Locals finish up at Georgia Jr. Championship

Published 11:44 pm Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Two locals finished among the top 40 as the 43rd edition of the Georgia Junior Championship came to a close on Wednesday at Augusta Country Club, where the victory went to Augusta native Chase Parker after he rallied in the third round for a two-shot final margin.

Will Snipes of Rocky Face, who attends Chattanooga’s McCallie School, finished tied with seven others for 28th place among 72 players still alive for the final round — the tourney’s field of 144 was cut to the low 70 and ties after Tuesday’s second round — with a three-day total of 8-over par 224. Snipes shot a 74 for the second straight round after turning in an opening 78 on the par-72, 7,053-yard layout.

Unfortunately for Snipes, his final round also mirrored the back nine struggles he faced in previous rounds. Although 3 under at the turn on Wednesday, he bogeyed three of the last six holes and took a double bogey on another.

“When I have an opportunity to go low, I have to take advantage of it,” Snipes said. “My (place) finish was not that bad, but if I want to become a successful collegiate player, I’m going to have to learn to finish all 18 holes. You can’t stop after 12.

“But it was fun and it was it was run really well. It was a great golf course — all of the guys said the greens were about as good if not the best of any greens they’d played on this summer.”

Jordan Black of Dalton, who plays for Northwest Whitfield, tied for 39th with five others at 226. Black scored better each round, turning in a 73 on the final 18 — the best tourney round among six locals who qualified for the Georgia State Golf Association event — after carding a 78 on Monday and a 75 on Tuesday.

“It was a good experience, because three days is a lot of golf to play in a tournament,” said Black, who will hit the course again next Monday in Athens for a U.S. Junior Amateur qualifying event, along with Snipes. “And I’m glad I improved every day.”

Tourney winner Parker started the day tied for second with Albany’s Collin Ho and two shots behind second-round leader Lee Knox, also of Augusta.

But Knox bogeyed Nos. 11, 13 and 18 and failed to make a birdie over his final nine holes, turning in a 74 as Parker clamped down with a 70 that led to his winning 209, two shots ahead of Knox.

Blake Soni of Bogart and Trey McQuaig of Valdosta tied for third at 215.



Atlanta JGA

In other junior golf action, Lauren Giambastiani claimed her second top two finish this week in Atlanta Junior Golf Association competition.

The Cohutta resident and Northwest Whitfield student shot an 82 to place second in the 18-hole Club Girls 7-18 division at Creekside Country Club in Athens, a shot behind winner Kelly Willis of Hiram and four shots ahead of third-place finisher Kaylee Random of Alpharetta. Giambastiani followed up a first-place finish on Monday at West Pines Golf Club in Douglasville.

Also competing at Wednesday’s AJGA event was Chatsworth’s Tate Hughes, who claimed second place in the 18-hole Club Boys 13-14 division with a 91, four shots off winner Jim Beatty of Stephens. Brandon Hodges of Atlanta and Cole Hunsucker of Kennesaw tied for third with a 94.