TEXARKANA — Sean Romero of Texarkana shot a 5-under-par 67 in Thursday’s final round to take an 11-stroke victory in the Arkansas State Golf Association Junior Stroke Play Championship at Texarkana Country Club.
Romero, 16, finished with a 54-hole score of 16-under 200. Little Rock’s Corbin Renner was second at 211.
The only other golfer to shoot under par in the tournament was Texarkana’s Cole Kennedy, who shot a course-record 62 Thursday to finish at 215. Cabot’s Colby Benton shot even par on the final day for a 217.
Heber Springs’ Katie Webb won the girls division by shooting 80 Thursday for a 29-over 245 totaland three-shot victory over Jessieville’s Grier Bennett, who had entered the final round tied for first place with Webb.
Romero made a 40-foot birdie putt at the first hole, and he got up and down from the sand at the par-5 second hole for another birdie. It marked the third consecutive day he hadstarted with birdies on his first two holes.
There was more drama at the long par-3 third hole.
“I was just trying to throw the ball at the center of the greens today and hopefully make a few putts,” Romero said. “I almost had a hole-inone at the third hole. I was just an inch from dunking, but it rolled about six feet past the flag and I missed the putt.
“I didn’t hit the ball as well today. My goal was to play bogey-free and I did that. I hit a bunch of bunkers on the front, but got up and down each time. That helped my momentum going to the back.”
Romero finished 3 under on the front, scoring a third birdie at the par-5 seventh. His final two birdies came at 10 and 18, with several close calls in between.
ASGA Junior Stroke Thursday at Texarkana Country Club Par 72
BOYS OVERALL TOP THREE Sean Romero ................64-69-67-200 Corbin Renner ...............71-69-71-211 Cole Kennedy ................75-78-62-215
GIRLS OVERALL TOP THREE Katie Webb ....................82-83-80-245 Grier Bennett .................86-79-83-248 Kaylee Benton ...............87-85-79-251 Complete results, 5C
Sports, Pages 17 on 07/30/2010