Credit: Stan Awtrey
Credit: Stan Awtrey
Two of the best boys high school golfers in the state are sophomores at Johns Creek High School.
Nic Cassidy and Andy Mao, both in the Class of 2019, both return and give the Gladiators an excellent chance to repeat as winners in the state’s highest classification.
Cassidy of Johns Creek won the Class AAAAAA championship last year and helped the Gladiators win it all. It’s just another block in the impressive resume that Cassidy has already assembled. He won two events on the American Junior Golf Association’s schedule (the Rome Junior Classic and the Evitt Foundation Junior) and was named to the AJGA’s Junior All-Star team. He reached match play at the U.S. Junior Amateur, Cassidy has already made a verbal commitment to play at Georgia.
Mao won the Region 7-AAAAAA tournament last year. He won the AJGA City of London Junior, was third at the Wells Fargo Junior, and was named to the AJGA’s Junior All-Star Team. His sister Janet is playing golf at Northwestern.
Austin Fulton, Douglas County: If anyone else can challenge Cassidy and Mao for supremacy in the state, it may be Fulton, a senior for the Tigers. He won the AJGA's Old Silo tournament was fifth at the Davis Love Junior. Fulton finished second in AAAAAA last year, one shot behind Cassidy. He has already signed with Mississippi State.
Thomas Hogan, Frederica Academy: The junior from St. Simons has already committed to Ole Miss.
Justin Kim, Rome: The senior qualified for state as an individual last season and finished second. He won the Georgia PGA Junior Championship and qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur last summer. Kim has signed with Kennesaw State.
Nolan Miller, Columbus: Miller shot a 66 last year to win the Class AAAAA boys title and help the Blue Devils take their 11th state championship. Miller has signed with Mercer.
Will Kahlstorf, Prince Avenue Christian: Now a junior, Kahlstorf won the Class A Private championship as a freshman. Kahlstorf is a self-taught player who didn't take his first lesson until two years ago. Kahlstorf has already verbally committed to play at Georgia.
JonErik Alford, Mt. Pisgah Christian: He's already shot a school-record 66 to win the Athens Classic this spring. He has signed with Ohio State.
Jake Milanowski, Landmark Christian: He made a splash last summer by winning the AJGA's Vaugn Taylor Championship in a playoff over Georgia Amateur champion Colin Bowles (who has committed to Ohio State). Milanowski has signed with a Auburn.
Brady Keran, Creekside: He won the Region 7-AAAAA championship last year and helped his team reach the sectionals. Keran has signed with Kennesaw State.
Andrew Lafferty, Marist: The senior was the Region 6-AAAA medalist last year and helped Marist win the state championship. No longer overshadowed by Will Chandler, who is now playing at Georgia this may be his time to shine. He has signed with Colorado State.
Tyler Lipscomb, Bremen: Only a sophomore, Lipscomb made a verbal commitment to play at Alabama when he was only 14. He won the Class AA title last year by shooting a 69.
Ryan Hines, Etowah: The left-hander helped the Eagles win the Region 5-AAAAAA championship last year. He has signed with Middle Tennessee State.
Ben Carr, Columbus: The junior moved up the pecking order with a sold summer. He qualified for the U.S. Junior and competed in the Dustin Johnson World Junior. He has verbally committed to N.C. State.
Gavin Noble, Ringgold: He shot 72 to win the Region 6-AAA title last year and finished second among the individual competitors at state. The sophomore has made a verbal commitment to play at Kennesaw State.
Jacob Bayer, Collins Hill: The senior beat some of the best professionals and amateurs in Georgia last summer when he prevailed at The Championship at Berkeley Hills. Bayer, who plays out of Berkeley Hills Country Club, shot a 65 on the final day and won by two. Bayer has signed with Georgia Southern.
Alex Ross, Pace Academy: He helped the Knights finish second Class AA last year and is a member of the AJGA's Scholastic All-America team. He has signed with Davidson.
Andrew Crockett, Starr's Mill: He helped the Panthers win the Region 4-AAAAA title and finish fourth in the state. Crockett has signed with Utah.
Peter Chung, Mill Creek: The senior has been first-team all-region for the last three years. He qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur last summer. Chung has been offered by Georgia State.
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