Max Herendeen of Bellevue, Wash., the reigning PGA Junior champion, simply went out and won again.
Herendeen led virtually from wire-to-wire while winning the inaugural Coachella Amateur, part of the Troon Saguaro Amateur Series, by three strokes over Ivan Barahona of Van Nuys on the North Course at Terra Lago Golf Course in Indio.
“It was a fun week, this week,” said Herendeen, a senior at Bishop Blanchet High in Seattle, who has committed to Illinois, and won the Washington High School 3A Championship in the Spring. “I hit my driver well and kept it in play. It was super important to be on the right side of the holes with some of these pins and managed my iron game nicely.
“Trying to keep the round stress-free was the goal and I did a nice job of that. It was fun to compete this week with a little different field with some college players. Thanks to Terra Lago and the Saguaro Am Series for putting on a great event.”
Herendeen, who won the Boys Junior PGA Championship by five strokes at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club in Lemont, Ill., in August, this time posted a score of 67-71-70—208, eight-under-par, while Barahona, who plays at Long Beach State, was second at 75-69-67—211, followed by Ryan Voois of Ladera Ranch, who also is headed to Illinois, at 72-69-72—213.
Edan Cui of Atherton shot 71-67-76—214 to tie for fourth with Jack Beauchamp of Grapevine, Texas, who finished at 71-70-73—214, and Dylan Pyama of Carlsbad, who wound up at 73-70-71—214, while Steen Zeman of Oxnard was seventh at 70-77-69–216.
Go Nakatsukasa of San Diego totaled 72-71-74—217 to tie for eighth with Kurtis Grant of Herndon Nev., who wound up at 78-72-67—217, while Matthew Moss of San Diego finished at 71-74-73—218 to tie for 10th with Braden O’Grady of Canada, who came in at 71-75-72—218.
The Coachella Amateur is part of the Troon Saguaro Amateur Series, and the next event will be the Grapevine Amateur beginning Tuesday at Silverado Golf Club in Napa.
For complete results, visit https://2022coachellaamateur.golfgenius.com/pages/8620504161819068629
