Southern Pines, NC -- Final results of the Carolinas Junior Girls Championship hosted by Longleaf Golf and Country Club on Thursday, June 28, 2012.  Par 36-35--71.  5970 yards.

They say three time's a charm but Lucia Polo of Greensboro, NC went on to defeat defending champion, Kelli Murphy of Elgin, SC by a 3 & 3 margin after playing in only her second match play event in her career.  Polo, 16, finished as the runner-up in the recently played North Carolina Junior Girls Championship and came into this week feeling confident.  "Although I didn't win last week I've still been feeling very confident with my putter inside of 10 feet,"  Polo smiled.  "I just picture it going into the hole and I tell myself I can make it."  Polo was able to convert a long par saving putt on the par 5 14th hole in order to keep the match 1 up in her favor.  "After I made that putt to stay 1 up it just gave me the boost I needed to stay focused and try and close out the match."  Polo would then hit her tee shot on the par 3 15th hole to within inches to go 2 up on Murphy.  "I thought maybe that was going to go into the hole.  That would have been fun.  I've never had a hole-in-one yet,"  Polo laughed.

"There is nothing I could have done about Lucia's shot except try to get my own shot close.  I just hit it a little too far," Murphy said.  Murphy would miss the green on the par 4 16th and had to get up and down to keep the match going but just missed her par putt and Polo was crowned the new champion.  "It would have been great to have won this championship back-to-back," said Kelli.  "But I'm happy.  Lucia played great and I finished 1st and 2nd in the past two years.  I guess that's not too bad,"  Kelli laughed.  "I look forward to playing with Lucia on the Carolinas Team in July." 

Polo was still in shock that she was left holding the trophy for one of the most historic junior girls events in the Carolinas but when asked what this win meant to her she smiled and said "I'm so happy!  All my hard work is paying off and what a great feeling to have.  I'm just really, really happy!"

The remaining players were placed into flights for the match play portion of the championship.  All flights and final brackets can be located at:  .  http://www.carolinasgolf.org/tourn/2012/result/juniorgirlsmatchbracket.pdf

The champion and runner-up are invited to represent the Carolinas Junior Girls Team in the Mid-Atlantic Challenge Matches on July 27-29, 2012 at Independence Golf Club in Midlothian, VA.

For more information on this championship and its history visit:  http://www.carolinasgolf.org/yearbook/11YB_CAS_JuniorGirls.pdf

This championship is conducted by the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA) which is in its 103rd year of serving amateur golf throughout North and South Carolina.

Championship Results