Family, food, fun and the Christmas holiday spirit were on full display at the seventh annual JAGA Family Championship, held at Jax Beach Golf Club on Dec. 21. Morning and afternoon waves of 80 and 76 golfers, respectively, many dressed in festive holiday outfits, competed in Family and Couples flights on a cool, windy but brilliant, sun-splashed first day of winter.
As a means of completing two waves of 18 holes on the shortest day of the year and accommodating players ranging in age from 5 to 85, the 18 holes were set up to play to a par of 58. There were 14 par 3s and four par 4s.
Headlining the day was the special appearance of PGA TOUR star Billy Horschel and his 5-year-old son Axel. The Horschels teamed to finish second in the Family Gross division. In between the morning finish and the start of afternoon play, Horschel conducted a brief clinic that featured Axel. He then answered questions from the participants and posed for pictures with his son at his side.
The overall Gross team champions were Len Schonfeld II and Len Schonfeld III and Jeremy and Evan Raynor. Both teams recorded 5-under-par scores of 53.
The many other winners were:
Morning Play: Stephen & Gill Cox (Couples Gross, 1st); Tama and K.C. Caldabaugh (Couples Net, 1st); Len Schonfeld II and Len Schonfeld III (Family Gross, 1st); Billy and Axel Horschel (Family Gross, 2nd); Allison and Anderson Vogt (Family Gross, 3rd); Jamie and Bruce Kanehl (Family Net, 1st); Michael and Connor Mohr (Family Net, 2nd); Ed and Tom Long Jr. (Family Net, 3rd); Allison Vogt (closest on No. 4); and Bruce Kanehl (closest on No. 12.
Afternoon Play: Jeff and Kelly Johnstone (Couples Gross, 1st); Lou and Paul Tenarvitz (Couples Gross, 2nd); Joe and Hilary Watson (Couples Gross, 3rd); Paul and Sheila Brocki (Couples Net, 1st); Chris and Nina Sloan (Couples Net 2nd); Jeremy and Evan Raynor (Family Gross, 1st); Russ and Russell Libby (Family Gross, 2nd); Tad and Patrick Griffin (Family Gross, 3rd); Jackson and Jordan Bork (Family Net, 1st); Andy and Andrew Kokoska (Family Net, 2nd); Harrell and Hal Robinson (Family Net, 3rd); Sheila Brocki (closest on No. 4); and Zach Lee (closest on No. 12).
Longest Putt (85 feet) – Putting Green: Tim Pike (morning); Gary Lee (afternoon)
Representatives from all phases of Jacksonville-area golf were on hand. In addition to Billy Horschel, PGA TOUR referee Stephen Cox, PGA of America Board member Russ Libby, USGA Executive Jon Podany, North Florida Junior Golf leader Jack Aschenbach, Florida Times-Union golf writer Garry Smits, World Long Drive Champions Gerry and Justin James, JAGA scholarship winners Nancy Cox, Emma Wells, Hannah Stevens and more. Also, five kids from Moore-Myers Children’s Fund, competed.
A 50/50 raffle was conducted, and it generated more than $2,000 to the JAGA Charitable Trust when raffle winner, Len Schonfeld II, donated his share.
The event was conducted by the Jacksonville Area Golf Association (JAGA) for the seventh year in a row and once again chaired by Duke Butler III of TPC Sawgrass and family members, wife Sheila, son Duke IV and daughter Sadie. Butler was elected 2025 president of JAGA at its Dec. 10 Annual Meeting at Deerwood Country Club. A Life Member of the PGA of America and a former PGA TOUR executive, Butler is the first PGA member to be elected JAGA president.
The Family Championship has the largest field of any tournament on JAGA’s schedule and arguably is its most popular event. It joined the JAGA schedule with its new format in 2018, but its roots lie in two former JAGA events, the Father-Son and Couples tournaments. The Family Championship is a re-creation of the two, with the circle of family eligibility connections greatly expanded.
Dates for the 2025 Family Championship have already been determined. The event will return to Jacksonville Beach on Dec. 20, 2025.
NEXT UP FOR JAGA
The 2025 JAGA tournament schedule was announced on Dec. 17. Information on all tournaments can be found at jaxareagolf.org.
