Atwood and Franks Named First Mimosa Hills Junior Champions

 

MORGANTON, N.C. (August 30, 2020) -- Final results of the Inaugural Mimosa Hills Junior Invitational at Mimosa Hills Country Club in Morganton, N.C. on August 30, 2020. The Boys’ division competed at approximately 6,755 yards, par 72. The Girls’ division competed at approximately 5,810 yards, par 72. 

 

The CGA will be conducting this championship under the new COVID-19 Tournament Protocols. Learn more here. 

 

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

Girls’ Division

 

Maria Atwood of Holly Springs, N.C. captured the first Mimosa Hills Junior Championship after a 1-over-par, 145 total finish. Atwood has been injured since June and this was one of her first tournaments back, which makes the win that much sweeter.

 

“I have waited all summer for this, I honestly didn’t know what to do with myself without playing summer golf,” said Atwood.

 

Atwood started the round slow and steady with eight straight pars until a bogey on No. 9, which she referred to as her “wake-up call”. That bogey led to birdies on Nos. 10, 12, 14 and 16 to finish 2-under-par, 70 on the day. 

 

“That birdie on No. 10 gave me momentum going into the back nine. I made four good birdies, hit the par-5 in two and that really helped me to get it going,” said Atwood.

 

This is Atwood’s second CGA Championship after her 2018 Carolinas Junior Girls’ win and she has proved to be a gracious champion.

 

“It is an honor to win today. I am so happy to finally be playing again and to win makes it an even better feeling. It is just really great, I am so excited,” she said.

 

Following Atwood, the top of the leaderboard was tight with four girls tying for second place. Ella Perna of Durham N.C., Sarah Boteler of Greenville, S.C., Adrian Anderson of Murrells Inlet, S.C. and Kennedy Gooding of Lexington, S.C. carded 4-over-par, 148 total to claim runner-ups. 

 

Isabella Britt of Chesnee, S.C. and Sydney Roberts of Chesnee, S.C. tied for sixth just one stroke back from second at 5-over-par, 149 total. 

 

Boys’ Division

 

After 22 holes today, including a four hole playoff, Nathan Franks of Roebuck, S.C. claimed the Mimosa Hills Junior Championship title. Franks finished 8-under-par, 136 total along with Zach Adams of Charleston, S.C. and Jake Conklin of Cary, N.C.

 

Franks got off to a strong start, but his putting slowed him down until the back nine. “I birdied the first hole, but I didn’t make another one until No. 12. I missed a five-footer for eagle there, but after that my putting really turned around and they started dropping.”

 

Conklin also got off to a strong start, birdieing three of the first seven holes to earn his spot in the playoff. Adams had quite the opposite experience finishing his round with an eagle on No. 14 and a birdie on No. 17 to seal his playoff fate. 

 

The playoff began on No. 1 and looped around to Nos. 5, 6 and 9. “When I found out that we were going into a playoff, I was just happy to play with Zach,” said Franks. “We have been friends since we were about four years old so that was fun.”

 

However fun turned to pressure very quickly as Adams was the first to putt out and sank a birdie on No. 1. Adams put the heat on Conklin and Franks, but only Franks was able to go birdie for birdie and Conklin finished in third place.

 

After that Franks and Adams went par for par on Nos. 5 and 6 then ended up on No. 9 green. Adams had a 30-footer for birdie that ran about 10-feet past the hole. He missed his par putt and left it up to Franks to make his 5-footer for par. Franks sank the putt and became the Inaugural Mimosa Hills Junior Invitational Champion.

 

“I am happy to have played well, but so did everybody else,” said Franks. “I am just excited to have won.”

 

Andrew Swanson of Bluffton, S.C. and Collin Adams of Charlotte, N.C. finished tied for fourth with impressive 7-under-par, 137 totals, two strokes ahead of the rest of the pack.

 

The CGA would like to extend a thank you to the members and staff of Mimosa Hills Country Club, specifically to Head Professional Jimmy Piercy, Course Superintendent Dan Winters and General Manager Roger Moon for their hospitality in hosting the Inaugural Mimosa Hills Junior Invitational. We would also like to thank the players and spectators for their understanding and adherence to the new COVID-19 tournament protocols.

 

Inaugural Mimosa Hills Junior Invitational

Mimosa Hills Country Club | Morganton, N.C.

