The Blue Ridge Junior Golf Tour wrapped up its 25th season back where it all began – at Pipestem Resort State Park in West Virginia.
Pipestem hosted the first Blue Ridge Junior Golf Tournament in 1999.
Friendly volunteers and resort staff greeted the aspiring young players setting the stage for a memorable two days of golf.
“We greatly appreciate the hospitality of Pipestem Head Professional Steve Robertson and the staff,” said tour coordinator Dewayne Belcher. “They made us feel very welcomed and provided a fantastic experience for the players.”
In the par 72, 6,645-yard course played by the 17- and 18-year-old group, Blake Hogan emerged victorious, breaking a tie with first round co-leader Walker Gillespie of Pearisburg.
Hogan, of Forest, fired an even par 72 for the second consecutive day to finish with 144 strokes over 35 holes. His closing nine holes came in one under par and included a pair of birdies.
But Gillespie kept things tight, scoring nine consecutive pars during the round.
Hunter Howard of Shawsville finished third with a total of 162 over the 36 holes.
Gillespie was named Player of the Year, accumulating the most points during the season.
Hogan, Howard, Colton Ferrel of Newport, Virginia, and Colin McClintic of Abingdon join Gillespie on the All-Star team.
In the 15- and 16-year-old age group, Peyton Mason of Willis took first on the par 72, 6,623-yard course, carding a 146 over 36 holes.
In the first round, Mason was at an even par 72. Mason played steady golf mixing two birdies among 12 pars and four bogeys to secure the victory.
In close pursuit was Harris Camp of Roanoke. Camp had moved to two under par after 11 holes, but couldn’t sustain the momentum on the way to the finish, allowing Mason to escape with the first place flag.
Rocky Frye of Bramwell, West Virginia, posted the low round of the day with a two under par 70 and finished third with a score of 149. Frye made five birdies on his way to the sub-par round.
Gage Hogan of Forest was fourth with a score of 151, followed by Hunter Crist at 152. Crist helped his score with an even par 70 on the second day of competition.
Mason was named Player of the Year in the age group. Camp, Frye, Crist, and Ryan Highfield of Blacksburg joined Mason on the All-Star team.
Evan Singleton of Pulaski captured the flag in the 13- and 14-year-old age group playing on a par 72, 5,847-yard course. Singleton made a birdie on the difficult, par three 17th hole to win the age group by a single shot over Tyler Stover of Beckley, West Virginia. The two were paired together on both days and displayed great sportsmanship as they battled over 36 holes. Singleton posted rounds of 80 and 78 Stover had scores of 79-80.
Jack Herbert of Blacksburg was third with a score of 163 followed by Mike Bateman of Salem at 165.
Stover was able to secure Player of the Year honors by accumulating the most points throughout the season in the age group. Singleton, Herbert, Bateman and Brody Thomas of Glade Spring joined Stover on the All-Star team.
A sudden-death playoff decided the champ in the 10- to 12-year-old age group playing a par 36, 2,517-yard course.
Josiah Underwood made par on the first hole to take the win over Seth Alba of Blacksburg.
Scores of the two players mirrored each other as they both tallied a nine-hole total of 39 on the first day of competition and 37 on the second day. Colson Tickle of Ripplemead, Virginia, was third with a score of 79. JJ Robertson of Blacksburg and Liam Smith of Elliston tied for fourth with scores of 80.
Alba was named Player of the Year in the age group. Underwood, Robertson, Tickle, Smith and Wallace joined Alba on the All-Star team.
In the 9 and under age group, Michael Brown of Blacksburg took the win on a par 36, 1,954-yard course, finishing with a two-day total of 89.
Connor Kitts of Bluefield, Virginia, finished second, carding a 107. Matthew French finished third with a score of 129.
Kitts was the Player of the Year in the age group. Brown, French and Silas Edmonds and Colton Caudill, both of Wytheville, joined Kitts on the All-Star team.
