Four Georgia Tech golfers emerged from local qualifiers and will be in the field for next month’s U.S. Amateur Championship.
Luke Schniederjans won the qualifier at the Capital City Club’s Crabapple Course at 8 under par, two shots better than teammate Andy Ogletree. Jacob Joiner won the qualifier in Decatur, Ala., and Chris Petefish won the qualifier in Salix, Penn.
Also qualifying at the Capital City site was Ben Shipp of Norcross, who plays at N.C. State, and Spencer Ralston, who plays at the University of Georgia. Jonathan Keppler of Marietta, who plays at Florida State, beat Travis Steed of Macon for the alternate slot.
At the Piedmont Driving Club qualifier, Australian Matias Sanchez and Atlanta’s Chris Waters were co-medalists at 7-under 137. Steven Fisk, who plays at Georgia Southern, and Thomas Hogan of Brunswick, an Ole Miss commitment, got the other two spots.
Kyle Mueller of Athens, who plays at Michigan, advanced at the qualifier in Blythewood, S.C.
The U.S. Amateur is Aug. 14-20 at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles. Curtis Luck of Australia won the 2016 championship.
Bowles falls in U.S. Junior
Colin Bowles of Albany, the 2016 Georgia Amateur champion and Ohio State commitment, was the only Georgian to reach match play at the U.S Junior Amateur Championship. Bowles was the No. 60 seed coming out of qualifying and lost in 19 holes in the first round to Joshua Armstrong of Australia. Ben Carr of Columbus missed reaching match play by one shot. He lost in a seven-man playoff for the final spot.
Haigwood tops at Women’s Open
Jessica Haigwood of Roswell, a recent graduate of Augusta University, won the Georgia Women’s Open at Pinetree Country Club. Haigwood shot a 3-under 141 for a two-shot win over Lacey Fears, a professional from Idle Hour Country Club in Macon. Haigwood plans to turn professional after the U.S. Women’s Amateur in August.
Good week for Go
Lois Kaye Go, who will be a sophomore at Boston College, beat Katie Sharp of Michigan State by one shot to win the Judson Collegiate at Roswell Country Club. Amanda Doherty of Florida State finished three strokes off the lead. The next day Go qualified for the U.S. Junior Girls Amateur. Earlier this month her brother, Lloyd Jefferson Go, won the Dogwood Invitational at Druid Hills Golf Club.
Victory Junior Tour debuts
The Victory Junior Tour, a non-profit national junior tour that focuses on raising awareness for pediatric illness, will make its debut at Cuscowilla Golf Club, July 24-25. The tour is being operated by Jeff Amershadian, a former college teammate of Jason Bohn and Dicky Pride at Alabama. The Victory Tour is trying to distinguish itself by setting a goal to raise $250 million over the next 20 years, by giving players access to business leaders and a chance to play with a PGA Tour player in an event at the Hall of Fame Golf Village. Competition is open to players 18 and younger. Information is available at VictoryJuniorTour.com.
Etc.
Amateur Erik Martin of Alpharetta won the Georgia PGA’s Championship at Berkeley Hills. Martin beat Anthony Cordes, a PGA assistant at Cherokee, by two shots. It’s the fifth consecutive year an amateur has prevailed. … Kennesaw State has chosen Eric Croux as assistant women’s golf coach.
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