The girl’s division includes two of the three players of the year in the states represented.  The division is headlined by our defending Champion, 3-time South Carolina Player of the Year and 2011 Junior Solheim Cup Member, McKenzie Talbert of North Augusta and 2-time North Carolina Player of the Year, Sara Bae.  Bae boasts an impressive 10 victories in 2011 and highlighted her year by participating in the U.S. Women’s Amateur in Rhode Island.  Georgia will be led by Clemson signee, Sloan Shanahan, and 15 year old Michaela Owen, both of Suwanee. The field includes all 10 of the top 10 ranked players in South Carolina, 10 of the top 16 ranked players in Georgia, and 10 of the top 13 ranked North Carolina players based on respective state rankings and the National Junior Golf Scoreboard.

Players will be welcomed to Mount Vintage by the staff and volunteer members over the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday weekend.  Play will be conducted over the Chester and Vintage nines with

TALBERT SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDS HER TITLE

NESMITH MAKES IT THREE IN A ROW

McKenzie Talbert captured the girl’s title by a single stroke and Matt NeSmith held on to win the boy’s title by two strokes Monday afternoon at Mt. Vintage Plantation. 

Talbert began her day trailing overnight leaders, Janet Mao and Lauren Stephenson by two shots.  With a tightly bunched leaderboard, five different girls held or shared the lead in the final 18 holes.  The biggest move came from sixteen year old Isabella Skinner of Cumming, Georgia.  Skinner aced her second hole of the day, the third on the Chester nine, and immediately threw herself in the title chase. As she approached the second hole on the Vintage nine, Skinner knew she was close to the lead.  With one swing, she not only took the lead in the tournament, she recorded her second hole-in-one for the day.  Word quickly spread around the course that she had achieved one of the rarest feats in golf.  Her excellent play led her to a runner-up finish.  First round co-leaders, Mao and Stephenson matched scores again by shooting 78 to tie for third.  Sarah Bae followed up her first round 75 with a 77 on day two to take 5^th place.  Low round of the day went to Michaela Owen as she fired an even par 72 to finish in a tie for 6^th place.

In the boy’s division, first round leader, Matt NeSmith, opened his final round with bogeys on the first two holes.  He sandwiched two birdies around seven bogeys over the afternoon to finish with a 77.  With everyone feeling the difficulty of the Mt. Vintage course, Matt was able to hang on a capture his third consecutive tournament.  The biggest move of the day came from Davis Bateman of Charlotte.  His 2-under par 70 was one of two rounds under par on day two.  His fine play gave him a share of runner-up with Davis Womble of High Point.  Tying for fourth place were David Mackey and Zach Seabolt after rounds of 75 and 76, respectively.

In the team competition, South Carolina took bragging rights with a six shot victory over North Carolina and ten shot victory over Georgia.

The tournament committee would like to thank all of the volunteers, sponsors, and Mt. Vintage staff for making the event a wonderful success.  We would also like to thank the numerous college coaches for attending our event.