EDMONDSON EDGES OUT TOUGH COMPETITION TO WIN GOLF PRIDE JUNIOR CLASSIC
Park prevails in the end to win at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club
SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. — Battling against rain the entire morning, Zach Edmondson of Morrisville, N.C., fell in and out of the lead but birdied the first playoff hole to win at 10-under-par 203. Ri Hyang Park of Bluffton, S.C., handled the weather with ease and won the Girls Division by two strokes at 3-over-par 216.
Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Golf Pride Junior Classic was a 54-hole stroke play event held at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in Southern Pines, North Carolina. The field featured 75 boys and 23 girls, ages 12-18, from 19 states and China. The par-71 course was played at 6,918 yards in the Boys Division and 6,090 yards in the Girls Division.
The final boys pairing included Edmonson, Grayson Murray of Raleigh, N.C., and Michael McGowan of Southern Pines, N.C. Heading into their final hole, Murray held the lead by one over McGowan and two over Edmondson. A bogey by Murray, a par by McGowan and a birdie by Edmondson forced the three into a playoff. Edmondson hit his approach shot to within 15 feet and then converted his putt for a birdie and a win.
“On the playoff hole I had the same exact yardage as I did earlier today and knew the right club,” Edmondson said. “I didn't make too many birdies but made them when I needed to. The playoff was nerve-wracking but I enjoyed playing with those guys.”
McGowan and Murray finished tied for second in the Boys Division at 10-under-par 203. One stroke behind at 9-under-par 209 was Joey Garber of Petoskey, Mich., and Larry Han of Raleigh, N.C., who finished in a tie for fourth.
Park started her day tied for first and showed great short game skills to come out on top with a final-round 2-over-par 73.
“I didn't hit great approach shots but my putting was good and I made a lot of up and downs,” Park said. ‘It was hard to keep my grips and myself dry but it felt good making all of those birdies this week.”
Closing out the Girls Division in a tie for second was first-round leader Allison Emrey of Charlotte, N.C., and Elizabeth Breed of Waynesboro, Pa., at 5-over-par 218.
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 an annual junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 50 states and 25 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, which is in its third decade of AJGA support, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004. In 2007, after 12 years of support, Polo Ralph Lauren became the AJGA's second Premier Partner.
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 350 wins. AJGA alumni include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Stewart Cink, Davis Love III, Cristie Kerr, Pat Hurst, Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome, Morgan Pressel and Julieta Granada.
For more information on the Golf Pride Junior Classic please contact National Headquarters at 770-868-4200.
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