Manju victorious at The Virtues
NASHPORT, Ohio -- Annika Manju played the final three holes in 1-under-par in surging to a 1-shot victory in the Girls 15-19 division at The Virtues Golf Club.
The victory was Manju’s first in three appearances on the GJT.
After an opening-round 81 left her three shots off the lead, Manju notched a birdie at the fourth hole Sunday to bring her even with Christina Lewis. From that point, the two players traded the lead several times then Lewis’ birdie at 16 put her one ahead with two holes to play. Manju moved back into a tie with a birdie at the 17th and closed out the victory with a par on 18 as Lewis bogeyed.
Manju finished at 81-75—156 while Lewis finished alone in second place with rounds of 79-78—157. Maria Howard finished third at 81-80—161 while first-round leader Julanna Zhang placed fourth at 78-87—165.
Schone steady in Boys 16-19 victory
Austin Schone put together an even-par final round in rallying from three shots back to win the Boys 16-19 division at The Virtues.
Schone fired rounds of 74-72—146 in pulling out a 3-shot win over John Catanzarite and William McDavid. Trailing Catanzarite by two shots entering the final round, Schone played the first five holes in bogey-free 1-under-par in converting the deficit to a 3-shot cushion.
At two later occasions Catanzarite was able to pull within one shot of the lead before three bogeys over the last five holes left him in a tie for second at 72-77—149.
McDavid tried to rebound from a triple bogey at Sunday’s opening hole and pulled as close as two shots of the lead, but was unable to close strong. McDavid finished tied with Catanzarite for second place with rounds of 73-76—149.
First-round leader Dalton Crowley struggled on the closing nine and finished at 71-79—150 to fall into a tie for fourth place with Curran Gimeson (77-73—150).
Burton wins in GJT debut
Zach Burton survived tough final round conditions en route to a 1-shot victory over Andrew Blosser in the Boys 14-15 division at The Virtues.
Burton fired rounds of 74-83—157 in earning the win despite a final round with no birdies. Burton was able to avoid any big numbers on his card as he was the only player in the field to not have at least one double bogey during the round.
In the opening round, Burton rebounded from a double bogey at the first hole with back-to-back birdies and an eventual 2-over-par round that gave him a lead he would not relinquish.
Blosser shot 75-83—158 to finish alone in second place while Mychal McKelvey placed third with rounds of 77-83—160.
McNutt rolls in Girls 14-and-Under
Ellie McNutt shot rounds of 84-89—173 in winning the Girls 14-and-under division at The Virtues by 20 shots.
McNutt’s birdie on the second hole of the first round put her out in front and she managed a 13-shot lead and was never threatened.
Leah Childers finished second at 97-96—193.
Walling wins 2-player duel in Boys 13-and-Under
Leo Walling shot 80-83—163 to beat Bryce Kelley by 16 shots in a 2-player field of the Boys 13-and-under division at The Virtues.
Walling led Kelley by just one shot after the event’s opening nine holes before making birdie at the 10th and pulling away for good. He then opened the final round with four pars over the first five holes to keep Kelley from mounting any kind of a comeback.