Elizabeth Moon squeaked by Casey Ott in her quest to repeat, but Hyunje Lee made sure Fisher Vollendorf wasn't going to regain his championship Thursday at the Arkansas State Golf Association Junior Match Play tournament at Eagle Hill Golf and Athletic Club in Little Rock.
Moon, of Forrest City, defeated Ott, the 2013 champion, by the same 1-up score in a rematch of last year's championship to win the girls title. Lee had a 5-up lead over Vollendorf at the turn, then won two of the first three holes on the back side for a dominating 7-and-6 victory over the 2014 winner out of Fayetteville.
With a 2-up lead after four holes, thanks to mistakes by Vollendorf, Lee handled things himself with a drive to within 2 feet at the par-3 sixth hole to up his advantage. That began a run of three consecutive holes he won which culminated on the par-5 eighth after an hour, 25 minute weather delay.
After both players hit their second shots into the eighth fairway, play was stopped since lightning could be seen in the distance. They made it back to the clubhouse just in time as heavy rain hit.
Following the delay, Vollendorf hit his third shot barely into the fringe behind the hole where he got aggressive with a wedge, running his fourth shot 8 feet past the hole and missing his par attempt coming back.
Lee, 15, of North Little Rock, two-putted after being safely on in two, but the mistake put Vollendorf in dire straits at 5-down with 10 holes to play.
"I just got over aggressive with that chip and slammed it by," said Vollendorf, 16. "I was hitting the ball off the tee well, but from the fairways I never got my distances right. I never really got anything going and it was a grind just to make par."
Lee, who was consistently 60-80 yards behind Vollendorf off the tee, said he doesn't press when other players pass him on the fairways. He sticks with his strategy and typically it pays off.
"I'm used to older kids hitting it by me 50 yards or further. But I counted on my strength, which is my accuracy," Lee said. "Plus, before I even begin a match, I tell myself that I want to get 2-up as soon as I can. Then I feel like I will be in good shape if I can keep that lead to the end."
Lee won the par-5 10th to go 6-up when Vollendorf found the water with his second shot. Then with a chance to go dormie on the 11th, Lee missed a short birdie putt. It didn't matter as Fisher's tee shot on the par-3 12th found the water, ensuring Lee the tournament victory as well as unofficially locking up the player of the year race over Ryan Spurlock of Maumelle. Lee defeated Spurlock 4 and 3 in an earlier semifinal Thursday.
"I got off to a good start this year and was winning player of the year after my first seven tournaments until Ryan took it back," Lee said. "I didn't think I was going to win it, but I feel very fortunate how I ended the year on a good note."
Moon carried a 2-up advantage through 11 holes in a battle of 15-year olds before Ott, of Conway, three-putted from 8 feet on the 12th to fall 3 down. Ott didn't help herself when she topped a drive 80 yards on the par-4 13th. Somehow, though, she scrambled for par as Moon three-putted for bogey to still have a chance.
Ott won the 15th after bombing a drive nearly 300 yards. Her birdie attempt just missed, but Moon three-putted from 40 feet, leaving her with a slim 1-up advantage going into the 16th which both bogeyed.
Ott went for the green at the par-4 17th, coming up 50 yards short. Moon was 130 yards out after her tee shot, left her approach short and left, but chipped closely and saved par as Ott missed her 15-foot birdie attempt.
Moon, who also unofficially won player of the year honors with the match play victory, found the fairway at the par-5 18th, but sliced her second right 40 yards from the hole. Ott couldn't take advantage, hitting a tree on her drive and punching out where she found another tree 100 yards from the hole. Both were on the green in three, but after a pair of two-putts by both, Moon had regained her title.
"I was frustrated with myself making that bogey at 13, but my caddie [Stephanie Leake] helped set things straight," Moon said. "I lost focus then got it back. She was a big help."
Ott said she was pleased hitting some big drives late, especially after the topped shot at the 13th. In the long run, though, she knows her chances at a second match play title will have to come next year.
"I knew I had to stay positive after that drive on 13 and I did for the most part," Ott said. "I didn't have a couple of good swings on the 18th but I still had a chance which I am thankful for.
"Next year I am hoping the third time is the charm to beat her. She wanted it more today and she played great."
Sports on 07/24/2015