67th Carolinas Junior Players to Watch

Related: Tee Times & Pairings | Hole-by-hole Scoring | Championship History | Championship Website

The Windermere Club is a gorgeous Pete & P.B. Dye design golf course that has previously hosted seven Carolinas Golf Association championships dating back to 1994. This will be the second time the club has hosted a championship this summer after holding the 50^th Twin States Girls' Championship in June.

Two-time defending champion Henry Shimp of Charlotte, N.C. will not have the opportunity for the three-peat as he just turned 19-years-old, but here are a few of the notable participants who certainly have their eyes on the prize:

• Christian Park of Charlotte, N.C., enters the field as the highest rank player from North Carolina. The recent high school graduate checks in at No. 5 in the rankings. Park will tee it up in the fall for UNCW. Before heading to college Park will look to improve on his top 20 finish in last year’s championship.
• Patrick Golden of Murrells Inlet S.C., will begin play as the highest ranked player from South Carolina, registering at No. 2 in the rankings. The rising senior placed seventh at the Carolinas Junior PGA. Golden, who has committed to play at the College of Charleston, won the 2A state championship. Golden finished tied for 12th in this event last year.
• Grant Powell of Colfax, N.C., looks to add another championship to his resume after winning the North Carolina Junior Boys Match Play in June. Powell is No. 9 in the rankings and will be playing golf for Greensboro College in the fall. Powell actually tied Park for 19th at the Carolina Junior Boys’ last summer.
• Levi Moody of Greenville, S.C., has recently finished second in the Carolinas Jr. PGA Championship as well as winning the PGA Superstore – Legacy on the Lake tournament in April. Moody is currently ranked 3rd in the South Carolina Junior Boy’s Rankings. Moody earned medalist honors at the South Carolina Junior Match Play Championship last week.
• Carson Ownbey of Chandler, N.C., enters the Championship after playing in the North & South Junior and United States Junior Amateur. The rising junior finished inside the top 10 at the 3A Boys' State Championship and the Creed Boys Invitational.
• Jacob Bridgeman of Inman, S.C., is also a high school state champion. Bridgeman is a rising junior who finds himself inside the top 5 at the No. 5 spot. Bridgeman also won the Jimmy South. Bridgeman also registered a fifth place finish in the SCGA Junior Championship.
• Michael Childress of Salisbury, N.C., also played in both the North & South Junior and United States Junior Amateur. The rising junior shared medalist honors at the qualifier for the Junior Amateur then grabbed a top five finish at the North & South. Childress also made it to the Round of 16 at the North Carolina Junior Boys Championship.
• Reed Bentley of Welford, S.C., tied for third during last year's South Carolina Junior Match Play Championship. During June, he won the Spartanburg County Jr. Tournament and the Tom Fazio Junior Masters. Bentley is currently ranked 7th in the South Carolina Junior Boy’s Rankings. Bentley earned medalist honors at the South Carolina Junior Match Play Championship last week.
• Matthew Sharpstene of Asheville, N.C., turned heads around the country at the United State Junior Amateur. His second round 66 propelled the rising senior to a tied for fourth place in the stroke play portion of the event. The West Virginia commit also made it to the Round of 16 at the North Carolina Junior Boys Championship and finished sixth at the 4A Boys' State Championship.
• Nick Willis of Cowpens, S.C., is the defending South Carolina Junior Match Play Championship and recently tied for third at the Grant Bennett Florence Jr. Willis is currently ranked 10th on the South Carolina Junior Boy’s Rankings.
 

Scoring will be provided by the CGA throughout the championship, offering 9 and 18-hole updates. Live updates will also be available on the CGA’s official Twitter accounts, @CarolinasJunior and @cgagolf1909. Continue to visit the CGA website throughout the championships for complete championship coverage including scores, interviews, photos, and recaps.

Entry is open to any male amateur golfer who has not reached his 19th birthday by July 28, 2016, who has not started college, is a legal resident of North Carolina or South Carolina, is a member or their parent is a member in good standing of a club which is a member of the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA) and has a current USGA handicap index® at a CGA member club that does not exceed 18.4.

CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

Monday, July 25
All day Practice rounds

Tuesday, July 26
8:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Round 1 starting times
11:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Players’ lunch
12:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Round 1 starting times

Wednesday, July 27
8:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Round 2 starting times
11:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Players’ lunch
12:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Round 2 starting times

Thursday, July 28
8:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Final round starting times
12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Players’ lunch
2:00 p.m. Awards presentation