Champion Assaf Cohen (15) with Danny Fizer, owne and CEO of Ero Asia Israel, Chairman of the ISRAEL GOLF FEDERATION Cyril Kaufman and Deputy Chairman Gil Peres.
Photo: Gideon Eliad
Women's champion Hadass Liebman (13) with the director of the Caesarea Golf Club Galit Polansky, Chairman of the ISRAEL GOLF FEDERATION Cyril Kaufman and Deputy Chairman Gil Peres. Photo: Gideon Eliad
For additional photos
Conquered by the children of Caesarea Golf Academy
Rousing success for Caesarea Golf Academy pupils in the Israel Open Golf Championship that took place this week. Because of the ongoing work on Caesarea's courses, the competition took place at the Gaash Golf Club.
The competition was open to everyone and although most participants were established, experienced golfers from Israel and around the world, Caesarea's children ended the championship with extremely respectable achievements.
At the end of the four-day, 72-hole competition, 15-year-old Assaf Cohen won Israel Golf Champion for 2008 (with a score of 277).
Assaf, a resident of Or Akiva, is a pupil of the Caesarea Golf Academy, and the son of Avi Cohen, who had been Israel's golf champion in the 1980s. Second place was won by 18-year-old Sebastian Lautzer of Germany (300) and third place was won by 14-year-old Ben Freidrich of Hadera (283 points). Fourth place was awarded to 15-year-old David Hacham of Or Akiva, both pupils of the Caesarea Golf Academy (277).
The women competed over 3 days and 56 holes. First place was awarded to Caesarea Golf Academy pupil 13-year-old Hadass Liebman. Hadass, who has been playing golf for only two years, beat out more senior golfers, earning a score of 189 points.
Second place was won by Kathryn Lorry of England (228).
Boaz Segev, director of the Golf Academy, proudly relates the achievements of the young golfers. "Men's Champion in 2008 - Assaf Cohen. Assaf is only 15 years old and is Israel's youngest ever champion. Also commendable is the amazing path to victory.
At the start of the last day, Assaf was 9 strokes behind the German leader who had a handicap of 2 under par. This gap when facing a player of this caliber is considered in the golf world as nearly unbridgeable. In the fourth and final round, Assaf 'burned up' the course at Gaash with a score of 67 - 3 under par whereas his rival could not withstand the pressure of the game and the pressure that Assaf was applying, and ended with a score of 79. Assaf completed the unbelievable and won by 3 strokes, becoming the youngest adult champion ever."
Assaf is also the 2007 Junior Golf Champion
Boaz adds: "The women's 2008 champion is Hadass Liebman of Caesarea. Hadass is only 13 years old, and equals Leticia Beck's record as the youngest winner of Israel's adult women's golf championship. Hadass is doing so in an incredible manner, 22 strokes ahead of second place. Hadass dropped twice from 80 strokes (77 and 78), which is an unprecedented achievement by any female her age."
Hadass, who has been playing golf for two-and-a-half years, is a pupil of the Caesarea Golf Academy.
2008 Seniors Champion - Ron Solomon. Ron came from 2 strokes behind at the beginning of the final day and three behind 6 holes before the finish to win by 2 strokes over former club member Lesley Ben Amir, who is a senior, experienced golfer.
Ron is a member of the Academy's instructional team.
Other noteworthy news is that in the men's championship, Academy pupils earned 3rd place (Ben Friedrich) and 4th place (Dor Hacham), thereby ensuring an unprecedented three out of the first four places in Israel's adult male golf championship.
Between 21-22 December, the Junior Golf Open championship will take place. Expected to participate in this championship is 17-year-old Leticia Beck, who attends a golf boarding school in Florida. It will be interesting!
For final results, click here.