Local juniors take aim at section titles

Six local golfers qualified to compete Monday and Tuesday in the Gateway Section PGA Junior Series nine-hole championship tournament at Ballwin Golf Course in west St. Louis County.

The golfers qualified through tournament victories or standings in the points race from events in the Gateway PGA/Southeast Missouri Junior Series.

Brett Slaten of Kelso is the only local qualifier in the 14- to 18-year-old boys division.

In the 10- and 11-year-old boys division, Jesse Hency, Vance Toole and Corey Connell of Cape Girardeau will join Colin Sprandel and Drew Hosp of Jackson in the field.

Eighteen-hole divisions will compete Aug. 1 and 2 at Crystal Springs Quarry Golf Club in Maryland Heights, Mo.

The local qualifiers for the regular division are Tanner Werner of Jackson and Eric Hayes of Cape Girardeau in the 12 and 13 boys division and Chad Slaten in the 16 to 19 boys division.

In the prestigious Tour division, local qualifiers include Jack Connell and Peyton Beasley of Cape Girardeau in the 14 and 15 boys; and Josh Wheeler of Jackson, Kirk Lohmann of Cape Girardeau, Gabe Sauer of Jackson and Zack Kluesner of Cape Girardeau in the 16 to 19 division.