THE
CAROLINAS - GEORGIA
JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
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CROWE RETURNS TO DEFEND HIS TITLE
NEW CHAMPION TO BE CROWNED IN GIRL'S DIVISION
SOUTH CAROLINA BOYS...
Trace Crowe has been busy since capturing the 2013 Carolinas Georgia Junior Championship. Since last January, he has captured three more junior titles and numerous top ten finishes in his busy golf schedule. Most recently, he was named the Jay Haas, South Carolina Junior Player of The Year for 2013. The 17 year old junior has also been making plans to continue his golf career at Auburn University, having made a verbal commitment to the Tigers. The defending champion will have his hands full trying to repeat with 17 of the top 20 South Carolina juniors entered, along with 16 of the top 20 North Carolina juniors entered, and 11 of the top 20 Georgia juniors teeing it up for a two day battle royal.
In addition to Crowe, South Carolina will be led by junior Bryson Nimmer, of Bluffton, senior Keenan Huskey, of Greenville, and Josh Fickes, a senior from Ladys Island. Nimmer finished as runner-up for player of the year honors to Crowe, while Huskey has numerous victories over the past year on the junior circuit and Fickes is the current South Carolina Junior Champion. Nimmer and Fickes are Clemson bound when they finish their high school careers while Huskey has signed to play for South Carolina this fall.
Trace Crowe
Bryson Nimmer
Photo by BlufftonToday.com
Keenan Huskey
Photo by USGA.org
Josh Fickes
Photo by IslandPacket.com
Ryan Stachler
Photo by Morganton.com
Kyle Mueller
Photo by Mgoblue.com
John Yi
Photo by Walton Men's Golf Team
David Kocher
Will Blalock
Photo by gastongazette.com
Ben Schlottman
Photo by greensborosports.com
Kelli Murphy and Reona Hirai
Isabella Skinner
Photo by ajga.org
Diane Kim and Janet Mao
Madison Moosa
Gina Kim
GEORGIA BOYS...
Leading the Georgia contingent will be Kyle Mueller from Watkinsville, a University of Michigan commit. Mueller finished runner-up in the 2013 Future Masters Tournament in Dothan, Alabama and boasts a career best tournament round of 65. Joining Kyle will be the 2013 Joe Cheves Junior Champion, Ryan Stachler, from Alpharetta. Ryan will play his college golf at the University of South Carolina. John Yi, a Georgia Regents University signee from Marietta will return this year, hoping to improve on his finish last year. Spencer Ralston, a sophomore from Gainesville is coming off of a top-ten finish in the Bobby Chapman and a medalist performance in the USGA Junior qualifier in Athens last summer. Ralston is verbally committed to the University of Georgia.
Leading the Georgia contingent will be Kyle Mueller from Watkinsville, a University of Michigan commit. Mueller finished runner-up in the 2013 Future Masters Tournament in Dothan, Alabama and boasts a career best tournament round of 65. Joining Kyle will be the 2013 Joe Cheves Junior Champion, Ryan Stachler, from Alpharetta. Ryan will play his college golf at the University of South Carolina. John Yi, a Georgia Regents University signee from Marietta will return this year, hoping to improve on his finish last year. Spencer Ralston, a sophomore from Gainesville is coming off of a top-ten finish in the Bobby Chapman and a medalist performance in the USGA Junior qualifier in Athens last summer. Ralston is verbally committed to the University of Georgia.
NORTH CAROLINA BOYS...
North Carolina is most certainly the most experienced boys group boasting 12 seniors out of the 21 players scheduled to participate. That group will be led by seniors Will Blalock, Ben Schlottman, and David Kocher. Blalock captured the prestigious Bobby Chapman Junior and the North-South Junior in recent months and is headed to North Carolina State University in the fall to play for the Wolfpack. Schlottman is headed to Auburn University and is ranked the number two player in the state of North Carolina. Kochler will play for the University of Maryland this fall and carries a number four state ranking into the event. Schlottman returns to the CGJC after a 5th place finish in 2013.
The boys division is filled with youth this year as 42 of the 63 entrants are currently in their junior class or younger.
North Carolina is most certainly the most experienced boys group boasting 12 seniors out of the 21 players scheduled to participate. That group will be led by seniors Will Blalock, Ben Schlottman, and David Kocher. Blalock captured the prestigious Bobby Chapman Junior and the North-South Junior in recent months and is headed to North Carolina State University in the fall to play for the Wolfpack. Schlottman is headed to Auburn University and is ranked the number two player in the state of North Carolina. Kochler will play for the University of Maryland this fall and carries a number four state ranking into the event. Schlottman returns to the CGJC after a 5th place finish in 2013.
The boys division is filled with youth this year as 42 of the 63 entrants are currently in their junior class or younger.
SOUTH CAROLINA GIRLS...