Girls’ Division Final Results

 

Pos.	Player	City, State, Graduation	To Par	R1	R2	Total
1	Maria Atwood	Holly Springs, NC, 2022	+1	75	70	145
T2	Adrian Anderson	Murrells Inlet, SC, 2022	+4	75	73	148
T2	Ella Perna	Durham, NC, 2022	+4	76	72	148
T2	Kennedy Gooding	Lexington, SC, 2022	+4	70	78	148
T2	Sarah Boteler	Greenville, SC, 2021	+4	75	73	148
T6	Isabella Britt	Chesnee, SC, 2021	+5	77	72	149
T6	Sydney Roberts	Chesnee, SC, 2022	+5	76	73	149
8	Morgan Ketchum	Winston-Salem, NC, 2022	+7	76	75	151
T9	Ava Lucas	Raleigh, NC, 2021	+8	79	73	152
T9	Heather Appelson	Wake Forest, NC, 2023	+8	73	79	152
T9	Kayla Dowell	Mebane, NC, 2021	+8	79	73	152
T9	Macy Pate	Boone, NC, 2024	+8	76	76	152
T9	Mary Sears Brown	Wake Forest, NC, 2021	+8	74	78	152
T14	Anna Howerton	Winston-Salem, NC, 2023	+10	82	72	154
T14	Macie Burcham	Greensboro, NC, 2021	+10	80	74	154
16	Layla Meric	Wesley Chapel, NC, 2021	+11	81	74	155
T17	Ella Kue	King Mountain, NC, 2023	+12	76	80	156
T17	Ellie Pittman	Newland, NC, 2021	+12	79	77	156
T17	Gabriela Cruz	High Point, NC, 2021	+12	74	82	156
20	Gracie Song	Waxhaw, NC, 2026	+13	79	78	157
T21	Grace Holcomb	Wilmington, NC, 2021	+14	81	77	158
T21	Kinsley Smith	Raleigh, NC, 2024	+14	82	76	158
T23	Abby Franks	Roebuck, SC, 2023	+16	81	79	160
T23	Madison Dixon	Boiling Springs, SC, 2023	+16	78	82	160
25	Hannah Altman	Lake City, SC, 2022	+19	82	81	163
26	Christina Fisher	Morganton, NC, 2021	+20	79	85	164
27	Albany Bock	Morganton, NC, 2021	+22	85	81	166
28	Sondra Uon	Newton, NC, 2023	+37	98	83	181
WD	Paige Paolucci	Blythewood, SC, 2022	-	WD		WD

 

Inaugural Mimosa Hills Junior Invitational

Mimosa Hills Country Club | Morganton, N.C.

Boys’ Division Final Results

 

