South Carolina Junior Championship

Crawford Reeves and Haley Stephens Claim 31st South Carolina Junior Boys and Girls Match Play Championship Titles

Elgin, SC (7/11/08) - It is not easy to repeat as a state champion, but Crawford Reeves of Greenville, SC made it look easy defending his title in the SC Junior Match Play Championship being hosted by the CC at Woodcreek Farms in Elgin, SC. Reeves, a rising senior, was pushed to 20 holes in the fourth round, but won the other 5 matches easily. “I saved the spot in my room where the trophy has been for the last year” stated Reeves. Reeves defeated Will Murphy of Columbia in the championship match, 5&4. Murphy exhausted after playing six matches in three days was scheduled to compete in another junior tournament this weekend, but decided to withdraw after playing so many holes. “I have made too many swings this week, that is a lot of golf” stated the rising high school sophomore.

In the girls’ championship, Haley Stephens of Greer captured her second junior major title in week defeating Danielle Dunnagan of Lexington, 3&2 in the championship match. Stephens, a rising high school senior who has committed to play collegiate golf at the University of Texas, also won the Carolinas Girls’ championship last week in Southern Pines, NC. Stephens was also the 2007 Carolinas Junior Player of the Year.

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

CGA'S 31st S.C. JUNIOR MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE PLAYED AT WOODCREEK FARMS IN ELGIN

WEST END, NC (7/7/08) — Fresh from her victory in the Carolinas Junior Girls' Championship, Haley Stephens of Greer will be a heavy favorite to prevail in the Carolinas Golf Association's 31st South Carolina Junior Match Play Championship, which will be played July 8-11 at Woodcreek Farms in Elgin, SC.

For more information about the 31st S.C. Junior Championship of the Carolinas Golf Association and many other Carolinas Golf Association events, visit the Championship Home Page online at www.carolinasgolf.org.

CGA'S 31st S.C. JUNIOR MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE PLAYED AT WOODCREEK FARMS IN ELGIN

WEST END, NC (7/2/08) — The 31st South Carolina Junior Match Play Championship, which will be played July 8-11 at Woodcreek Farms in Elgin, SC, could produce some championship re-matches.

Greenville, SC (7/13/07) —Austin Ernst is just carrying on a family tradition. Ernst, from Seneca, defeated Cayci Ruppe of Gafney 4&3 to capture the SC Girls’ Match Play Championship at Furman University Golf Club. Ernst is the third member of her family to win this annual junior championship. Her father, Mark won the boys’ championship in 1981 and her older brother Drew won the boys’ championship in 2005. Ernst, a 15 year old high school sophomore displayed her ball striking ability winning her first Carolinas Golf Association championship. Ruppe, a 17 year old high school senior, played tough and determined golf, but in the end Ernst’s consistency was just too much to over come. With the win, Ernst will be invited to represent the Carolinas on the junior girls’ team in the Mid-Atlantic Challenge on August 4-5 at CC of North Carolina in Pinehurst, NC.

In the boys’ championship, home town favorite, Crawford Reeves of Greenville defeated Matthew Hopper of Gaffney 4&3 in their semifinals match and then captured the boys’ title with a 2&1 victory over Mitchell Gray of Florence. Gray defeated his high school teammate, Taylor Sharber of Florence 3&2 in the semifinals to advance to the championship match. In a display of true team work, Sharber then picked up Gray’s bag and caddied for him in the championship match even though he had just knocked him out of the event. In the championship match, Reeves displayed John Daly like length in reaching each of the par fives in two stokes. Reeves won the tenth and eleventh holes to take a 3 up lead, but Gray battled back to by winning the fourteenth and fifteenth holes to get back to within one hole of Reeves. On the par 3 sixteenth, Reeves knocked his tee shot to within 2 feet of the whole to take a 2 up lead and then halved the seventeenth hole to win is first CGA title. Both of the boys’ will be invited to represent the Carolinas on the junior boys’ team in the Carolinas-Virginias junior team matches on August 18-19 at Boonsboro CC in Lynchburg, VA.