26 – 28 May 2023 – Kraków Valley Golf & CC
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After three days of struggle at the Kraków Valley Golf&CC, 85 participants finished the 5 Stars Junior Cup by Adrian Meronk. The conditions on the course were not the easiest, the most reminisced by the players were roughs, which they found extremely difficult. Thankfully the weather was fabulous.
This year each event of the series are two tournaments – one for juniors under 18 years old and another for players aged 19-25. The children under 10 play nine holes each day, while the older participants play 18 holes.
After the first round, Jan Branicki had the lowest score of the tournament with 68 strokes, playing from the yellow tees. Three strokes behind him was Martyna Muchajer, who moved into the lead in the girls category. The lowest score among the oldest players (playing from the white tees) – one under par – was played by Franek Dudek. Marana Polakova, a player from the Czech Republic, was right behind him- she finished with only one stroke more.
The second day did not bring many changes to the scorecard. Martyna Muchajer played consistently and, with a total score of two under par, was still in the lead in the junior girl’s group. As did Jan Branicki, who played a slightly weaker second round of 75 strokes, but that was enough to maintain his position as a leader.
In the 19-25 group, Mariana Polakova equalled her result with Frank Dudek, but another Czech representative, Alina, jumped into the leader’s position, gaining a two-stroke lead over the rest of the competitors.
The third day of the tournament was the sunniest, but also the windiest, which helped the game for some and had done the opposite for others. In the under-18 tournament, the lead was maintained by Jan Branicki, who took first place with a score of 219 strokes. “Definitely the first day of the tournament was the best for me because of my, you could say, flawless play. The following days were a little bit below my expectations, but I think it was some kind of test for me and I passed it,” Jan Branicki recounted after the round.
Among the oldest girls, the 5 Stars Junior Cup by Adrian Meronk was won by the leader from two first days – Martyna Muchajer. Only one stroke less was Kleopatra Kozakiewicz, who played the best result of all players in the field on the last day – 69 strokes. “I played very well. The weather was good for the last two days, the field was very well prepared, but the roughs, as well as the pins on the third day were very difficult,,” said Martyna Muchajer.
The end of the 5 Stars 19-25 tournament, which ended in playoff between Franek Dudek and Mariana Polakova, was very exciting. On the third day, the players played an identical score of 73 strokes. Leader after two days – Alina Shchepteva played four strokes more, ruling her out of the battle for the top of the podium. The playoff belonged to Mariana Polakova, who played a birdie and thus became the winner of the tournament.
“I liked this course, but I think it’s really difficult. When I played a practice round I was a bit scared. However I enjoyed playing this course, even though the roughs are really tough. I came back from the US a fortnight ago and I didn’t play my best golf there, so when I played even on the first day, I was happy. On the second day my first nine didn’t go so well, I played it at plus 6 and finished 8 over par. Today after playing a double-bogey on the first hole I gave up a bit but luckily I pulled myself together,” Polakova commented on her game.
Dodatkowo w trakcie turnieju rozegrano konkurs GolfTeam Nearest to the Pin, który zwyciężył Leon Krawczyk, a najmłodsi gracze wzięli udział w konkursie puttowania, gdzie najlepszym okazał się Marek Pejas.
W grupie poniżej 15 lat dziewcząt zwyciężyła Malwina Cegła, a wśród chłopców pochodzący z Litwy Kajus Pacauskas. Pośród chłopów do 12 roku życia najlepszy okazał się Miłosz Kupiec. Wśród dzieci najlepszy wynik osiągnęła Alicja Derek.
Następne zawody 5 Stars Junior Cuo by Adrian Meronk już 26-28 czerwca w Modrym Lesie.
