A pair of Palmetto State golfers were in the round of 32 at the US Women’s Amateur. Jensen Castle from West Columbia and Anna Morgan from Spartanburg won their round of 64 matches to advance.

Castle, a rising junior at Kentucky won two matches and is into the quarter finals.

Her first match was against Sophie Linder from Tennessee. Castle had the lead most of the match and finished with a 1-up victory to advance to the afternoon round of 16.

Morgan battled Jenny Bae to the final hole before dropping a 1-up decision to the Georgia golfer. Bae had to birdie the final hole to knock the Furman golfer out of the bracket.

In the round of 16, Castle drew the golfer who topped Morgan, Jenny Bae.

The Wildcat golfer won the first two holes on the back nine with birdies and went on to win the match 4 and 2 over Bae.

Castle, who is playing in her second USGA Women’s Amateur will face Emilie Mahar from Australia. Mahar plays collegiately at Virginia Tech.

USGA Women’s Amateur scores https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/championships/2021/u-s–women-s-amateur.html#!scoring

Gregory wins Hope Valley Junior

Andrew Gregory broke through for his first Carolinas Golf Association’s junior tournament title with a 1-shot victory at the Hope Valley Junior in Durham, NC.

Gregory shot an opening round 3-under par 67 to be a shot off the lead and stayed in second place after the second round.

The Boiling Springs High School golfer trailed Will Hartman from Marvin, NC by a shot going into the final round.

On a course that didn’t give up many birdies, Gregory made his move to the lead on the final six holes.

He birdied two of his final six holes with birdies on numbers 15 and 17.

While he was pleased to put a couple of red numbers on his score card he knew playing solid par golf could lead to a win.

“I knew this golf course was just going to get harder,” said Gregory. “I knew scores were just going to get higher so I was just trying to make some pars,” he said

Gregory had three bogeys in the round, but the two late birdies gave him just enough room to edge by Ian Glanton from Meter, Georgia.

Glanton shot a 4-under par 66 in the final round to finish in a tie for second with Xander Goboy from Virginia.

Gregory was the only golfer to finish the 54 hole championship under par.

“This place fit my wedge game this week,” said Gregory. “My short game was really good the past few days. That’s pretty much what saved me. “It feels great,” I honestly can’t believe it.”

Scores from the CGA’s Hope Valley Junior https://hopevalleyjuniorinvitational.com/scoring/

Rotermund leads the SCGA Am after round 1

At the South Carolina Golf Association State Amateur the first round leader is a high school golfer from Daniel Island

Oliver Rotermund shot a 6-under par 66 at the DeBordieu Club to hold a two shot lead over the field.

The Bishop England golfer played the front nine last in his round and carded 5 birdies and could have had a few more.

Rottermind’s birdie binge actualy started on the 18th hole and carried over to the front nine.

“I finished out the front nine with a birdie today, which was good,” said Rotermund. “On the front I hit it close on every hole. I had a birdie putt on every hole. I took advantage of every opportunity I had. My putter was pretty hot,” he said.

The rising high school senior has a 2-shot lead over Zach Adams from Charleston and Francis Marion golfer Michael Rials.

“This is not what I expected, but I’m definitely ready for it. I’m in a good spot, I got to take advantage of it. I’m not going to shy away from it,” said the first round leader.

There is a log jam in fourth place, Raymond Wooten from Clemson, Rafe Reynolds from Greenville, Taylor Ingle from Winnsboro, Zachary Herold from Lexington and Mitchell Vance from Hartsville all shot 3-under par 69.

Twenty-five golfers in the field of a 32 shot even par or better on the demanding course.

The defending champion Jonathan Griz is not in the field this week. He qualified for the US Amateur that begins on Monday.

SCGA Amateur Scores https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/2793324