Garrett Risner won the TYGA Bojangles Junior Boys' Open with a par on the third hole of a playoff.
SNOW HILL, N.C. (June 2, 2019) – Garrett Risner of Holly Springs fought hard on Sunday to claim a come-from-behind victory at the TYGA Bojangles Junior Boys’ Open after a three-hole playoff against Mack Pearsall of Greensboro.
Nerves, mistakes, excitement and competition were the words to describe the up-and-down final round and playoff.
Pearsall began the day with a four-stroke lead, but the gap didn’t last long as Risner made par on the first hole and an eagle on the second to pull into a tie for first. Pearsall started with a double bogey and a par on his first two holes.
“My success today came from being confident in every shot,” said Risner. “I knew I had a chance if I was doing that. My irons were really good this week. It really helped a lot.”
Risner was able to finish off his front nine with two birdies to take a one shot lead at the turn, but Pearsall didn’t give up. An eagle on the par-5 11th hole pulled him back into a tie for the lead.
Bogeys by Risner on Nos. 16 and 17 combined with a double bogey by Pearsall on the 18th meant the tournament would go to extra holes as both players finished at 3-under-par 141 in regulation play.
“I was trying to play smart and make birdie on 18,” said Risner. “I knew I was down two so I had to make it back.”
Both players tied with bogeys on the first playoff hole and with pars on the second. With Pearsall missing the green on the third playoff hole, a par by Risner was good enough to bring home the title.
The battle between Risner and Pearsall wasn’t the only action at Cutter Creek Golf Club on Sunday. Henry Pate of Pinehurst provided one of the major highlights of the tournament with a hole-in-one on the par-3 third hole.
“It felt great,” said Pate. “There was a lot of adrenaline pumping; it helped keep me going during the rest of the tournament.”
Calem Kimbrough of New Bern and Luke Edwards of Chapel Hill tied for third with a two-day total of 1-over-par 145. Kimbrough finished the tournament with an eagle on the par-5 18th hole post 4-under 32 on the back nine.
Kimbrough’s 4-under 68 was the lowest round of the day.
Kyle Kushnir of Raleigh and Randall Hudson of New Bern tied for fifth at 146.
