Eichelsbacher and Yi Take Home Titles at Timberlake CC in HJGT Summer Opener

June 6, 2011 - PRLog -- The Hurricane Junior Golf Tour made its annual stop at the Timberlake Country Club in Chapin, South Carolina this past weekend to host the Columbia Jr. Challenge.  The HJGT staff and competitors were welcomed with open arms by the golf professional Jeffery Marks to a newly constructed club house and a golf course in prime shape which challenged players throughout the event.  Golfers competed in four age divisions with the tournament being ranked by the South Carolina Junior Golf Association (SCJGA).  The weather this weekend was simple; hot and muggy with temperatures in the mid 90’s with very little breeze.
   
   It was a true first for Kyle Eichelsbacher of Hilton Head, SC as he was able to take home the top prize in the Boys 15-19 Division, earning him his first tour win of the year.  The key to the win was his play on the first round at Timberlake CC when he shot three under par (68) and posted the only under par round of the entire weekend in any division.  Eichelsbacher finished at +2 (68 +76=144) for the tournament which placed him five strokes ahead of the next competitors.  He finished with six total birdies including four on Saturday, and posted par on 24 of 36 holes giving him an overall 83.3% of par or better for the event.  Second place went to two competitors.  Andrew Grice of Columbia, SC and Taylor Martin of Braselton, GA both finished the weekend out at +7.  Both golfers posted five birdies in the two-day event, and Martin was even able to score an eagle.  This obviously is a stat worth noting due to the level of toughness which the course posed to players throughout weekend.

   The story going into the start of the Columbia Jr. Challenge in the Girls 14-18 Division was if Eunice Yi of Evans, GA was going to make it “back-to-back” tour wins.  Yi, who had one the previous HJGT tournament in Okatie, SC at the Bluffton Junior open, stepped up her game for the second straight tournament to make it two in a row finishing at +12 (74+80=154) for the weekend.  She too can credit her opening round score of +3 as one of the reasons for her win at Timberlake CC.  Yi finished with four birdies for the tournament, and seems right on track to take the HJGT by storm this summer as she in on quite the roll.  She talked about how she wants to “keep improving and playing great golf” as the summer heats up with a multitude of golf tournaments.  Finishing in second at +18 (82+78=160) was a hometown product, Libby Crawford, who calls Chapin, SC home.  She was able to post par on 20 of 36 holes this weekend.  Rounding out the top three was Lily Bartell of Hilton Head Island, SC at +24 (84+82=166).

   In the Boys 13-14 Division Matt Collins of Duluth, GA ran away from the field posting a +12 (78+76=154) at the Columbia Jr. Challenge.  Collins had four birdies and shot par on 17/36 holes.  His final score placed him thirteen strokes ahead of the next competitors in the division, so there is something to be said about his fine play throughout the tournament.  Two competitors finished tied for second in this division as well.  Zach McLain of Gilbert, SC and Bryson Nimmer of Bluffton, SC both posted weekend totals of 167.  A stat worth noting about McLain is his eagle which he shot on the final hole of the tournament.  The eagle allowed him to finish tied with Nimmer, and more importantly in the top three landing him the second place hardware.

   For Zack Heustess in the Boys 10-12 Division there was no looking back once play was started on Saturday at Timberlake CC.  Heustess, who finished at +20 (80+82=162), posted 18 pars and one birdie for the event.  Chad Carter of Aiken, SC took home the second place prize, and Alexander Dablah of Peachtree City, GA landed in the third spot at his first ever HJGT event.   

For more pictures and information from the Columbia Jr. Challenge from Timberlake CC, please visit the HJGT fan page on Facebook.com.  Also, be sure to check out player quotes in our weekly video, which can be found on the HJGT website. For a direct link to the HJGT Facebook page, YouTube channel and final round results please visit www.hjgt.org.

Tournament Yardage:   
Boys 13-14 and 15-19 – 6,507 yards
Girls 14-18 and Boys 10-12 – 5,657 yards

Weather:
Saturday – 94 degrees, sunny
Sunday – 97 degrees, sunny

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The mission of the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour is to accommodate the
ladies and gentleman of junior golf with an extraordinary experience
in a competitive environment. The HJGT offfers junior tournaments throughout the Southeast.