MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Scott Depot golfer Chris Williams played his final eight holes at 1-under par and managed to win the 17-18 age division by one stroke over Williamstown's Austin Root during Friday's final round at the West Virginia Junior Amateur Championships at The Pines Country Club.
After turning in the low round with a 2-under 69 on Thursday, Root led his division by two strokes. On Friday, the 18-year-old opened with a double-bogey and remained at even par for the championship before playing the next seven holes at 5-over.
Paired in the final group of the day, Williams and Root remained tied atop the leaderboard until Williams birdied the 16th hole. Williams finished the two-day tournament with a 4-over 146, while Root and Will Evans of Charleston shared runner-up honors at 147.
Turning in the low score for the event at 145 was Morgantown's Cale Wheeler, who posted rounds of 73 and 72 to not only claim the title in the 15-16 age division but also win the overall championship. First-round leader Eric Wirth - also from Morgantown - seemed to have first place locked down with two holes remaining in the final round, but finished with a bogey on No. 17 and double-bogey on No. 18 for a two-day total of 147.
Two golfers finished in the red numbers during their final 18 holes. Evans' roller-coaster performance yesterday featured eight birdies, four bogeys and one double-bogey as part of a final round 70.
George Hamrick of Red House climbed 14 spots in the 17-18 age bracket after playing a bogey-free round on Friday and finished seventh overall while carding 80 and 68.
Oceana's Colin Bowles won the boys 10-12 division by five strokes after posting 73-74-147. In the 13-14 division, Alex Hamrick (80-71-151) of Red House captured the title after defeating Bridgeport's Marco Oliverio (78-73-151) in a one-hole playoff. Of the seven girls in the field, Adeena Shears of Elizabeth claimed the overall title, while placing first in the 10-14 age division and 26th overall with scores of 75-82-157. Allie Persily (93-89-182) of Charleston finished runner-up for girls ages 10-14.
In the 15-18 girls division, Vienna's Lauryn Davidson took first place at 89-81-170, while Morgantown's Tara Hanson finished second at 94-96-190.
