2009
THE
CAROLINAS - GEORGIA
JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
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CAROLINAS/GEORGIA JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
INAUGURAL EVENT SUMMARY
Day 1 Summary – 1/18/09
Play began on time at 10:00 a.m. under cloudy skies and cool temperatures. Shortly before 11 a.m. the first of two rain showers began to move in to make playing conditions difficult for the players. After a short break in the weather, the last band of showers moved in on the players and created very wet and cold conditions for the better part of two hours. Even though weather conditions were miserable for the players, the golf course remained playable and the rules officials and tournament committee allowed play to continue. Finally, the showers moved on and the remainder of the afternoon was played under sunny skies. Due to the difficulty of playing conditions, one group was unable to finish prior to darkness and would have to return to the course to finish their first round on Monday morning.
Despite the very wet and cold playing conditions, Augusta, Georgia’s Clark Palmer fired an incredible 3-under par 69 in the boys’ division to take a one stroke lead over Michael Marshburn of Cary, North Carolina who fired a 2-under par 70. Palmer’s round included 4 birdies and one bogey. Marshburn, the reigning Carolinas Junior Champion and East Carolina signee, and Palmer, a recent University of North Carolina signee, were the only players able to break par on day one. Raleigh’s Bo Andrews, a Georgia Tech signee, and Oliver Schniederjans of Powder Springs, Georgia, shot even-par rounds of 72. Four players completed their first round with 1-over par rounds of 73 and three golfers finished with 2-over par 74.
In the girls’ division, Allison Emrey of Charlotte, North Carolina and Kendall Wright of Suwanee, Georgia fired 4-over par 76’s to share the first round lead. One shot behind them shooting 5-over par 77, is Hoschton, Georgia’s Emilie Burger and Kayla Sciupider of Etowah, North Carolina. Only three other players were able to break 80 on the day. Hayley Hammond, the reigning NC junior champion, of Mooresville, North Carolina fired a 78, two shots back of the leaders. Collins Bradshaw of Columbia and Taylor Ramsey of Martinez, Georgia finished their day with 79’s to remain 3 back.
The first hole-in-one in the history of the tournament was made by Torey Johnson of Moore, South Carolina as she aced the par 3 second hole on the Vintage nine in route to shooting a first round 83.
Day 2 Summary – 1/19/09
Play began at 10:30 a.m. under partly cloudy skies and cool temperatures following a half hour frost delay.
The boys’ division quickly turned into a four way battle between first round leader, Clark Palmer, Michael Marshburn, Logan Harrell, and Oliver Schniederjans. As the final two groups made the turn from the Vintage nine to the Chester nine, Marshburn had forged his way to the top of the leaderboard at three under for the tournament following a front nine 35. One shot behind him was Palmer after firing a one over 37 on his outward nine, and Harrell following a sizzling three under 33 on his first nine of the final round. Schniederjans had pulled within 2 shots of the lead after firing a one under 35 on the Vintage nine. After a birdie on the par 4 tenth hole, Harrell pulled into a tie for the lead with Marshburn. Things quickly changed for Marshburn as he suffered a double bogey 6 on the 11th hole to drop 2 shots back of Harrell, who was playing in the next to last group of the day. Just as Marshburn was having his problems on the 11th, Harrell was making a bogey 4 on the 12th hole to drop back into a tie for the lead with Clark Palmer. Palmer took control of the tournament with a birdie 2 on the 12th hole and followed that birdie up with consecutive birdies on the next two holes to take a 3 shot lead to the 15th tee over Marshburn and 4 shot lead over Harrell following his bogey on the 14th hole. A birdie on the par 5, 15th hole by Marshburn cut the lead to 2 strokes heading to the difficult par 3, 16th hole. Another double bogey by Marshburn on the 16th and a par by Palmer gave Clark a 4 shot lead with two holes to play. A birdie 3 on the 17th hole by Marshburn cut the lead to 3 shots and both players made pars on the final hole as the sun was setting over Mount Vintage Plantation. Palmer’s two day total of 5 under par 139 gave him a 3 shot victory over Marshburn. Schniederjans was the only other player under par for the tournament, taking third place by one shot over Harrell, who finished the tournament at even par. The low round of the tournament was posted by Michael McGowan of Southern Pines, NC. Michael fired a 4 under par 68 in the final round which included 8 birdies. Michael and our tournament champion, Clark Palmer will be teammates next year at the University of North Carolina
In the girls division, the battle for the championship quickly focused on the final group of the day made up of first round leaders Allison Emrey and Kendall Wright, and Kendall’s future University of Georgia teammate, Emilie Burger. Following one over par 37’s by Wright and Burger, and a four over par 40 by Emrey, the threesome headed to the inward half with Wright ahead by one shot over Burger and three over Emrey. Thru 14 holes the future teammates were tied for the lead with Burger playing one under par on the back to pull even with Wright. Both players struggled thru the next two holes with Wright bogeying both and Burger making a par on the 15th and a double bogey on the 16th. The two teed off on the 17th hole tied and both players make pars to set up a pressure packed finish. On the par 5, 18th hole, Burger was able to reach the green in regulation and two putt for a routine par. Wright was not as fortunate as she missed the green with her approach shot and was unable to get up and down to force a playoff. Burger finished the day with a two over par 74, the low round of the day and tournament. Wright finished the day with a 76 to finish 2nd and Emrey ended the day with a 78 to finish alone in third place.
Flags flying signal start of tournament.
Anne Marie Covar, Emile Burger, Katherine Perry
Thomas Bradshaw, John Connor, Seth Reeves
Starter Brannon Rowland give players instructions.
Torey Johnson is all smiles after making a hole in one
Taylor Ramsey, Caitlin Watts, Kendall Wright, Emilie Burger, Allison Emery, Kayla Schupider, McKenzie Talbert
Damon Postal prepares for day 2
Boys champ Clark Palmer makes another birdie
Allison Emery, Emile Burger, and Kendall Wright
Players prepare for day 2 on the practice green
McKenzie Talbert makes her way to the green