County has 14 golfers in tourney

When play started this week at the 44th annual Georgia Junior Golf Championship, the field of 144 included 14 players from Columbia County.

//

The event at the Sea Island Retreat Course on St. Simons Island features the premier young golfers in the state. The competition is open to boys between the ages of 14 and 17 who are Georgia residents.

Last year, Augusta native and Westside High School star Chase Parker fired rounds of 69-70-70 (7-under-par 209) to capture the title on his home course at Augusta Country Club. Parker, a University of Kentucky signee, stayed hot as he helped lead Westside to the AAAA state title this spring.

The 2009 entries will have to deal with a difficult layout that was redesigned by Davis Love III in 2001. The Retreat Course will play to 7,106 yards, with difficult par-4 holes at 13 and 14. No. 13 plays at 466 yards, and No. 14 at 486 yards.

Also, both par threes on the front nine measure more than 220 yards, and the final par five on the Retreat Course will play nearly 600 yards. Below is a list of the Columbia County contingent. I will have a complete wrap-up of the event Sunday.

- Evan Usry (Greenbrier)

- Brant Patton (Lakeside)

- Brent Roberson (Greenbrier)

- Will Mobley (Augusta Prep)

- Alex Dye (Greenbrier)

- John Hardy (Lakeside)

- Kyle Hope (Greenbrier)

- David Gibbs (Lakeside)

- Jack Gibbs (Lakeside)

- Austin Vick (Greenbrier)

- Robert Roberson (Greenbrier)

- Tyler Duke (Lakeside)

- Cody Shafer (Greenbrier)

- Michael Lyons (Lakeside)

Good luck to our local players in today's final round.