Inman defeats Hoff 3&2 to become 46th NC Junior Boys' Championship

Austin Inman of Leland has played over 165 holes over the past eight days, but it was all worth it in winning the 46th NC Junior Boys’ Championship being conducted on the Highlands course at Prestonwood CC in Cary. Inman, a rising a high school senior, came to Raleigh last Saturday and Sunday and competed in the Rex Open Junior Invitational, then traveled across the triangle for the NC Junior. After Tuesday’s round of stroke play followed by six rounds of match play, Inman could hold up the Harry Welch trophy as the NC Junior Champion.

It was not an easy road to the championship, but Inman kept fighting against six talented opponents. In the morning’s semifinals, Inman defeated Stephen Saleeby of Raleigh, 4 and 2. Saleeby, the 2012 4A state champion pushed Inman early, but Inman won the par five sixteenth hole to secure his spot in the championship match. Qualifying medalist Keegan Hoff of Charlotte faced off against Benjamin Griffin of Chapel Hill in the other semifinals match and advanced to the championship match by a 2 and 1 margin.

In the championship match, both players got off to a slow start due to fatigue.   Inman and Hoff traded holes early before settling down and having holes five through 10. On the par four eleventh hole, Inman finally made a birdie putt to take a one up lead. Both players birdied the par five thirteenth hole to halve the hole. The turning point of the match came on the par four fourteenth hole when Inman’s second shot from the edge of the tree came up about 15 yards short of the green. Inman then pitched his third shot into the hole for a surprising birdie and took a two up lead with only four hole left in the match.

After a halving the fifteenth hole with pars, Hoff was forced to try and reach the par five sixteenth hole, but came up short and ended up in the lateral water hazard to the right of the green. Inman’s par five won the hole giving him a 3 and 2 victory and the title of NC Junior Champion.

This annual junior championship is conducted by the Carolinas Golf Association.

Semifinals

Keegan Hoff, Charlotte, N.C. (2013) def. Benjamin Griffin, Chapel Hill, N.C. (2014), 2 and 1

Austin Inman, Leland, N.C. (2014) def. Stephen Saleeby, Raleigh, N.C. (2015), 4 and 2

Championship

Austin Inman, Leland, N.C. (2014) def. Keegan Hoff, Charlotte, N.C. (2013), 3 and 2