Baylor School's Carlee Rogers advanced into Thursday's play at the Junior PGA
photo by Tennessee Golf Association
Hixson’s Carlee Rogers put together her second straight day of even par golf on Wednesday to remain alive in the Girls Division of the Junior PGA Championship at the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex in West Lafayette, Ind.
Rogers, a rising senior at Baylor School and University of Miami commit, encountered a bumpy stretch on her opening nine with three bogeys over a four-hole stretch. But she tallied clutch birdies at 15 and 16 to post a 71, good for a tie in 37th place at even par 143.
Those late birdies enabled Rogers to safely clear the cutline of 2-over 145, and she is one of 60 golfers advancing to Thursday’s competition. The field will be cut to the low 30 plus ties after 54 holes to compete in Friday’s final round.
Knoxville’s Addisyn Newman completed her showing at 4-over 147 with rounds of 72-75, while Dickson’s Poppy Pewitt signed for a pair of 79s to finish at 15-over 158.
California’s Asterisk Talley and Zoe Cusack of Maryland are co-leaders at 10-under 133.
Andrew Sciortino shot 2-under 70 on Wednesday to survive the cut in the Boys Division. The Brentwood Academy senior and Lipscomb University commit birdied holes 6 thru 8 as part of his five-birdie round to close his two days in a tie for 18th at 5-under 138.
With 66 golfers bettering the cut line of even par 143 to advance to Thursday’s play the other Tennessee Boys Division representatives saw their week come to an early end.
Nashville’s Brayden Bennett missed by one shot after posting rounds of 70-74 to close at 1-over 144, while Ben Blackburn of Franklin finished at 6-over 149 with rounds of 74-75.
Lunden Esterline of Kansas leads by five shots after shooting 62 on Wednesday to sit at 14-under 129. Charlie Woods, the son of Tiger Woods, climbed 39 places into a tie for 7th after shooting 6-under 66 to close at 7-under 136.
For complete results and live scoring, go to Junior PGA.
Herrington, Tankersley Alive In Western Amateur
A pair of former Dickson County High School standouts are still alive after making the cut at 2-under 138 at the 123rd Western Amateur played at Skokie Country Club in Glencoe, Ill.
Jackson Herrington, who is entering his sophomore campaign at Tennessee, amassed 16 pars to go with a lone birdie and bogey to shoot even par 70 on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Ole Miss senior Cameron Tankersley overcame a shaky first round by recording the low score on Day 2, bagging five birdies and an eagle to post a 5-under 65 and to earn a tie for 16th.
A total of 54 golfers advanced to Thursday’s 36-hole marathon where the top 16 move on to the match play portion of the event. Those missing the cut line of even par 140 were Evan Woosley-Reed of Knoxville (69-73 142), Franklin resident Ethan Evans (68-76 144), UTC freshman Evan Rogers of Duluth, Ga. (70-76 146) and Tennessee senior Lance Simpson of Knoxville (73-77 150).
Tennessee commit Tyler Watts of Huntsville, Ala. followed his course record opening round 62 with a 72 on Wednesday, his two-day total of 6-under 134 landing him in a tie for 3rd place one shot behind Vanderbilt’s Wells Williams and William Sides of Oklahoma.
For live scoring and complete results, go to Western Amateur results.
Paul Payne can be emailed at paulpayne6249@gmail.com
Andrew Sciortino of Brentwood is tied for 18th in the Boys' Junior PGA
photo by USGA/Dustin Satloff