910-673-1000
Mia Gray Comes Back To Win Twin States
CONWAY, S.C. (June 23, 2022) -- Final round results from the 56th Twin States Junior Girls’ Championship at The Hackler Golf Course at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, South Carolina on June 23, 2022. The field competed at 5,955 yards (par 36-36--72).
Related: Championship Web Site | Full Field of Players | Results | History | Photos
Following two rounds of stroke play at the Hackler Course at Coastal Carolina University, Mia Gray of Conway, S.C. has won the 56th Twin States Junior Girls’ Championship. She made a comeback from sixth position to earn first after a 2-over-par, 74 the first round.
At the start of the final round, the field was fairly even and spread out. Katherine Mann of Fort Mill, S.C. held the lead after an even-par opening round, and the spots following were held by a multitude of golfers all shooting either 1 or 2-over-par. The first place title was up for grabs and it was anyone’s game.
“I just kind of wanted to come out here and do my best and whatever happened, happened,” Gray said.
Coming into the final round, Gray had a bit of a rocky start. She had three bogeys on the front nine, making her hopes of becoming champion further out of reach. However, Gray bounced back, striking a fierce response and sinking four birdies on Nos. 8, 9, 10 and 16 to catapult herself to the top of the leaderboard.
“The first birdie kind of built everything up and once I started making them I realized there was a little bit of potential and just to keep fighting for it,” said Gray.
Throughout the day, she was constantly battling Eleanor Burnette of Wrightsville Beach, N.C. and Annalee Caveney of Raleigh, N.C., who were both in the group behind her. They both had an impressive day, notably with Burnette carding an eagle on hole No. 3. Gray knew from the live scoring that the two were hot on her trail, forcing herself to keep pushing until the very last hole and giving her the needed adrenaline to finish strong.
Near the end of the round, Gray and Burnette were neck-and-neck, each within one stroke of each other. After a challenging No. 18, Gray ended up bogeying, leaving herself unsure of what the future would hold. She ended up shooting even on the day and 2-over-par, 146 overall, right as Burnette was heading into No. 18 with a one stroke overall lead.
“I was a little bit nervous,” Gray said. “Just kind of waiting it out and not getting too excited or sad until everybody was in, seeing the final result.”
However, Gray’s even-par round was just enough for her to secure her seat at the top with Burnett tying for runner-up at 3-over-par, 147 after a tough break on No. 18.
Gray credits her win and performance in the final round to her experience at the course and growing up just 10 minutes away. She has had the opportunity to play this course a multitude of times since the start of her golf career.
Gray is proud of what she has accomplished and believes her performance is a testament to how much her game has improved over the past couple years.
“It’s awesome, I’ve gone through a lot of obstacles the last couple years so it’s great to be back in form to be able to win,” Gray said.
Caveney and Burnette both tied for runner up at 3-over-par, 147 and Mann took fourth with a score of 6-over-par, 160.
The CGA would like to thank the members and staff of the Hackler Course at Coastal Carolina University, specifically first assistant golf professional Joe Marosz, interim head superintendent Robert Bell, assistant super Tom Wilson, general manager Chuck Jones, assistant golf pros Alex Bowers and Don Hepp and the Hackler course staff.
56th Twin States Junior Girls’ Championship
The Hackler Golf Course at Coastal Carolina
University, Conway, S.C.
Final Results
| Pos. | Player | State, Graduation Year | To Par | R1 | R2 | Total |
| 1 | Mia Gray | Conway, SC, 2023 | +2 | 74 | 72 | 146 |
| T2 | Annalee Caveney | Raleigh, NC, 2024 | +3 | 73 | 74 | 147 |
| T2 | Eleanor Burnette | Wrightsville Beach, NC, 2023 | +3 | 73 | 74 | 147 |
