Talk about a true brotherhood in the IMG Academy Junior World Golf Championships.
Scripps Ranch twins Aiden and Jacob Maspat have followed their two older brothers in the elite event, making an encore appearance this year in the boys 11-12 age division at La Valle.
Play in the three-round tourney concludes Thursday in the five age groups each for boys and girls at San Diego County courses. Due to morning fog that delayed competition at Torrey Pines on Wednesday, half of the 15-18 boys and girls field are slated to play the second round Thursday morning. That allows for title play with a cut to 60 players each in the afternoon.
Along with the Maspat twins, the 11-12 boys division is brimming with brotherhood.
Title contender Alan Yoda has an older brother in the 13-14 bracket, and standout Axel Monssoh has a younger brother in the 7-8 group.
The Maspat twins are never wanting for a practice partner, and they can also draw on some experienced brotherly advice.
Oldest brother Kyle, a Cal alum, is in his second year as a pro player, and next oldest, Ian, is approaching his senior season at USD.
”They tell us to have a good attitude and to forget about the bad things that happen,” said Aiden Maspat, wearing a wide-brimmed Toreros hat as a potential future USD player.
Added Jacob Maspat: “They help with our game a lot because they’re more experienced and they can see the things that other people normally don’t see.”
Aiden shot a 3-over-par 74 in the second round for a 150 total over the North and East nine-hole courses, 16 shots off the lead. Jacob recorded a 77 to go to 151.
“We’re the same because we have the same mindset, and we’re also different,” Aiden said, “He’s stronger hitting than me, and I have stronger putting.”
Aiden has qualified for the Junior World three times, and Jacob twice. Both are on track to improve on last year’s showing.
”This is such a big event, and my parents always tell me to go here for the experience, just to learn,” Jacob Maspat said. “For the last two years, I’ve leaned a lot.”
Yoda, as the younger brother with his last name, has been occasionally been called “Baby Yoda,” and while he good-naturedly accepts that, he prefers “Master Yoda.”
After leading Monssoh by a shot for the first-round lead (66), Yoda slipped to 69 to land in a second-place tie (135) to trail India’s Danish Verma by a shot. Monssoh, a national champion at age 7, dropped to a tie for 15th place (140).
As usual, Yoda tuned up for the tourney by practicing with his brother, Kyle, 14.
“It’s pretty fun playing together,” Alan Yoda said. “We have contests, like putting, to get better.”
The Yoda brothers regularly play in San Diego. Alan opted to compete in the Junior World 11-12 bracket even though he qualified for the next level by winning he Golf Mark Championship by eight shots in early May.
In the boys 13-14 group, Chula Vista’s Connor Szczechowicz shot a 3-under 68 to move from a tie for seventh place to a deadlock for second (4-under 138), two shots back, at El Camino. Japan’s Amuro Yoshiyuki (136) took the lead with a 64 that included seven birdies.
Among the 15-18 girls experiencing a wait for the second round was San Diego’s Apple (Jingyi) Cui, who shared the first-round lead (3-under 69) with six other players at Torrey Pines North. Meg Tilma, of Wichita, Kan., held a one-shot lead among those who completed the second round (8-under 136) with a second-round 65.
San Diego’s Ethan Elleraas entered the day tied for ninth place, two shots back with a 1-under 71, but went to 1 over (145) by shooting 74 at Torrey Pines South.
