Event: 21st Dogwood State Junior Boys’ Championship 

Host Site: Pilot Knob Park Golf Course, Pilot Mountain N.C. 

Playing Dates: July 27 – 31, 2025 

Social Media: @CGAgolf1909 

Related: Championship Website  | Scoring |  History  |  Photos 

By Damon Bennett, CGA Media Intern

PILOT MOUNTAIN, N.C. (Aug. 1, 2025) – The 21st Dogwood State Junior Boys’ Championship saw some of North Carolina’s best junior boys’ golfers go head-to-head for four days at Pilot Knob Park Golf Course in Pilot Mountain, N.C.. After 105 holes and seven straight victories, Grayson Baucom of Hickory, N.C. was the last player standing. 

The tournament began with 64 players and a round-robin format that determined who advanced to a 16-seed bracket. Baucom won all three of his qualifying matches without playing past the 15th hole.  

In the Round of 16, Baucom took on Isaiah Adel of Raleigh, N.C. Baucom won the match 5 & 4 after winning five holes on the front nine to take a quick lead.  

Henry Holland of Charlotte, N.C. also advanced to the quarterfinals with a 5 & 4 victory over Jackson Phipps of Raleigh, N.C., and Jude Carper of Cornelius, N.C. defeated Riley Naylor of Mooresville, N.C. in 20 holes. 

Baucom was the only member of the class of 2028 to advance to the quarterfinals, where he defeated Lincoln Newton of Wallburg, N.C. 2 & 1. Newton was 1-up with 4 holes left, but Baucom recorded 2 birdies in a row and a par on No. 17 to close out the match. 

Carper won his quarterfinal match as well, and Charlie Horne of Fayetteville, N.C. and Sam Terry of Thomasville, N.C. rounded out the semifinalists. 

Baucom and Carper split the first nine holes of their semifinal match, each player winning three of the first six holes, and tying Nos. 7-9. Carper took the lead 1-up with a birdie on No. 13, but Baucom once again played his best down the stretch, recording birdies on Nos. 17 and 18, despite not having played No. 18 until that point. 

Horne and Terry’s match had a similar start. Each won four of the first nine holes and split No. 9 to tie the first half of the match. Terry then won Nos. 10 and 11, and held onto his lead to win 1-up and advance to the championship match. 

In the championship match, Baucom and Terry tied five of the first six holes. Baucom’s birdie on No. 2 gave him an early lead, and victories on Nos. 7 and 9 gave him a 2-up lead. Terry won only two holes through the match, and Baucom won Nos. 12 and 14 to take a 3-hole lead and eventually win the match. 

The Carolinas Golf Association would like to thank the staff of Pilot Knob Park Golf Course for their hospitality in hosting the 21st Dogwood State Junior Boys’ Championship. We would also like to thank General Manager and Course Superintendent Chris Berrier and Head Golf Professional Sam Randazzo for their help throughout the tournament.