| 4 | Katherine Mann | Fort Mill, SC, 2023 | +6 | 72 | 78 | 150 |
| T5 | Katherine Brictson | Raleigh, NC, 2024 | +7 | 77 | 74 | 151 |
| T5 | Ellie Acrey | Winston-Salem, NC, 2026 | +7 | 76 | 75 | 151 |
| T5 | Hallie Wilson | Lewisville, NC, 2027 | +7 | 74 | 77 | 151 |
| T5 | Kinsley Smith | Raleigh, NC, 2024 | +7 | 74 | 77 | 151 |
| T5 | Ella Stalvey | Blythewood, SC, 2023 | +7 | 73 | 78 | 151 |
| T5 | Leah Edwards | Greensboro, NC, 2025 | +7 | 73 | 78 | 151 |
| 11 | Taylor Reaves | Conway, SC, 2022 | +8 | 74 | 78 | 152 |
| T12 | Jenna Rutledge | Beaufort, NC, 2022 | +9 | 81 | 72 | 153 |
| T12 | Jillian Fatkin | Oak Island, NC, 2024 | +9 | 77 | 76 | 153 |
| T12 | Olivia Pellerin | Greenville, SC, 2024 | +9 | 77 | 76 | 153 |
| T15 | Olivia Roberts | Chesnee, SC, 2025 | +10 | 79 | 75 | 154 |
| T15 | Caroline Hawkins | Columbia, SC, 2026 | +10 | 78 | 76 | 154 |
| T15 | Ellie Hildreth | Wrightsville Beach, NC, 2025 | +10 | 78 | 76 | 154 |
| T15 | Savannah Sansom | Myrtle Beach, SC, 2025 | +10 | 76 | 78 | 154 |
| T15 | Katherine Dann | Charlotte, NC, 2023 | +10 | 75 | 79 | 154 |
| T15 | Lily Kate Watson | Raleigh, NC, 2023 | +10 | 73 | 81 | 154 |
| T21 | Lila Smith | Raleigh, NC, 2023 | +11 | 81 | 74 | 155 |
| T21 | Cara Hilburn | Little River, SC, 2022 | +11 | 78 | 77 | 155 |
| T21 | Megan Fiorini | Pinehurst, NC, 2024 | +11 | 78 | 77 | 155 |
| T21 | Anne Fernandez | Bluffton, SC, 2024 | +11 | 77 | 78 | 155 |
| T21 | Caroline Johnson | Mooresville, NC, 2023 | +11 | 76 | 79 | 155 |
| T21 | Claire Green | Okatie, SC, 2025 | +11 | 75 | 80 | 155 |
| T27 | Ella Kate Barnett | Galivants Ferry, SC, 2026 | +12 | 79 | 77 | 156 |
| T27 | Terra Schmitt | Raleigh, NC, 2023 | +12 | 78 | 78 | 156 |
| T29 | Grace Lindsey | Mount Pleasant, SC, 2025 | +13 | 79 | 78 | 157 |
| T29 | Ansley Bryson | Seneca, SC, 2025 | +13 | 78 | 79 | 157 |
| T31 | Maddie Peake | Pauline, SC, 2023 | +16 | 81 | 79 | 160 |
| T31 | Mary-Paige King | Clemmons, NC, 2023 | +16 | 80 | 80 | 160 |
| 33 | Olivia Ireland | Inman, SC, 2023 | +17 | 82 | 79 | 161 |
| T34 | Breannon Council | Wilson, NC, 2024 | +18 | 82 | 80 | 162 |
| T34 | Emerson Devers | Murrells Inlet, SC, 2025 | +18 | 82 | 80 | 162 |
| T36 | Ava Neal | Camden, SC, 2022 | +19 | 79 | 84 | 163 |
| T36 | Eliana Kim | Apex, NC, 2026 | +19 | 84 | 79 | 163 |
| 38 | Helena Winterberg | Harrisburg, NC, 2023 | +20 | 80 | 84 | 164 |
| T39 | Lilian Alexander | Duncan, SC, 2023 | +21 | 80 | 85 | 165 |
| T39 | Payton Burch | Elgin, SC, 2023 | +21 | 83 | 82 | 165 |
| T39 | Emilyn Davis | Honea Path, SC, 2023 | +21 | 83 | 82 | 165 |
| T42 | Mackenzie Cline | Cary, NC, 2025 | +22 | 81 | 85 | 166 |
| T42 | Ellen Pritchard | Charlotte, NC, 2023 | +22 | 83 | 83 | 166 |
| T42 | Alexis Hodge | Lexington, SC, 2022 | +22 | 85 | 81 | 166 |
| 45 | Eliza Whiteside | Landrum, SC, 2022 | +23 | 83 | 84 | 167 |
| 46 | Aubrey Merryman | Summerville, SC, 2023 | +24 | 91 | 77 | 168 |
| T47 | Braelyn Oliver | Pageland, SC, 2025 | +25 | 84 | 85 | 169 |
| T47 | Sarah Durham | Hickory, NC, 2023 | +25 | 86 | 83 | 169 |
| 49 | Paige Wilkinson | Raleigh, NC, 2024 | +27 | 85 | 86 | 171 |
| T50 | Kitson O'Neal | Pinehurst, NC, 2023 | +28 | 84 | 88 | 172 |
| T50 | Bekka Mull | Alexander, NC, 2023 | +28 | 88 | 84 | 172 |
| T52 | Makenzie Norwood | Kiawah Island, SC, 2022 | +30 | 82 | 92 | 174 |
| T52 | Kate Nyers | Mount Pleasant, SC, 2022 | +30 | 83 | 91 | 174 |
| T52 | Ava Gutshall | Winston-Salem, NC, 2025 | +30 | 89 | 85 | 174 |
| T55 | Eileen Zeoli | Fort Mill, SC, 2023 | +31 | 86 | 89 | 175 |
| T55 | Lindley Cox | Taylors, SC, 2023 | +31 | 87 | 88 | 175 |
| 57 | Katelyn Cox | Taylors, SC, 2026 | +33 | 90 | 87 | 177 |
| 58 | Kellyn Arnold | Marvin, NC, 2025 | +34 | 90 | 88 | 178 |
| 59 | Bethany Welch | Matthews, NC, 2023 | +37 | 95 | 86 | 181 |
| 60 | Sarah Anne Horne | Mount Pleasant, SC, 2023 | +38 | 90 | 92 | 182 |
| WD | Mattie Padgett | Seneca, SC, 2023 | - | WD | WD | |
| WD | Vivian Shillingsburg | Wake Forest, NC, 2023 | - | WD | 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.
##30##