East County, Sarasota golfers to play Ryder Cup-style event

The first Junior Team Challenge Cup, featuring junior golf players from East County and Sarasota, will take place Feb. 14-15 at Black Diamond Ranch in Lecanto. 

The Junior Team Challenge Cup is a Ryder Cup-style event between 15- to 18-year-old members of the Ultimate Golf Experience Junior and College Prep Tour, which mostly consists of players from Sarasota and Manatee counties, and the Mid-Florida Junior Golf Tour. There will be boys and girls divisions of the event, as well as a co-ed 12-14 division. 

Golfers from Lakewood Ranch High, The Out-of-Door Academy, Cardinal Mooney High and Sarasota High, among others, will be participating. 

The players will get to take their shot at two of Black Diamond's courses, The Ranch and The Quarry, both of which are highly-ranked statewide. Fans at can enjoy the courses, too: The event will be livestreamed on its website starting at 10:15 a.m. on Feb. 14. 

Ultimate Golf Experience's Bryan Veith said the purpose of the event is simply to create something memorable for these golfers. 

For more information, including a full list of players and videos highlighting Black Diamond's courses, visit the event's website.