Tindal, Balbin Take Home Young Amateur Championship

 

Related: Championship Web Site | Full Field | Starting Times | Scoring | History | Photos
 

Due to heavy rain and wind, the opening round of the 13th Carolinas Young Amateur was postponed. The championship was shortened to 18 holes and was contested on January 4, 2022.

 

There’s nothing quite like an 18-hole sprint Championship to start the new year off on the right foot. 

 

After heavy storms swept through Pinehurst on Monday, the 13th playing of the Carolinas Young Amateur Championship turned into an abbreviated shootout, with a loaded field delivering at the top of the leaderboard in both the Men’s and Women’s Divisions. 

 

In the Women’s Division it was Jodee Tindal of Rock Hill, S.C. who won in an exciting two-hole playoff, as she outlasted her College of Charleston teammate Emma Schimpf of Daniel Island, S.C. 

 

“Emma is one of my best friends,” said Tindal. “I knew she was gonna birdie one of the last just because she’s so clutch. We have contests back at school all the time. I was kind of hoping to play her in a playoff. It’s the memories that matter the most.” 

 

Tindal turned in a score of 3-over-par, 75 at Pinewild’s Magnolia Course, and collected three birdies on her round. This win gives Tindal her seventh CGA victory. 

 

“This tournament is very mental,” said Tindal. “The weather is bad and I just tried to stay steady. I wasn’t amazing today, but I was able to hang in there.”

 

Tindal now begins to enter rarified air in the women’s side of amateur golf in the Carolinas as she moves into the top-10 all-time in CGA Championships. 

 

“I have a lot of gratitude towards my dad and also my boyfriend Jack for helping me get some of those wins,” said Tindal. “Those are super memorable because I get to do that with people that I love.” 

 

This is also Tindal’s second career Young Amateur victory, as she also came away with Championship honors in 2019. 

 

“I love this tournament so much,” said Tindal. “All my friends from college and I play this to stay in the game. It’s really great y’all put this on for us just so we don’t completely lose tournament feel over break.” 

 

Schimpf had an excellent day as well at Pinewild, as she fired a 3-over-par, 75. She earned her spot into the Women’s Division playoff with style, birdieing her final hole to match Tindal. 

 

In the Men’s Division it was more of the same, as regulation was not enough and more free golf commenced at Pinewild. In a playoff that lasted four holes and at the beginning included three players, Symon Balbin of Pinehurst, N.C. was able to rise above his competitors and take home his first ever CGA victory. 

 

“It feels so great because I haven’t been playing the best over the past year,” said Balbin. “To finally get it to click in with all the hard work you put in feels really good.”

 

Balbin was, to put it simply, impressive during his round on the Magnolia course. Birdies on holes two, three, eight, nine, 11 and 13 saw him record a scorching six birdies on his day and finish with a 2-under-par, 70.

 

“With it being an 18-hole tournament, it’s kind of a free for all,” said Balbin. “You just have to go as low as you can and try to get the most out of your shots. Some of the tees were moved up so it was a bit more gettable.”

 

Alex Heffner of Harrisburg, N.C. and Jack Parrott of Columbia, S.C. would join him at 2-under-par to force the playoff. 

 

“I was so nervous,” said Balbin. “I know Alex and Jack are both really good players, I’ve played with them a lot.”

 

After Parrott faltered on the first playoff hole, Balbin and Heffner went back and forth over the next three holes. Balbin outlasted Heffner with a gritty par make on the fourth playoff hole for his first CGA Championship title. 

 

“It feels good going into the college season and the rest of the tournaments for the school year with a win,” said Balbin. “It’s great to start off with a bang.”

 

The Carolinas Golf Association would like to thank the members and staff of Pinewild Country Club for their continued support of the Carolinas Young Amateur Championship. A special thank you to the Head Golf Professional Kyle Kirk and his pro shop staff, Club Manager Chris Little, and Director of Golf Course Maintenance John Robertson.

 

13th Carolinas Young Amateur

Pinewild Country Club (Magnolia), Pinehurst, N.C.

Final Results: Women’s Division

Pos.	Player	City, State	To Par	Total	Details
1	Jodee Tindal	Rock Hill, SC	+3	75	Won on 2nd Playoff Hole
2	Emma Schimpf	Daniel Island, SC	+3	75
3	Jessica Spicer	Bahama, NC	+4	76
4	Sophia Burnett	Bluffton, SC	+5	77
5	Grace Holcomb	Wilmington, NC	+6	78
T6	Mallory Fobes	East Bend, NC	+7	79
T6	Victoria Ladd	Greensboro, NC	+7	79
T6	Mara Hirtle	Pinehurst, NC	+7	79
T9	Madison Isaacson	Greensboro, NC	+8	80
T9	Mary Sears Brown	Wake Forest, NC	+8	80
T9	Michaela Cox	Greensboro, NC	+8	80
T12	Sarah Spicer	Bahama, NC	+9	81
T12	Emily Dunlap	Greenville, SC	+9	81
T12	Victoria Cook	Reidsville, NC	+9	81
15	Hannah Rose Bruxvoort	Charlotte, NC	+11	83
T16	Jaclyn Kenzel	Southern Pines, NC	+14	86
T16	Ava Romfo	Charleston, SC	+14	86
18	Gracyn Burgess	Lexington, SC	+16	88
T19	Lauren Denhard	Salisbury, NC	+17	89
T19	Braelyn Pippin	Waxhaw, NC	+17	89

 

13th Carolinas Young Amateur

Pinewild Country Club (Magnolia), Pinehurst, N.C.

