Pewitt Continues Dickson County’s Legacy At Tennessee Junior PGA

There must be something in the water in Dickson County that continues to produce champion golfers at an alarming rate.

Starting with Dickson native Bob Wolcott, who competed in 168 PGA TOUR events that included a pair of top 3 finishes in the early ‘90s, the county 30 minutes west of Nashville has become a veritable hotbed of rising stars.

Wolcott’s son, Hunter, picked up his first win on the PGA Tour Americas in early May and joined his father as Tennessee State Open champion 40 years after his dad won the title in 1983, while another son, Ben, enjoyed a stellar career at Ole Miss.

Cameron Tankersley is another Dickson product who has excelled at Ole Miss and is among ten amateurs to earn a spot in the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club later this month. Also, Jackson Herrington became the first junior golfer to claim the Tennessee State Open last summer and recently completed a strong freshman campaign at Tennessee.

The latest member of this elite golfing entourage is Poppy Pewitt, a rising sophomore at Dickson County High School.  The 15-year-old played near flawless golf on Tuesday at Old Fort Golf Course in Murfreesboro to capture medalist honors in the girls’ division of the Tennessee Junior PGA Championship.

Entering the final round five shots behind Carlee Rogers, Pewitt shot 35 on her opening nine with two birdies and a bogey. She then sailed through her final nine holes in 34 with two birdies – including a critical make at the par 3 17^th – and seven pars to post a 69, finishing at 3-under 141 for the tournament.

Pewitt’s run of success began last fall when she finished runner-up in the Class AA TSSAA State Golf Championship as a freshman, earning co-medalist honors before losing in a playoff.

Rogers, who was defending champion in this event, closed with a 75 to post a 2-under 142 for her two days of work. Three birdies in her first six holes on Tuesday moved her to 8-under for the tournament, but the rising senior at Baylor School and Miami commit struggled down the stretch by shooting 6-over in her final 12 holes including a costly triple bogey at No. 9.

Both Pewitt and Rogers qualified for the 2025 Junior PGA Championship at Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex in West Lafayette, Ind. on July 29- August 1, 2025.

The next five finishers were named as alternates for the national tournament, headed by Knoxville’s Addisyn Newman who posted a 1-under 143 after shooting 72 on Tuesday. Next in line at 2-over 146 were Knoxville’s Isabella Coughlin and Aliezah Robinson of Kingsport, just ahead of Murfreesboro’s Lauren Powell and Hayden Cherry of Brentwood at 3-over 147.

Bennett Captures Boys’ Title

In the boys’ division, College Grove’s Brayden Bennett fired a final round 70 to post a two-day total of 7-under 137. The 15-year-old who attends Page High School tallied three birdies against a lone bogey to win by one shot over a trio of golfers. His final birdie came at the par 3 17^th to provide the eventual margin of victory.

Will Pinson and Ben Blackburn of Frankin along with Andrew Sciortino of Brentwood all registered identical rounds of 68-70 to close at 6-under 138, with Blackburn earning the second berth into the national tournament with a birdie on the first playoff hole.

First-round leader Leo Froio of Franklin was unable to build on his opening 65, shooting 40 over his final nine to finish the day at 74 and 5-under 139 for the tournament. Raymond ReBell of Maryville also closed at 5-under 139, with Franklin’s Brady Ray rounding out the five alternate spots at 4-under 140.

For complete results, go to TN Junior PGA Championship  

Brown Narrowly Misses In U.S. Open Qualifier

Nashville’s Blades Brown was in position to seal one of four spots in the U.S. Open Final Qualifying event in West Palm Beach, Fla. on Monday before storms suspended play.

The 18-year-old who turned professional in December was tied for third at 7-under through 27 holes when play resumed Tuesday morning. Even though Brown managed two more birdies to close his two rounds at 9-under 135, it left him one shot shy of earning one of the coveted spots to compete at Oakmont later this month.

Three golfers posted 11-under totals, while two others finished at 10-under. The final spot was decided in a playoff where Luke Poulter, the son of longtime professional Ian Poulter, lost one the second hole. Brown earned the second alternate spot behind Poulter.

Hendersonville’s Jacob Sherlin missed the cut with a pair of 73s to close at 2-over 146, while Knoxville’s Jake Hall withdrew after 25 holes.

Paul Payne can be emailed at paulpayne6249@gmail.com