Newton and Carter Battle to Win Mimosa Hills Junior Invitational

 

 

Event: 5th Mimosa Hills Junior Invitational

Host Site: Mimosa Hills Country Club, Morganton, N.C.

Playing Dates: August 24-25, 2024

Social Media: @CGAgolf1909

 

Related: Championship Website  | Scoring |  History  |  Photos

 

LOCATION – Morganton, N.C.

 

It was a beautiful and exciting weekend in the mountains at Mimosa Hills Country Club for the 5th Mimosa Hills Junior Invitational. Congratulations to Lincoln Newton of Wallburg, N.C. and Sanaa Carter of Jacksonville, N.C. on taking home the trophies this year. Newton shot rounds of 66-68 for a two-day total of 134, 6-under, to win the championship by one stroke. Carter finished at 5-over and won after a playoff battle on the eighth playoff hole. Read more about all of the great competition below.

 

Boys’ Division

Lincoln Newton of Wallburg, N.C. took home the trophy from the 5th Mimosa Hills Junior Invitational. In Round 1 on Saturday, Newton carded an impressive seven birdies throughout the round, and he finished with a 66, 4-under to take the lead after the first 18 holes. Newton had the lead by just one stroke heading into the Final Round on Sunday. There were four players tied right behind him at 3-under, three more at 2-under, and three more at 1-under, setting up for an exciting Final Round. 

 

“The first round I putted really well, and I hit my irons better in the second round,” Newton explained.

 

In the Final Round, Newton started off strong with a birdie on the first hole, as well as a birdie on the seventh hole to be 2-under for the day through nine holes. At the turn, Newton had the lead by two strokes. With one bogey and five pars in the next six holes, it was still a tight race coming down the stretch. Newton birdied the par 4 16th hole to get back to 6-under. 

 

“I looked at the leaderboard once today, and then when I was at 18 tee I looked at it again, so it was nice to know where I was at and to hit a good tee shot on 18,” Carter shared.

 

Heading down the fairway on 18, Newton needed a par to seal the win. Almost making his birdie putt, Newton had a tap-in par to secure the title. 

 

Newton recently won the 2024 Carolinas Father-Son tournament, making this his second CGA win. 

 

Finishing in second place was James Rhodes of Columbia, S.C. one stroke behind at 5-under. Slater Meade of North Wilkesboro, N.C. jumped a couple spots up the leaderboard to finish in third place at 4-under. 

 

 

Girls’ Division

Sanaa Carter of Jacksonville, N.C. put up an incredible fight to take home the Girls’ Division of the 5th Mimosa Hills Junior Invitational after eight playoff holes. Carter and Mackenzie Cline of Cary, N.C. both finished at 5-over after 36 holes, sending them to a playoff to determine this year’s champion. The competition was back-and-forth during the playoff, and many fellow competitors and spectators stuck around to watch the exciting finish. After playing holes 1, 5, 6, and 9 twice, Carter had a tap-in par on the 8th playoff hole to secure the title. 

 

In Round 1, Carter started off the weekend strong with a birdie on her first hole. With three more birdies on 11, 12, and 17, Carter finished with a 75, 3-over. Cline also started her weekend strong with birdies on holes 2 and 3, and she carded a 75 for the day on Saturday to sit tied with Carter at the top of the leaderboard. 

 

Regarding what she did well this weekend to put herself in a good position to win on Sunday, Carter explained, “I kept my ball in play and I kept a good attitude on the course. I didn’t get too flustered about any shots that I didn’t like. I did a good job of keeping a level-headed mindset.”

 

In the Final Round, Carter had birdies on holes 2, 3, and 8 to give her momentum as she made the turn. Through nine holes, Carter was at 1-over, with Cline next on the leaderboard at 5-over. Through 16 holes, as the final girls' groups came down the stretch, Carter was at 2-over with Cline at 3-over, closing the gap with just a couple of holes left. After 18, the two were tied at 5-over and headed to the playoff. Both Carter and Cline put up a fight, and each made some incredible, clutch putts to keep the playoff going for eight holes. 

 

“We both put up a good battle. She definitely didn’t let up, and I didn’t either, but it just came down to me making the winning putt,’ Carter said. 

 

When asked what this win means to her, Carter shared, “It feels like a long time coming. I haven’t had that many wins this year, so I’m very grateful for this win.”

 

The Carolinas Golf Association would like to thank Head Golf Professional Jimmy Piercy and Head Golf Course Superintendent Dan Winters, and the rest of the staff at Mimosa Hills Country Club for hosting an incredible 5th Mimosa Hills Junior Invitational.

 

 

About the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA)

The CGA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization founded in 1909 to promote and protect the game of golf in the Carolinas by providing competitions, education, support, and benefits to golf clubs and golfers. The CGA is one of the largest golf associations in the country, with over 700 member clubs represented by over 200,000 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 and 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 over $3,000,000 since 1977 to benefit Carolinas' golf initiatives, including junior, women and adaptive programs.

For more information about the Carolinas Golf Association, follow @cgagolf1909 on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok, or visit our website www.carolinasgolf.org/

 

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