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'Golf heaven:' Creekside High sophomore Bryson Hughes wins Junior-Am at Pebble Beach

garry smits, florida times-union
·2 min read
Bryson Hughes of St. Johns (right), who represented First Tee-North Florida, won the male Pro-Junior title on Sunday at the Pure Insurance Championship, a PGA Tour Champion event at Pebble Beach. On the left is female champion Megan Meng and in the center is Pure Insurance winner Steve Flesch.
Bryson Hughes of St. Johns (right), who represented First Tee-North Florida, won the male Pro-Junior title on Sunday at the Pure Insurance Championship, a PGA Tour Champion event at Pebble Beach. On the left is female champion Megan Meng and in the center is Pure Insurance winner Steve Flesch.

Bryson Hughes has won a few junior golf tournaments in his day.

But scoring a trophy at Pebble Beach tops all of them to this point.

The Creekside High sophomore who represented First Tee-North Florida won the male Junior-Am title at the PGA Tour Champions Pure Insurance Championship on Sunday at the Pebble Beach Golf Links at Pebble Beach, Calif.

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Playing with Champions Tour member Alex Cejka, Hughes' team shot 63 in the final round and finished at 18-under 198. They tied for first and won in a scorecard playoff.

Megan Meng of the First Tee-Trenton, who played with Charlie Wi, won the female championship at 22-under.

Steve Flesch birdied the par-5 18th hole at Pebble Beach for a 68 and won his second PGA Tour Champions title this season at 11-under-par 205, edging Ernie Els, Steve Alker and Paul Stankowski by one shot. Flesch, 55, earned $330,000.

Hughes is the No. 1 player for the Knights golf team and has a 3.8 grade point average. He is a +2.3-handicap and said he has wanted to play at Pebble Beach since watching the Pure Insurance Championship at the age of 6.

“Pebble Beach is golf heaven," he told pgatour.com. "It feels great to get a win at such a cool course. I've tried to make the most of this week by focusing on what I could learn from Alex and all the pros in the field. My biggest takeaway is how well they handle themselves during high-pressure situations.”

The PURE Insurance Championship, in its 19th year, brings 78 teens from First Tee chapters nationwide to Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course. In addition to the golf, the participants are mentored by the PGA Tour Champions players and amateurs from the business world. The annual event, hosted by the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, was televised internationally on Golf Channel.

“We are proud of all the teens who played with confidence and composure this week at the PURE Insurance Championship,” said Greg McLaughlin, First Tee CEO. “These young people exemplify the character and values we instill through the First Tee programs every day."

Contact Garry Smits at gsmits@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @GSmitter

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: 'Golf heaven:' Creekside's Bryson Hughes wins Pebble Beach Junior Am