Pennson Badgett would have had an easy time writing a compelling composition about what he did on his summer vacation, though it might have been tough keeping his paper short.
The Pilot Mountain native, who has committed to playing next year at the University of Tennessee, had a star-studded summer in the amateur golf spotlight. His traveling took him to two of golf’s most revered courses, Bethpage Black and The Olympic Club. He turned down a trip to Japan.
“It happens fast,” Badgett said in early September. “You don’t really have time to step back and realize what you’ve done. It’s been a pretty cool summer. I’m just chilling out right now. I’m not in a hurry for anything.”
A few quick highlights: Badgett played with Charlie Woods, Tiger’s son, in the final group in the final round of the Junior PGA Championship and eventually finished fifth in the national tournament.
No, neither Tiger nor ex-wife Elin Nordegren, attended. Instead, Badgett strode the fairways at Purdue University with a few of Woods’ bodyguards and his agent.
Badgett didn’t expect Tiger in the gallery. As most of the players, he had been unable to find the world’s most famous golfer in the gallery during the tournament.
But he enjoyed playing with Charlie. The two had played together earlier in the spring in a small international field at Sage Valley near Aiken, South Carolina.
“He is a really good kid,” Badgett said. “He’s really fun to play with because of the crowd. There was a big gallery. There were a lot of people out there.”
A few weeks later, Badgett was back in the spotlight, advancing to the match play round at the U.S. Amateur, getting the 64th and final spot in a 19-player playoff. Friend Mason Howell of Thomasville, Georgia, also a rising senior in high school, eventually won the tournament after getting the 63rd spot in the playoff.
“It could have been me,” Badgett admitted of the surprises that often accompany match play.
Though he had a cushion of a few strokes coming down the stretch in the final round of stroke play, Badgett suffered a double-bogey on his 16th hole (No. 6) after he slipped and fell into a fairway bunker during his swing on his second shot.
His feet against the lip of a bunker in the left side of the fairway, Badgett slipped during his swing, falling back into the sand and moving the ball only 40 yards or so.
“I’d never had that happen before,” he said.
Though he lost his opening match to All-American Preston Stout of NCAA champion Oklahoma State, Badgett was shown making a birdie in the match during live coverage from Golf Channel.
Badgett’s coach Brad Luebchow, who teaches out of Maple Chase Country Club, had been at Olympic during the practice rounds but left before the tournament started. Playing with older brother Anderson, who was under the weather, carrying his bag, Badgett lost to Stout, whose OSU coach Allen Bratton caddied for him.
The Badgett family stayed in San Francisco an extra day to take in various attractions. They saw redwoods, the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz and visited Pier 39 and Lombardo Street.
“I think that was one of our better days out there,” Badgett said. “Just being out there with my family.”
Badgett also played in a few of the nation’s top amateur events, such as the Sunnehanna Amateur in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, that are typically dominated by top collegiate golfers.
He said he expects to play in a few fall tournaments. A wing player on the East Surry basketball team the past three years, the 6-footer is undecided on whether to play as a senior, though he enjoys the camaraderie on the team.
“I want to play with my boys,” Badgett said. “It’s kind of a tough decision.”
Badgett said he will play his final season on the East Surry golf team with hopes of leading the Cardinals to a state title. Badgett was medalist as a freshman to lead the team to the 2023 Class 2A title.
Though he hasn’t won this summer while playing against elite competition, Badgett has seven top 10 finishes in his last eight tournaments.
“Coming into year, my goal was playing more consistent,” he said. “I feel I accomplished that. I played real good golf all summer.”
Badgett has come a long way in a short time. Less than two years ago, he was fighting to get into top events. Then in a span of weeks in 2024, he won three high-profile junior titles.
“It happened really fast,” Badgett said. “I just shot up rankings and it really changed my life.”