HOUGHTON — It was a beautiful day for golf at the Portage Lake Golf Course as close to two dozen youngsters took part in the first Junior Tournament of the summer. According to Portage Lake’s assistant golf professional Paul Sintkowski, the tournament for players 17 and under is a longstanding summer tradition at the 18-hole course.

Sintkowski heads the junior league golf program. He has 35 kids in lessons and 47 in the league.

Portage offers two leagues for boys and girls. First, is the the golf club’s junior league. It meets every Thursday during the summer for golfers ages 13 to 17. They play a number of different formats each week.

Then there’s Portage Lake’s Little Chippers League. It meets on Thursday as well. Kids ages 5 to 8 play three to four holes while kids ages 9 to 12 play five to six holes.

Among those working on his putting before teeing off in the tournament was 12-year-old Connor Kamm, of South Range. According to his dad, Connor has been playing golf since he was six years old.

“He loves it,” said his dad, who noted that he himself is not a golfer. “It was something he enjoyed doing with his grandfather.”

Twelve-year-old Mika Jalkanen said that he enjoys golfing because it’s a calm sport and he likes being outside with his friends.

The tournament featured a number of competitive age brackets. Teeing off first were the 17-and-under boys who played 18 holes. Next up were the 14-and-under boys who played nine holes. Then came the 12-and-under group who played nine holes and finally were the eight-and-under chippers who played three holes.

The winner of the 17 and under bracket was Houghton’s Jiseung Choi who shot a 78. He topped Hancock’s Trevor Tchida, who carded an 82.

In the 14-and-under bracket, Houghton’s Ryan Vlahos won with a 93 on 18 holes. He finished six strokes better than Cam Markham, another Houghton player. Houghton’s Ryan Schmierer took third with a 100.

Jalkanen, who hails from Dodgeville, won the 12-and-under division with a 46 on the back nine.

“My best hole was number ten,” noted Jalkanen. “I hit par on that one.”

Jalkanen finished just one stroke better than Houghton’s Cooper Leonard. Atlantic Mine’s Bryce Hanner finished third.

Finally, in the eight-and-under bracket, Landon Stein won the three-hole battle with a score of 22. Margot Ryynanen of Chassell placed second.

The next Junior Tournament on the schedule at Portage will take place Sunday, July 8.