Final Results: Men’s Division

Pos.	Player	City, State	To Par	Total	Details
1	Symon Balbin	Pinehurst, NC	-2	70	Won on 4th Playoff Hole
2	Alex Heffner	Harrisburg, NC	-2	70
3	Jack Parrott	Columbia, SC	-2	70
T4	Austin Wood	Greenville, NC	-1	71
T4	Xavier Williams	Winnabow, NC	-1	71
T4	Connor Brown	Cherryville, NC	-1	71
T4	Colin Dutton	Foxfire, NC	-1	71
T8	Addison Beam	Cherryville, NC	E	72
T8	Brady Hinkle	Lancaster, SC	E	72
T8	Michael Childress	Salisbury, NC	E	72
T11	Josh Buxbaum	Wake Forest, NC	+2	74
T11	Henry Angier	Fayetteville, NC	+2	74
T11	Cody Transou	Gaffney, SC	+2	74
T11	Kyle Kushnir	Raleigh, NC	+2	74
T15	Carter Rains	Greenville, NC	+3	75
T15	Nathan Franks	Roebuck, SC	+3	75
T15	August Lascola	Durham, NC	+3	75
T15	Zack Byers	Shelby, NC	+3	75
T19	Kenny Walter	Concord, NC	+4	76
T19	Austin Alexander	Rutherfordton, NC	+4	76
T19	Sam Davidson	Asheboro, NC	+4	76
T19	Connor Thomas	Conway, SC	+4	76
T19	Alex Martin	Thomasville, NC	+4	76
T19	Eli Kinlaw	Mount Holly, NC	+4	76
T19	Carson Castelli	Greensboro, NC	+4	76
T19	Lansdon Robbins	Davidson, NC	+4	76
T27	Evan Mendyk	Summerfield, NC	+5	77
T27	Benny Hagerty	Aiken, SC	+5	77
T27	Cameron Cappuzzo	Fort Mill, SC	+5	77
T27	Trey Schneider	Mooresville, NC	+5	77
T31	Graham Chase	Charlotte, NC	+6	78
T31	William Knauth	Charlotte, NC	+6	78
T31	Grady Newton	Wallburg, NC	+6	78
T31	Harrison Wierse	Wilmington, NC	+6	78
T31	Carson Witherspoon	Morganton, NC	+6	78
T31	Elliott Pope	Lugoff, SC	+6	78
T31	Patten Williams	Davidson, NC	+6	78
T38	Carlos Garre	Myrtle Beach, SC	+7	79
T38	Mason Tucker	Lancaster, SC	+7	79
T38	Brendan Kelly	Raleigh, NC	+7	79
T41	Jake Clodfelter	Trinity, NC	+8	80
T41	William Phipps	Florence, SC	+8	80
T43	Cullen Cox	Chapel Hill, NC	+9	81
T43	Solomon Park	Greensboro, NC	+9	81
T43	Brandon Jones	Sanford, NC	+9	81
T43	Daniel Planchock	Maggie Valley, NC	+9	81
T43	David Hrubala	Spartanburg, SC	+9	81
T43	Lexton Ford	Lenoir, NC	+9	81
T49	Phil Hough	Pinehurst, NC	+10	82
T49	Matthew Coltren	Mt. Olive, NC	+10	82
T51	Dawson Thornton	Mooresville, NC	+11	83
T51	Hank Robins	Salisbury, NC	+11	83
T51	Noah Maness	Troy, NC	+11	83
T51	Will Conway	Weddington, NC	+11	83
55	Alec Vardas	Lexington, SC	+12	84
T56	Parker Truesdale	Canton, NC	+15	87
T56	Sam McNulty	Charlotte, NC	+15	87
T56	Justin Nagy	Holly Springs, NC	+15	87
59	Keegan Vaugh	Myrtle Beach, SC	+20	92
60	Palmer Mason	Irmo, SC	+27	99
61	Alexander Cognac	Marvin, NC	+28	100
62	Alex McCreary	Lincolnton, NC	+31	103
WD	Mitchell Tanis	Pineville, NC	-	WD

 

About the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA)

The CGA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization that was founded in 1909 to promote and to protect the game of golf in the Carolinas by providing competitions, education, support and benefits to golf clubs and golfers. The CGA is the second largest golf association in the country with over 700 member clubs represented by nearly 150,000 individuals.

The CGA annually conducts 48 championships and five team match competitions for men, women, juniors, and seniors. It also runs over 150 One-Day (net and gross) events as well as qualifying for USGA national championships. The CGA serves golf in the Carolinas with numerous programs such as: the USGA Handicap System; tournament management software and support; course measuring and course/slope ratings; agronomy consultation; answers about the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, and Handicapping; Carolinas Golf Magazine; Interclub series; Tarheel Youth Golf Association; Carolinas Golf Hall of Fame; expense assistance for USGA Junior and Girls' Junior qualifiers from the Carolinas; and the Carolinas Golf Foundation (CGF). The CGF has distributed nearly $2,000,000 since 1977 to benefit Carolinas' golf initiatives including junior and women's programs.     

For more information about the CGA, visit our website.

 

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