Junior golfers post strong finishes in international, state competitions

By STEVE WILLIAMS

In her last event as a 10-year old, Eden’s Molly Plomaritis finished third in the Callaway Junior World Championships at Singing Hills Golf Club in San Diego.

Arguably the most prestigious of all the junior events for the younger age groups, Plomaritis finished five shots off the pace in the event played July 15-17.

Playing the par-59, 2,259-yard Pine Glen Course, Plomaritis, now 11, shot 58-56-56 – 170 to finish behind Danielle Frasier of Encinitas, Calif. (55-58-52 – 165) and Tonya Wadhwa of New Delhi, India (54-54-59).

Seven different countries were represented in the top-10 of the event that had a 36-player field.

A couple of weeks earlier, Plomaritis won the 47th International Texas/Oklahoma Junior Golf Tournament, shooting 37-37-40-40 and winning by 18 shots. Earlier this summer, she captured the Pepsi Little People’s Championship in Quincey, Ill.

Plomaritis was one of two N.C. players to post top-10 finishes in the Junior World. In boys 8-under play, Zachary Martin of Wilson finished seventh at 167 (54-55-58). He was seven shots off the pace of Ben Doyle of San Diego.

Also in boys 8-under-play, Drew Johnson of Oak Ridge shot 62-59 and missed the cut by four shots.

Drew Younts of Summerfield was medalist in U.S. Junior Boys sectional qualifying in Charlotte June 23-24. Younts shot a three-under-par 69 in the opening round at Providence Country Club and came back with an even-par 70 in the second round at Carolinas Golf & Country Club.

In the first two rounds of the U.S. Junior championship July 21-22 at Columbia Country Club in Chevy Chase, Md., Younts shot 83-81 and failed to make match play.

Amber Littman of Stoney Creek and Kristin Vincent of Burlington were among the qualifiers for the U.S. Junior Girls Championship at Brooklawn Country Club in Fairfield, Conn.

Littman shot 76 in the qualifying round at The Country Club North Carolina in Pinehurst June 23, to finish fifth, four shots off the pace of Mallory Hetzel of Summerville, S.C. Vincent tied for eighth with a 78.

At Brooklawn, both Littman and Vincent failed to qualify for match play. Vincent shot 87-82 and Littman 89-86.

Littman notched a dominating victory in the Bayonet Junior at Bayonet at Puppy Creek Golf Club in Raeford, shooting 72-73 and winning by 10 shots.

Jessica Vincent of Burlington posted a second-place finish in the Independent Insurance Agents Junior State Championship at Pine Needles July 19-20, shooting 74-69. Ann Laney of Charlotte took the top prize and the invitation to the national IIAJC tournament with a pair of 70s.

In the boys state IIAJC at Mid Pines Nathan Stamey of Canton (68-70) and Andrew Byrd of Oxford (69-69) took the two berths to the nationals. The top Triad finisher was Matthew Dowdy of Jamestown, who finished a shot off the pace with 69-70.

Dustin Barr of Mooresville won the Mid Pines Junior Invitational (age 15-18 division) at Southern Pines June 28-29 with rounds of 67-66.

Barr finished a shot better than Will Strickler of Charlotte (65-69). Top finishers from the Triad were Justin Newton of Elon (fourth, 68-73) and Cameron Cheek of Siler City (tied for 11th, 73-73).

Henry Zaytoun III of Raleigh (71-68) and Kevin O’Connell, also of Raleigh, (68-71) were best in the 13-14 age group with 139.

Bruce Woodall was the top Triad finisher at 146 (70-76).

In boys 11-12 play, David Sessions of Winston-Salem was fourth at 152 (72-80).

Patrick Barrett of Pinehurst won the Tarheel Youth Golf Association Par-3 Shootout July 9, outlasting Kevin Werner of Raeford.

Sydney Crane of Jamestown claimed second place in the TYGA’s Tour Championship July 21-22 at Midland Country Club in Pinehurst.

She won her first two matches in shootouts, but lost 3 and 2 to Corrine Carr of Pinehurst in the finals.

In TYGA action at Coharie Country Club in Clinton June 30, Kernersville’s Christian Hawley took the boys and 11 title with a 35, Greensboro’s Jonathan Williford placed fourth in boys 12-13 with 74, and Winston-Salem’s David Fowler tied for sixth in boys 14-17 with 76.

Lauren Smith of Salisbury took the girls medal with an 80.

Hawley was also best in his age group June 26 at Oakwoods in Wilkesboro with a 39 with Patrick Williford of Greensboro checking in with 42.

In boys 12-13, Taylor Zimmerman shot 76 and Matthew Younts shot 77 to finish 1-2.

Drew Younts fired a 67 to win boys 14-17 by six over Daniel Hensley of State Road and Crane won the girls event with 81.

David Franck of Martinsville fired an even-par 72 June 30 to take medalist honors in Virginia State Golf Association Junior Amateur Championship Zone Qualifying at Forest Park Country Club in Martinsville. Steven Spivey tied for second with 77 and Andrew Tilley of Ringgold, Va., tied for fourth with 78.

All will advance to the state junior am Aug. 5-7 at Blacksburg Country Club.

Spivey also posted a seventh-place finish in the Florida Junior Invitational July 4-6 at Howey-in-the-Hills. Spivey had scores of 77, 70 and 80.