Rain-soaked Maddox Crowder clutches champion's trophy after winning the Tennessee Junior Amateur title in a playoff
photo by Tennessee Golf Association
McCallie School's Billy Boroughs lost in a playoff after having a two-shot lead washed away by afternoon storms.
photo by Tennessee Golf Association
Claire Henson won the Tennessee Girls' Junior Amateur by two shots
photo by Tennessee Golf Association
The game of golf can be agonizingly cruel at times, and Billy Boroughs learned that lesson the hard way in the Tennessee Junior Amateur Championship on Wednesday.
The rising senior at McCallie School lost on the second hole of a playoff when Lafayette’s Maddox Crowder drained a 40-foot putt for birdie after the final round play was suspended when torrential rains pelted the General’s Retreat layout at the Hermitage Golf Couse.
When the late afternoon storms arrived, Boroughs owned a two-shot lead over Crowder after shooting 5-under through his opening ten holes to stand at 15-under. But the lengthy delay forced officials to resort to a sudden death showdown between the 36-hole leaders, wiping away Borough’s strong start with eight holes to play.
Maddox clipped a tree with his drive on the second playoff hole, leaving him 250 yards out on the 443-yard par 4 9th. But he found the putting surface with his approach, and sank the deciding birdie to snatch the victory.
Both golfers carded identical rounds of 69-65 the first two days to stand at 10-under 134, one shot better than Dickson’s Jackson Herrington. Signal Mountain’s Thad Whitfield finished fourth at 7-under 137, while Ethan Whitaker of Powell and first-round co-leader Leo Froio of Franklin were tied for fifth at 6-under 138.
East Hamilton High School’s Griffin Law was among a group of six golfers tied for seventh at 5-under 139
Earlier in the day in the Girls’ Junior Championship, Henderson’s Claire Henson posted her second straight round of 66 to win by two shots with a final score of 11-under 205.
Henson’s round was highlighted by an eagle on the 305-yard par 4 12th hole, and four straight birdies on the front nine allowed her to overcome a two-shot deficit entering the day to 2022 champion Sophie Christopher of Germantown.
Christopher, who posted a second round 64, finished second at 9-under 207. Defending champion Karlie Campbell of Ethridge placed third with a score of 8-under 208, two shots ahead of first-round leader Isabella Johnson of Murfreesboro.
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Paul Payne can be emailed at paulpayne6249@gmail.com