The Central Florida Prep Invitational boys golf event on Wednesday at The Country Club of Orlando had everything you want in a golf tourney. Some of Florida’s best teams, drama in the final holes between 2025 state championship squads, and a rare hole-in-one.
In the end, Class 1A state champ Benjamin of Palm Beach Gardens shot 7-under-par 273 for 18 holes to edge 2A state champ Bishop Moore by three strokes for the title. Lake Highland Prep, which has emerged as a 1A state contender, placed third with 277.
“The boys feel like they let this one get away down the stretch,” Bishop Moore coach Marvin Snyder said of the second-place performance. “We were 7-under-par with four holes left and were plus-3 in those holes. But we’ll take it. We’re moving in the right direction.”
Junior Noah Manly led the Hornets with 5-under 65 for second individually. And Bishop Moore junior Jiheon Oh had the highlight of the tournament with the first hole-in-one of his young career on the 164-yard 17th hole.
Medalist honors went to Lake Highland Prep senior Jeronimo Esteve, who shot 64 to edge Manly for the top spot.
Windermere Prep was fourth at 281, led by a pair of 66 scores by juniors Giancarlo Aguirre and Chase Bauer.
This was the fourth installment of the annual event at CCO, which embraces hosting and pampers young players on the oldest course in the Orlando area (opened in 1911).
Charlie Woods, the son of Tiger Woods, shot 68 and tied for sixth for Benjamin. He announced his decision to sign with FSU in February.
Lake Highland Prep’s Jeronimo Esteve (left) shot 6-under-par 64 as the individual champion and Bishop Moore’s Noah Manly (right) was second, one shot behind, in the Central Florida Prep Invitational at The Country Club of Orlando. (Courtesy The Country Club of Orlando)
“We really enjoy putting this tournament on every year because it’s our way of giving back to junior and high school golf,” CCO director of golf Robbie Huelga said. “So many of our members grew up playing junior golf and benefited from the opportunities it provided, so we understand how important those experiences are for young players.“If we can help grow the game and give back to the next generation, we feel like that’s something worth being proud of.”
The field included 1A state finals contenders Circle Christian and The First Academy. Both shot decent scores, with the Centurions placing sixth with 289, and TFA posting 291 in ninth.
The Royals were state runner-up behind Benjamin last year at Mission Inn Resort, and they hope to be in a similar spot, thanks to immense improvement from their senior No. 1 golfer, Nathan Erickson.
“Everything has been under par so far for Nathan,” TFA coach Robin Rosado said about Erickson, a University of North Florida commit who tied for 11th with even-par 70. “He’s turned into an incredible leader and works harder than anyone I’ve ever seen.”
Circle Christian was just behind TFA in third at last year’s 1A state tourney. Senior Gabriel Rodriguez led the Centurions with 70 on Wednesday after not playing high school golf last year.
Circle has played well in the first month of the season, finishing fourth in the Titan Invitational and second in the Boone Invitational. Junior Ryker Huther shot 6-under-par 138 for two days in the Titan at Hammock Beach Resorts, and sophomore Ethan Nejman was medalist in the Boone event with 8-under-par 62 at Hawk’s Landing Golf Club.
Charlie Woods, Tiger’s son, leads top golf team into Central Florida Prep Invitational
Varsity content editor Buddy Collings can be contacted by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.