Asterisk Talley of Chowchilla and Jaden Dumdumaya of Concord have been honored as the 2022-23 Girls and Boys Players of the Year by the Junior Tour of Northern California, which is a part of the Northern California Golf Association.
Talley joined Sabrina Iqbal (2014-17) and Casie Cathrea (2010-11) as the only Girls’ players in JTNC history to win back-to-back Player of the Year honors, scoring 4,124 points in the standings. Cathy Zhang of San Ramon finished second with 3,761 points.
“It feels awesome to be Player of the Year again,” said Talley, who claimed seven victories during the season and also finished second seven times. “I’m just going out and trying to play my best golf.
“The competition keeps getting harder, but at the same time I’ve been improving. I’m excited for the future.”
The 14-year-old Talley, who is a freshman at Chowchilla High, also captured the 2023 Rolex Girls Junior Championship, joining such previous winners Rose Zhang (2020), Rachel Heck (2017), Alison Lee (2013), Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand (2012, 2011), Morgan Pressel (2005), Paula Creamer (2003), and Inbee Park (2002).
Talley has 19 victories in her JTNC career, and at her age could challenge Iqbal’s record of 29 titles.
The 17-year-old Dumdumaya, a senior at De La Salle High in Concord who will attend USC next Fall, also repeated as JTNC Player of the Year with 2,590 points, and Ben Friedman of Mill Valley was second with 1,812 points.
“The JTNC has treated me so well,” said Dumdumaya, a native of the Philippines. “Words can’t describe the season I had. Being able to play and meet so many people, I’m just happy to have JTNC as a part of my journey.”
“Growing up, I didn’t really know what my path was. Then, I realized that golf was the road I wanted to take.”
Dumdumaya, who captured the 2023 CIF Individual Championship for De La Salle, claimed five NCJT victories and finished second five additional times this season, with his 15 career victories the most in history, ahead of the 11 compiled by his idol, Justin Suh.
Among Dumdumaya’s future goals is to represent the Philippines at the 2024 or 2028 Olympic Games.
