Cox and Bartolomucci take SC Junior Match Play Titles

   
Robert Bartolomucci of Hilton Head did what has not happened in the last 9 years winning the qualifying medalist award and then winning six matches to champion of the 37^th SC Junior Match Play Championship at CC of Newberry in Newberry, SC.  Bartolomucci, a rising high school junior, defeated Nick Willis of Cowpens, SC one up in the morning semifinal match.  In the other semifinal match, Ryan Marter of Columbia, SC beat Jake Smith of Duncan, SC 2 and 1 setting up the final match against Bartolomucci. 
 
In the final match, both players got off to a smooth start and Bartolomucci took a one up lead after winning the seventh hole with a par.  Marter won number ten and thirteen to take a one up lead, but Bartolomucci answered winning the next three holes with birdies to take two lead heading into number 17.  Marter did not go easily winning 17 cutting the lead to one up heading into the last hole.  After each player made par, Bartolomucci won the match one up.  “I played really well this week, especially on Tuesday in the qualifier” stated Bartolomucci.  “ I can’t remember when I have played this much golf” Bartolomucci added regarding the one round of qualifying and then six rounds of match play all played in four days.
 
In the girls’ championship, Morgan Cox of Easley, SC defeated her older sister Maddisen 3 and 2 in their semifinal match.  Savanah Goodman of Easley, SC advanced to the final match against Cox with a 5 and 3 win over Carly Lyvers of Greenville, SC.  In the finals, Cox and Goodman traded holes before Cox took a one up lead after five holes and the pair halved the next four holes giving Cox a one up lead after the first nine.  On the back side, Cox birdied the par four eleventh hole to take a two up lead.  The next two holes were halved and then Cox won number 14 and 15 to take the title and become the SC Junior Girls’ Match Play Champion.  “I have to thank my sister Maddie for caddying for me after our match.  I was really tired but she really made the difference in the last match” said the younger Cox.
 
This annual junior championship is conducted by the Carolinas Golf Association.
 
Girls’ Championship
Semifinals
(73) Savanah Goodman, Easley, S.C. (2016) defeated (81) Carly Lyvers, Greenville, S.C. (2018), 5 and 3
(78) Morgan Cox, Easley, S.C. (2016) defeated (81) Maddisen Cox, Easley, S.C. (2014), 3 and 2
 
Finals
(78) Morgan Cox, Easley, S.C. (2016) defeated (73) Savanah Goodman, Easley, S.C. (2016), 4 and 3
 
Boys’ Championship
Semifinals
(73) Ryan Marter, Columbia, S.C. (2017) defeated (72) Jake Smith, Duncan, S.C. (2014), 2 and 1
(70) Robert Bartolomucci, Hilton Head, S.C. (2016) defeated Nick Willis, Cowpens, SC (2017), 1 up
 
Championship
(70) Robert Bartolomucci, Hilton Head, S.C. (2016) defeated (73) Ryan Marter, Columbia, S.C. (2017), 1 up
 
Full match play brackets:  https://www.ghintpp.com/carolinasgolf/TPPOnlineScoring/MatchTree.aspx?id=61