Smalley wins 47th NC Junior Boys over Patrick Cover, 2 and 1

If the final pair was the least bit tired after five matches in two and a half days, they sure did a great job of hiding it. Alex Smalley of Wake Forest and Patrick Cover advanced to Friday afternoon’s championship match in the 47^th NC Junior Boys’ Championship, being hosted by Roaring Gap Club in Roaring Gap, NC and both wanted the title as the state’s best junior golfer.

In the morning’s semi-final matches, Smalley, rising high school senior, defeated Nicholas Lyerly of Salisbury 4 and 3 to advance to the championship match. Cover reached the championship with a 2 and 1 victory over Anthony Perrino of Mooresville.

In the championship match, Cover took the lead on the first hole with a par, but Smalley won the third hole to square the match. Then the pair traded holes from the fifth hole through the tenth hole. Smalley won the twelfth hole, but Cover won the next two to take a one up lead after 14 holes. Smalley then won the next three holes to secure the victory with a two and one final score.

The NC Junior Boys’ Championship is the toughest junior tournament to win in that the champion has to play eighteen holes of qualifying and then six rounds of match play. “I feel good and not that tired, but I may sleep for two days” stated Smalley after the awards ceremony. Smalley was the only player in the field to use a push cart throughout the championship and stood tall as the last man standing.

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

Semifinals          
(70) Alex Smalley, Wake Forest, N.C. (2015) def. (68) Nicholas Lyerly, Salisbury, N.C. (2017), 4 and 3          
(72) Patrick Cover, Huntersville, N.C. (2014) def. (73) Anthony Perrino, Mooresville, N.C. (2015), 2 and 1       

Finals          
(70) Alex Smalley, Wake Forest, N.C. (2015) def. (72) Patrick Cover, Huntersville, N.C. (2014), 2 and 1