HADLEY SHOOTS SECOND-STRAIGHT 68 TO LEAD BY FIVE IN PINEHURST
Carr leads the girls by six strokes at her home course
PINEHURST, N.C. — Chesson Hadley shot a second-consecutive 4-under-par 68 to lead by five strokes at the Country Club of North Carolina's Dogwood Course. Corrine Carr, 16, of Pinehurst, followed a first-round 72 with a 1-over-par 73 in the second round to lead the Girls Division by six shots.
The Golf Pride Junior Classic is a 54-hole event conducted by the American Junior Golf Association at the Country Club of North Carolina and featuring 99 players from 17 states as well as Peru, and includes 39 players from North Carolina.
Hadley, who has a two-day total of 8-under-par 136, has made his birdies on unusual holes this week. Hadley has played the Dogwood Course's par-3 holes in 6-under-par while playing the par-5s in even-par this week.
“I could have been lower both days,” Hadley said.
Hadley said sticking it close for birdie on the second hole and rolling in some long putts kept his round moving in the right direction.
“I got more momentum from long putts today than anything else,” Hadley said.
Hadley said he will play the same with the final-round lead as he has the first two days.
“There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it now,” Hadley said. “Just go out and do it.”
Sean Goshert is alone in second at 3-under-par 141 for the tournament. Tied for third are Andy Choi of Orlando, Fla., and Jack Fields of Southern Pines, N.C., at 2-under-par 142. In a four-way tie for fifth place at 1-under-par 143 are Fielding Brewbaker of
Salem, Va., John Griffin of Wilson, N.C., Hunter Hamrick of Montgomery, Ala., and Andrew Hopkins V of Maumelle, Ark.
Carr, who has won the Junior Club Championship at the Country Club of North Carolina four years in-a-row, suffered her only major setback Wednesday with a triple-bogey six on the par-3 third hole. Carr came back strong, making birdies on hole Nos. 4, 5 and 7 to quickly erase her mistake on the third.
“I played really well except for that one hole,” Carr said. “And with three birdies I was almost able to get it back to even-par.”
Carr said a holed bunker shot for birdie on the seventh hole helped keep the momentum in her favor.
“It would feel really good to win on my home course,” Carr said. “I'll try not to think about it because I don't want to change my game.”
Chasing Carr when the final round begins will be Rachel Uremovich, 14, of Hilton Head, S.C., who was tied for the first-round lead but now sits tied for second with a tournament total of 151. Also tied for second, and rounding out the leader group for Thursday's final round, is Andrea Ratigan of Tucson, Ariz., whose second-round 74 also leaves her at 7-over-par 151 for the tournament.
The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. The AJGA, the largest Association of its kind, has a junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 50 states and 30 foreign countries.
Titleist, the AJGA's National Sponsor, has been the catalyst and driving force behind the Association's success since 1989. Rolex Watch USA, a supporter of the AJGA since 1983, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004.
AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. More than 200 former AJGA juniors currently play on the PGA and LPGA Tours and have compiled more than 280 wins. AJGA alumni include Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Davis Love III, Mike Weir, Charles Howell III, Jim Furyk, Dottie Pepper, Grace Park, Cristie Kerr and Beth Bauer.
The final round of the Golf Pride Junior Classic will begin Thursday off the first tee of the Country Club of North Carolina's Dogwood Course at 7 a.m. For more information on the Golf Pride Junior Classic, please call tournament headquarters at (910) 692-2176.
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