Bridgeman Runs Away With Carolinas Boys'

 

Jacob Bridgeman of Inman, S.C. used four straight birdies to give himself a five shot lead entering Thursday’s final round at the Carolinas Junior Boys’ Championship. He had the best seat in the house to watch fellow competitor pull of a similar feat. Zack Gordon of Gaffney, S.C. birdied four of his first six holes to get within one shot of Bridgeman. A birdie on No. 8 allowed Gordon to pull even with Bridgeman. “I was playing decent, just wasn’t making any putts. I was even through eight and Zack was five under. He came out hot and I knew I was going to have to play solid on the back.”

 

 Bridgeman, who has had a fantastic summer since claiming the 3A high school state champion, used that experience to add another trophy to the collection. Bridgeman began to regain his lead with a birdie on No. 10. Gordon’s efforts to keep pace turned into a bit of a roller coaster. The rising junior made double bogeys on Nos 10 and 12 but sandwiched those with birdies on Nos. 11 and 13. The birdie on No. 13 got Gordon back within three. Any hopes Gordon had of another comeback were dashed when Bridgeman hit the shot of the Championship. The Clemson commit hit his tee shot on No. 14 to one foot. The 14^th hole is a par-4. This spectacular shot surprised everyone, especially the group putting on the green. “I did not think I could get there, I was way short yesterday and today it was into the wind and I was hitting a cut. It hit on the fringe and rolled to a foot. I’ve had a hole-in-one before but I have never been that close on a par-4” Bridgeman said. The rising junior tapped in for eagle which gave him a comfortable lead but that did not stop him from further separating himself from the pack. The Jimmy South champion birdied No. 16 to get to 10-under-par. Bridgeman knocked in a four footer on No. 18 to shot a second consecutive four-under-par 68, 11-under-par 205 for the tournament which was more than enough to make him the 67^th Carolinas Junior Boys’ Champion. “It feels good to win such a big event coming off of a couple of other big wins. This keeps me going and keeps my confidence high,” Bridgeman said after receiving his trophy. Gordon’s eventful round ended at even-par which was enough to claim second place at two-under-par 214. The second round of the Carolinas Junior Boys’ Championship shared the same headlines as the first day, triple digit heat and Jacob Bridgeman leading the way. The Inman, S.C. native came into the day with a two stroke lead and quickly found his grove with a birdie on No. 2. Another birdie on the par-5 sixth pushed the Clemson commit to two-under-par on the front. “I played solid on the front, nothing special but I knew I had some opportunities waiting on the back.” Bridgeman said. Having already created some separation, Bridgeman started to look like a runaway train when he made four straight birdies starting on No. 12. “I hit my first two approaches to five feet and made those, the third one was about ten feet, and the fourth was a tap-in. I left one about an inch short for five in-a-row,” Bridgeman said.  The rising junior fell back to earth and finished with a bogey on No. 18 but still carries a five-shot lead into the final round after shooting a four-under-par 68. After two sub-70 rounds, Bridgeman does not plan on changing much, “I’m going to go out with the same mindset tomorrow and try to make a bunch of birdies.” 

 

Bridgeman was not the only South Carolinian to break 70. Zack Gordon of Gaffney, S.C. Gordon was one-over-par after the first round but immediately got back to even with a birdie on his first hole, No. 10. Gordon kept his steady play going a turned in a three-under-par 69 to vault into second place. Joining him in second place is Tim Bunten of Concord, N.C. Like Gordon, Bunten was one-over-par after his first round. The similarities continued as Bunten birdied his first hole, No. 10. A three-under-par first nine followed by an even par second nine leaves Bunten tied for second after a three-under-par 69. Matthew Sharpstene of Ashville, N.C. tied Bridgeman for the round of the day with a four-under-par 68. The West Virginia commit now finds himself in a tie for sixth. Levi Moody of Greenville, S.C. also had an even-par round to finish the championship third at even-par at 216.