Hatfield and Hetzel Claim S.C. Junior Match Play Titles

GREENVILLE, SC—Vince Hatfield of Greenwood birdied the first three holes to grab an early lead over Luke Hopkins of Greer enroute to winning the South Carolina Junior match play championship at Green Valley Country Club in Greenville, SC. Hatfield twice topped Hopkins birdies as the 2002 runner-up attempted to get back in the match, the final topper coming at the fifteenth hole and final hole.

Earlier in the day, Hatfield beat Justin Hare of Charleston 3&2 while Hopkins defeated Sam Lyons of Little River, also by a 3&2 margin. By gaining the final, Hopkins and Hatfield qualify for the Carolinas Junior team which will face the Virginias squad at Boonsboro Country Club in Lynchburg, Virginia August 16-17. Already qualified for the team are North Carolina Junior champion Barden Berry of Kinston, NC and runner-up Andrew Byrd of Oxford, NC. The final four players for the junior team will be selected at the Carolinas Junior Championship, July 29-31 at Greenville Golf and Country Club in Greenville, North Caroina.

In the girls division, Mallory Hetzel of Summerville took an early lead of five-up after eight holes on the way to a 6&4 victory over Sarah Sturm of Spartanburg in the Thursday morning final match. Hetzel’s birdie on the par-five second hole gave her a lead she never relinquished. In making the semifinals, Hetzel, Sturm, Richelle Wedzik of Bluffton and Taylor Barrett of York qualified for the Carolinas girls team which will take on a team from Virginia and Maryland at Pinewild Country Club in Pinehurst in August. The South Carolina Junior championship completes the team already qualified for by North Carolina Junior semifinalists Blythe Worley of Greenville, NC, Jessica and Kristin Vincent of Burlington, NC and Emily Simpson of Rutherfordton, NC.