Colin McKenna, one of the key players in Northern Guilford High School’s march to the 3-A state championship last May, claimed his biggest individual win of the year in October when he captured the Precision Golf Junior Championship.
Playing at Bryan Park’s Players Course, McKenna fired a 2-under-par 70 on Oct. 23 to open a two-shot lead and followed the next day with a 76 at the Champions Course. He ended four shots clear of second-place Nick Brenner of Charlotte, who shot 79-71. There were 51 players in the boys 15-18 field.
McKenna, a junior at Northern, has had a solid year since the high school season ended. Earlier in October, he tied for second in the Tarheel Golf Foundation Tour event at Lonnie Poole Golf Course in Raleigh with 76-71. Several other top-10s are on his rankings ledger posted by the Carolinas Golf Association.
Jeffrey Jackman, like McKenna a Summerfield resident and a member of the Northern golf program, added a tie for fourth at Bryan Park with 79-73. Caleb Keck of Reidsville also claimed a share of fourth with 77-75.
Three players tied for eighth at 154: Tanner Gross of Archdale (78-76), Logan Ellis of Julian (78-76) and Justin Franklin of High Point (77-77).
Andrew Kennedy of Winston-Salem claimed the age 12-14 title with 77-76 and Tristan Lough of Elon was second with 76-81.
Tarheel Youth Foundation
HIGH POINT • Oct. 23-24 – Tanner Owen of High Point fired a four-under-par 68 and rolled to a 12-shot victory in the freshman/sophomore division of the Tarheel Youth Foundation Tour event at High Point Country Club’s Willow Creek course.
Owen, who posted a 70 in the first round, was the overall winner of the event as the senior/junior division played the same 6,696-yard course.
Taylor Coalson of Dobson held off Jason Woodall of Yanceyville in a sudden death playoff to win the older boys division. Coalson (77-69) and Woodall (73-73) made it a two-way race as the third-place finisher was nine shots off the pace. Coalson broke the deadlock on the third extra hole.
Cody Hodges of Mount Airy was sixth with 158.
Thomas Walsh of High Point was the middle school division winner with 77-73. Jennings Milholen of Siler City was second with 86-72.
SANFORD • Nov. 6-7 – Owen continued his strong play in the TYF Tour event at Carolina Trace with a second-place finish. Owen (79-69) and Zach Seabolt of Raleigh (72-76) actually tied for first but Seabolt prevailed in the playoff.
In the older division, Coalson tied for second with 78-71, five shots back of Matthew Yelverton of Matthews. Jay Ealley of Greensboro was third with 72-80 and McKenna tied for eighth with 79-78.
RALEIGH • Oct. 16-17 – Kyle Austin of Mebane shot 80-72 and finished third in the freshman/sophomore division of the event at Lonnie Poole Golf Course.
Gregory Mauldin of Archdale (84-74) and Jonah Shelton of Stoneville (80-78) tied for eighth.
In the girls competition, Taylor Penzer of Summerfield placed third with 79-80.
