.

Two Gateway Teams. Two Regional Championships. One More Stop.

With both the Legends 13u All-Stars and CGA 17u All-Stars winning their divisions at the Region 8 Regional, the Gateway PGA Section will be represented at both the 13u and 17u PGA Jr. League Championships this fall.

Congratulations to the players, coaches, families and PGA Professionals who helped these teams reach the national stage. We’ll be cheering on both Gateway teams as they compete for a PGA Jr. League Championship!