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Ponte Vedra golfer wins Florida State Golf Association junior title
Ponte Vedra golfer wins Florida State Golf Association junior title
Clayton Freeman, Jacksonville Florida Times-UnionThu, Jul 2, 2026·4 min readEaston Oliva is swooping into college golf with some fresh Sunshine State hardware.
Shooting a composed final-round 2-under 70 to finish at 11 under for 54 holes, the University of North Florida signee captured first place in the 72nd Florida State Golf Association Boys' Junior Championship at Cabot Citrus Farms Karoo and Roost Courses in Brooksville.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOliva, a recent Ponte Vedra High School graduate, adds his name to a distinguished list of Jacksonville-area golfers — including two-time PGA Tour winner Len Mattiace — to win the event at its various age levels.
Clearwater's Noah Peens took second, a shot behind at 10 under, with Ryan Nana Tanke of Palm Beach Gardens at 9 under.
Oliva, who carried a one-stroke lead into the July 2 final round, had a couple of hiccups with bogeys at the par-4 No. 4, the par-5 No. 13 and the par-4 No. 16 on the Karoo Course, but each time bounced back with birdies on the following hole.
The FSGA Boys' Junior title is the latest success for Oliva, whose victories also include the Florida Junior Tour Harbor Hills Open in December at Lady Lake. He helped Ponte Vedra to a Florida High School Athletic Association Class 2A championship in 2023.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFleming Island High School graduate and Palm Beach Atlantic University signee Ryan Houck closely pursued Oliva until the end, when a double bogey-par-bogey finish dropped him to 7 under and a tie for fourth that also included Tocoi Creek High School rising junior Ambrose Kinnare.
Other high finishers from around Northeast Florida were Ponte Vedra graduate Cooper Franklin and Creekside High School rising junior Charlie Hipp, tied for ninth at 6 under. Ponte Vedra graduate Joey Hage and Tocoi Creek rising junior Kaden James were among a half-dozen golfers tied for 19th at 2 undre.
In the age 13-15 category, Michael Shane Frasure of Montverde Academy placed highest at 2 under.
All-time Jacksonville-area winners at Florida Boys' Junior Championship
1976: Billy Tuten, Palatka, 12-14.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement1980: Rob Burns, Orange Park, 12-14.
1982: Len Mattiace, Ponte Vedra, 12-14.
1983: Eric Brito, Neptune Beach, 12-14.
1985: Chris Chuck, Jacksonville, 12-14.
1990: Josh McCumber, Middleburg, 12-14.
2006: Blayne Barber, Lake City, 16-18
2006: Tyler McCumber, Ponte Vedra, 13-15
2008: Blayne Barber, Lake City, 16-18
2013: Jacob Kline, St. Augustine, 16-18
2023: Colton Swartz, Fleming Island, 16-18
2026: Easton Oliva, Ponte Vedra, 16-18
Boys Junior Championship
At Cabot Citrus Farms, Karoo and Roost Courses
Yardage: 7,249, par 72 (Karoo); 6,983, par 72 (Roost)
K-Karoo Course, R-Roost Course
Easton Oliva, Ponte Vedra;68R-67K-70K--205
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNoah Peens, Clearwater;67K-69R-70K--206
Ryan Nana Tanke, Palm Beach Gardens;71R-67K-69K--207
Ambrose Kinnare, St. Augustine;70R-69K-70K--209
Matthew Stigliano, Palm Beach Gardens;67K-70R-72K--209
Kenny Klein, Palm Beach Gardens;72R-65K-72K--209
William Cui, Jupiter;68K-70R-71K--209
Ryan Houck, Fleming Island;67K-69R-73K--209
Charlie Hipp, St. Johns;71K-72R-67K--210
Wylie Inman, North Palm Beach;71R-71K-68K--210
Cooper Franklin, Ponte Vedra;71R-69K-70K--210
Hugo Stenstrom, Miami;68R-71K-71K--210
Darren Zhou, Bradenton;68K-70R-72K--210
Tyler Creavy, Orlando;73K-69R-69K--211
Jack Cook, Inlet Beach;70K;71R;70K--211
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementGatlin Albright, Stuart;69R;71K;71K--211
Spencer Ives, Naples;68K-72R-71K--211
Nathan Erickson, Orlando;72K-67R-74K--213
Michael Shane Frasure, Clermont;70K-73R-71K--214
Jeremy Hsu, Port St. Lucie;69R-74K-71K--214
Liam Fernandez, Land O'Lakes;73R-72K-69K--214
Joey Hage, Ponte Vedra;71R-70K-73K--214
Finley Foster, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea;65K-74R-75K--214
Kaden James, St. Augustine;68K-72R-74K--214
Donovan Plakyda, Lakewood Ranch;73R-72K-70K--215
Jack Ryan Donovan, Ave Maria;73R-72K-70K--215
Henry Liebwein, Fort Myers;71K-70R-74K--215
Davis Daigle, Tampa;74R-73K-68K--215
Brady Dougan, Jacksonville;71R-72K-74K--217
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementJaspreet Kondal, St. Augustine;70K-71R-76K--217
Aubrey Fellows, Jacksonville;68K-71R-79K--218
Jonah Nacional, St. Augustine;75R-69K-75K--219
James Nagle, Ponte Vedra;71R-75K-73K--219
Jake Mason, Ponte Vedra;74K-73R-75K--222
Samuel Ha, St. Augustine;72K-72R-79K--223
Ethan Gossman, Jacksonville;77R-69K-79K--225
Brendan Walrath, Jacksonville;71K-76R-78K--225
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Ponte Vedra golfer wins Florida State Golf Association junior title
Story byThe Florida Times-Union