Troy Beaver (L) and Sarah Bae (R)
(CGA Photo)
PINEHURST, NC (December 29, 2016) -- One and a half
inches of rain swept through the Sandhills Thursday
prior to the final round of the 8th Carolinas Young
Amateur Championship held on the Magnolia Course at
Pinewild Country Club. Sitting on one-stroke leads,
Jackson Spires of Fayetteville, N.C. and Jessica Spicer of
Bahama, N.C. could not hold on for victory.
Defending Carolinas Young Am champion Sarah Bae
of Pinehurst, N.C. rose to the occasion. Five birdies in
her outward nine holes catapulted her into the lead. Bae
posted the round of the day, five-under 67, to claim a
three stroke win over Spicer and a record third
Carolinas Young Amateur title (2013, 2015, 2016).
"I actually hit it a little bit better yesterday," said
Bae, after her two-day total of four-under 140. "But I
putted better today." Bae enjoys the camaraderie of the
event, "It's like a reunion of junior golf," said the senior
at NC State University. "It's great to see the people
again that you grew up playing against."
Spicer improved upon her opening round 72 with a
one-under 71. Three closing birdies on her final six
holes were not enough to catch Bae. "Yesterday I made
all my putts within five feet," said the Virginia Tech
freshman. "Today I missed a few of those. Sarah played
great."
Playing in his final amateur tournament before
turning professional next month, recent Elon University
graduate Troy Beaver of Salisbury, N.C. started
Thursday one stroke back of Spires. While Spires fell
back with a final round 80 to finish T-10, Beaver's even
par 72 was enough to capture his first CGA title. "I grew
up playing in all CGA and Tarheel Youth Golf Association
events," said the 22-year-old. "It was good to play
alongside guys I grew up playing with and it was
exciting to get the win."
Beaver twice rebounded from bogeys with birdies
on his inward nine. "Those comeback birdies were key,"
said the 22-year-old. "I wasn't quite sure where I stood
so I just kept it in front of me and made good par putts
coming in." Although he was not aware, Beaver's five-
under 139 was enough to clear the field by three
strokes. Greensboro College junior Levi Grogan of
Canton, N.C. finished alone in second at one-under-par
143.
The tournament format is 36 holes of stroke play
for male and female amateur golfers ages 18 to 25 from
North Carolina or South Carolina who have finished high
school and have a current USGA handicap Index at a
CGA member club.
View results for Carolinas Young Amateur
ABOUT THE
Carolinas Young Amateur
Entry is open to any male or female
amateur
golfer between the ages of 18 and 25
who
have finished high school who is a legal
resident of
North or South Carolina, is a member in
good
standing of a club which is a member of
the
Carolinas Golf Association (CGA) and has a
current
USGA handicap index at a CGA member
club.
The championship format is 36 holes of
stroke
play.
View Complete Tournament Information