SOUTHERN PINES, NC – On Thursday, August 10, 2023, the PGA REACH Carolinas Foundation hosted the 2023 National Car Rental PGA Jr. League Carolinas Section Championship at Longleaf Golf & Family Club.
There were a total of 54 participants between the ages of ten and seventeen, who competed in a 13U division and 17U division.
The 13U division consisted of four teams of eight athletes: 13U Bentwinds Country Club League Team 1, 13U Raintree Country Club League, 13U The Creek Golf Club League, and 13U Winston-Salem 1 League Team 1. The 17U division consisted of four teams of six athletes: 17U Bentwinds League, 17U Fayetteville League, 17U Tanglewood Park League Team 1, and 17U Tanglewood Park League Team 2.
The format of the event was Match Play with a Flag system. Teams were split into pairs of two, and then matched up against another pair of two from a different team. The duos played a scramble format, and kept track of scores throughout the round. For each three holes of golf, one flag was available to win. Whichever team of two had the lower score, won the flag. If the pairs tied, then each pair would receive half a flag. Each 13U team had four groups of two, giving each team the opportunity to win up to twelve flags. Each 17U team had three groups of two, giving them the opportunity to win up to nine flags.
Play started at 8am EDT, which included a hole in one by 13U Winston-Salem 1 League Team 1 athlete Tate Welborn. Play was later delayed by lightning strikes in the area. After a one hour delay, teams were sent back onto the course to finish their morning round.
The morning matchups and winners were as follows:
13U Bentwinds Country Club League Team 1 vs 13U Raintree Country Club League
Winner: 13U Bentwinds Country Club League coached by Evelyn Walters, PGA and Tyler Shope.
13U Winston-Salem 1 League Team 1 vs 13U The Creek Golf Club League
Winner: 13U The Creek Golf Club League coached by Chip Ridley, PGA.
17U Fayetteville League Team 1 vs 17U Bentwinds League
Winner: 17U Bentwinds League coached by Evelyn Walters, PGA and Tyler Shope.
17U Tanglewood Park League Team 1 vs 17U Tanglewood Park League Team 2
Winner: 17U Tanglewood Park League Team 1 coached by Daniel Byrd, PGA and Danny North.
The afternoon round followed the same format of the morning round, but consisted only of the winning teams from the morning.
After playing the front nine holes, 13U The Creek Golf Club League coached by Chip Ridley, PGA, and 17U Tanglewood Park League Team 1 coached by Daniel Byrd, PGA and Danny North took home the first place prize.
13U The Creek Golf Club League, 13U Bentwinds Country Club League Team 1, 17U Tanglewood Park League Team 1, and 17U Bentwinds League are advancing to the 2023 National Car Rental PGA Jr League Regional Championship on September 1-3 at Greensboro National Country Club in Summerfield, NC.
One team from the 13U division will advance to the 2023 National Car Rental PGA Jr. League Championship on October 4-8 at Fields Ranch West at PGA Frisco in Frisco, Texas. One team from the 17U division will advance to the 17u National Car Rental PGA Jr. League Championship Nov. 16-19 at Twin Warriors Golf Club in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico.
Click HERE for photos from the event.
The PGA REACH Carolinas Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and philanthropic arm of the Carolinas PGA Section, the largest of the 41 sections in the United States of America. Our Carolinas members across North and South Carolina are committed to serving our communities and growing the game of golf through our three pillars- Youth, Military, and Inclusion.