Pos.	Player	City, State, Graduation	To Par	R1	R2	Total
1	Nathan Franks	Roebuck, SC, 2021	-8	68	68	136
2	Zach Adams	Charleston, SC, 2022	-8	66	70	136
3	Jake Conklin	Cary, NC, 2022	-8	68	68	136
T4	Andrew Swanson	Bluffton, SC, 2021	-7	70	67	137
T4	Collin Adams	Charlotte, NC, 2021	-7	69	68	137
T6	Alex Bock	Morganton, NC, 2024	-5	72	67	139
T6	Caden Baker	Mebane, NC, 2021	-5	70	69	139
T6	Carter Busse	Davidson, NC, 2021	-5	71	68	139
T6	Spencer Turtz	Charlotte, NC, 2022	-5	70	69	139
T10	Hampton Roberts	Cary, NC, 2023	-4	71	69	140
T10	Benton Leinster	Greenville, SC, 2022	-4	72	68	140
T10	Zach Phillips	Inman, SC, 2021	-4	71	69	140
T13	Andrew Plate	Greensboro, NC, 2021	-3	68	73	141
T13	Ben Jordan	Greensboro, NC, 2022	-3	70	71	141
T13	Owen Kose	Holly Springs, NC, 2022	-3	70	71	141
T13	Parker Shimp	Charlotte, NC, 2021	-3	70	71	141
T13	Timmy Gannon	Charlotte, NC, 2021	-3	73	68	141
T13	Tyler DeChellis	Clayton, NC, 2021	-3	71	70	141
T13	Tyler Partee	Thomasville, NC, 2021	-3	69	72	141
20	Ike Joy	Denver, NC, 2021	-2	71	71	142
T21	Tyler Jones	Jacksonville, NC, 2023	-1	75	68	143
T21	Benjamin Bailey	Huntersville, NC, 2022	-1	69	74	143
T21	Calvin Hawkins	Lexington, NC, 2022	-1	75	68	143
T21	Colt Ingram	Aiken, SC, 2021	-1	70	73	143
T21	Jake Herring	Wilson, NC, 2021	-1	77	66	143
T21	Mason Tucker	Lancaster, SC, 2021	-1	72	71	143
T21	Max Green	Hilton Head Island, SC, 2021	-1	73	70	143
T21	Will Conway	Weddington, NC, 2021	-1	71	72	143
T29	Bradley Davis, Jr.	Pilot Mountain, NC, 2022	E	77	67	144
T29	Branden Boyce	Spring Lake, NC, 2022	E	70	74	144
T29	Bryan Fang	Raleigh, NC, 2023	E	73	71	144
T29	Cameron Hardison	Greenville, NC, 2022	E	74	70	144
T29	Drew Van Dyke	Charlotte, NC, 2022	E	74	70	144
T29	Nick Norman	Gastonia, NC, 2022	E	77	67	144
T29	Samuel Mace	Connelly Springs, NC, 2022	E	69	75	144
T29	WIlson Thrift	Charlotte, NC, 2022	E	71	73	144
T37	Fisher Kennedy	Winston Salem, NC, 2023	+1	73	72	145
T37	Daniel Adkins	Holly Springs, NC, 2021	+1	75	70	145
T37	Gene Zeigler	Florence, SC, 2021	+1	72	73	145
T37	Jack Burris	Greensboro, NC, 2021	+1	71	74	145
T37	Jonathan Honeywell	Whispering Pines, NC, 2022	+1	73	72	145
T42	Daniel Boone	Fuquay Varina, NC, 2023	+2	74	72	146
T42	Holland Giles	Pinehurst, NC, 2023	+2	74	72	146
T42	Max Jacobson	Charlotte, NC, 2022	+2	75	71	146
T42	Steven Shea	Charlotte, NC, 2023	+2	68	78	146
T42	Charlie Barr	Salisbury, NC, 2021	+2	76	70	146
T47	Jack Boyer	Greensboro, NC, 2022	+3	73	74	147
T47	Parker Cumbea	Fuquay Varina, NC, 2021	+3	73	74	147
T47	Pearse Lucas	Charlotte, NC, 2021	+3	73	74	147
T50	Ryan Jahr	Ocean Isle Beach, NC, 2022	+4	75	73	148
T50	Turner Edwards	Charlotte, NC, 2022	+4	80	68	148
T50	Aidan Browning	Charlotte, NC, 2022	+4	78	70	148
T50	Kyle Kushnir	Raleigh, NC, 2021	+4	78	70	148
T54	Jackson Bode	Pinehurst, NC, 2022	+5	79	70	149
T54	Kyle Haas	Winston Salem, NC, 2023	+5	70	79	149
T54	Benjamin Peters	Winston-salem, NC, 2021	+5	79	70	149
T54	Oliver Rotermund	Charleston, SC, 2021	+5	76	73	149
T58	Ayush Bodhale	Huntersville, NC, 2021	+6	75	75	150
T58	Josh Buxbaum	Wake Forest, NC, 2021	+6	78	72	150
T58	Noah Bumgarner	Lenoir, NC, 2021	+6	75	75	150
T61	Alan Van Asch	Raleigh, NC, 2022	+7	79	72	151
T61	Kareem Elkassem	Raleigh, NC, 2023	+7	78	73	151
T61	Andrew Graham	Asheville, NC, 2021	+7	75	76	151
T61	Charlie Fetter	Charlotte, NC, 2022	+7	77	74	151
T61	Maddox Whittington	Lenoir, NC, 2022	+7	75	76	151
T61	William Grasty	Charlotte, NC, 2022	+7	77	74	151
T67	Landon Hawley	Charlotte, NC, 2023	+8	77	75	152
T67	Garrett Hauk	Burlington, NC, 2021	+8	83	69	152
T67	Jennings Glenn	Raleigh, NC, 2021	+8	76	76	152
T70	Jace Butcher	Wake Forest, NC, 2023	+9	80	73	153
T70	Elliott Pope	Lugoff, SC, 2021	+9	77	76	153
T70	Mavrick Mullinax	Lexington, SC, 2021	+9	81	72	153
T73	Cameron Biddle	Aiken, SC, 2023	+10	78	76	154
T73	Cayden Bryner	Winston-Salem, NC, 2022	+10	78	76	154
T75	Tate Smith	Gastonia, NC, 2022	+11	77	78	155
T75	Ian Podziewski	Waxhaw, NC, 2022	+11	81	74	155
T77	Nick Goellner	Apex, NC, 2023	+12	80	76	156
T77	Owen Pearce	Winston-Salem, NC, 2023	+12	75	81	156
T77	Langdon Aronson	Raleigh, NC, 2021	+12	78	78	156
T80	Miles Eubanks	Warrenville, SC, 2023	+13	81	76	157
T80	Matthew Hutto	Blythewood, SC, 2021	+13	79	78	157
82	Jay Lowder	Greenville, SC, 2022	+16	83	77	160
WD	Andrew Propes	Charleston, SC, 2021	-	73	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.

 

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