After three years of domination over the girls division, hometown favorite McKenzie Talbert has moved on to the college ranks. There will be no shortage of talent as two-time Beth Daniel Player of The Year, Reona Hirai, will return to try and win the title that slipped thru her hands last year. The Furman signee has a long list of wins over the past two years, including the Joe Cheves Junior in which she fired a final round 64 to take the title. She will be joined on the South Carolina team by Kelli Murphy, the number two ranked girl in the state and future Auburn University player. Murphy is an experienced player and holds numerous junior titles.
After three years of domination over the girls division, hometown favorite McKenzie Talbert has moved on to the college ranks. There will be no shortage of talent as two-time Beth Daniel Player of The Year, Reona Hirai, will return to try and win the title that slipped thru her hands last year. The Furman signee has a long list of wins over the past two years, including the Joe Cheves Junior in which she fired a final round 64 to take the title. She will be joined on the South Carolina team by Kelli Murphy, the number two ranked girl in the state and future Auburn University player. Murphy is an experienced player and holds numerous junior titles.
GEORGIA GIRLS...
Georgia girls will be led by returning players Diane Kim and Janet Mao. Mao challenged for the championship last year, finishing in a 4th place tie. The CGJC welcomes back this year, Isabella Skinner from Cumming. She may well be the most famous player in the history of our event because of her improbable accomplishment in 2012, when she made two hole-in-ones in the final round and nearly captured the tournament. Skinner has committed to play golf at the University of Georgia after her junior career is over.
Georgia girls will be led by returning players Diane Kim and Janet Mao. Mao challenged for the championship last year, finishing in a 4th place tie. The CGJC welcomes back this year, Isabella Skinner from Cumming. She may well be the most famous player in the history of our event because of her improbable accomplishment in 2012, when she made two hole-in-ones in the final round and nearly captured the tournament. Skinner has committed to play golf at the University of Georgia after her junior career is over.
NORTH CAROLINA GIRLS...
The North Carolina girls will be led by the top finisher from last year’s event. Madison Moosa will return after a 3rd place finish last year. The high school freshman added the prestigious Vicki DiSantis Championship and the TYGA State Championship to her growing list of golfing accomplishments since last year’s event. She will be joined by 13 year old sensation, Gina Kim, of Chapel Hill. Kim captured the prestigious Twin States Junior last summer and added numerous other top-five finishes over the past summer.
Twenty of the 33 girls playing this year are members of the junior class or younger. Youth is showing its talent level this year and college coaches will be excited to get a look at the players.
The North Carolina girls will be led by the top finisher from last year’s event. Madison Moosa will return after a 3rd place finish last year. The high school freshman added the prestigious Vicki DiSantis Championship and the TYGA State Championship to her growing list of golfing accomplishments since last year’s event. She will be joined by 13 year old sensation, Gina Kim, of Chapel Hill. Kim captured the prestigious Twin States Junior last summer and added numerous other top-five finishes over the past summer.
Twenty of the 33 girls playing this year are members of the junior class or younger. Youth is showing its talent level this year and college coaches will be excited to get a look at the players.
Spencer Ralston
Three Tied At the Top After Day 1
Three members of the class of 2014 grabbed a share of the lead after round one firing 1-under par 71 totals during a sunny, but brisk afternoon at Mt. Vintage Plantation. Fellow North Carolinians, Ben Schlottman and Timothy Conover, joined North Charleston resident RJ Keur atop the leaderboard heading into the final round. They have a one shot lead over Jack Fendt, of Suwanne, Georgia and a two shot lead over three other boys. The group at one over 73 includes Nickolaus Budd, Eric Bae, and David Kocher.
Both Keur and Schlottman’s rounds included five birdies and four bogies, while Conover balanced four birdies around four bogies. Josh Fickes scored one of the rarest feats in golf by holing out from the fairway for a two on the 512-yard par 5 ninth hole to finish with a three over 75.
The tournament is still up for grabs as the boys enter the final round with 20 golfers within 5 shots of the lead.
In the girl’s division, Reona Hirai and Jessica Spicer share the first round lead after firing 2-over par rounds of 74. Hirai, the reigning SCJGA Player of the Year, is back to try and capture the title that slipped through her hands last year. Both players made three birdies during their round. Like the boy’s division, the tournament is still wide open as the girls head into the final round with 12 players within 5 shots of the lead.
Beautiful skies and warmer temperatures are forecast for round 2, which will begin at 10:30 a.m. Monday morning.
Both Keur and Schlottman’s rounds included five birdies and four bogies, while Conover balanced four birdies around four bogies. Josh Fickes scored one of the rarest feats in golf by holing out from the fairway for a two on the 512-yard par 5 ninth hole to finish with a three over 75.
The tournament is still up for grabs as the boys enter the final round with 20 golfers within 5 shots of the lead.
In the girl’s division, Reona Hirai and Jessica Spicer share the first round lead after firing 2-over par rounds of 74. Hirai, the reigning SCJGA Player of the Year, is back to try and capture the title that slipped through her hands last year. Both players made three birdies during their round. Like the boy’s division, the tournament is still wide open as the girls head into the final round with 12 players within 5 shots of the lead.
Beautiful skies and warmer temperatures are forecast for round 2, which will begin at 10:30 a.m. Monday morning.
2014 Tournament Photos