FAYETTEVILLE -- Zoe Antoinette Campos defeated Michaela Morard on the first playoff hole to win the third annual KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational on Thursday.
Campos immediately applied pressure when she teed off first on the par-3, No. 9 at Fayetteville Country Club. Using an 8-iron, she stuck the ball eight feet from the pin. Players, college coaches and spectators feared the shot was going to be wide right as the ball left the tee box.
KPMG Stacy Lewis Junior All-Star Invitational
at Fayetteville Country Club
Final results
Girls
^Name^Grad^Hometown^R1-R2-R3^Score
1*^Zoe Antoinette Campos^2021^Valencia, Calif.^70-69-70^209
2^Michaela Morard^2020^Huntsville, Ala.^72-68-69^209
T3^Rose Zhang^2021^Irvine, Calif.^71-69-70^210
T3^Elina Sinz^2020^Katy, Texas^68-70-72^210
T5^Brianna Navarrosa^2020^San Diego, Calif.^72-73-67^212
T5^Kynadie Adams^2022^Gallatin, Tenn.^73-69-70^212
7^Briana Chacon^2019^Whittier, Calif.^73-71-70^214
T8^Phoebe Brinker^2020^Wilmington, Del.^77-68-72^217
T8^Julia Gregg^2019^Farmers Branch, Texas^71-72-74^217
T8^Makenzie Niblett^2021^Austin, Texas^70-71-76^217
T8^Katie Yoo^2020^Orlando, Fla.^73-68-76^217
T8^Sadie Englemann^2020^Austin, Texas^70-69-78^217
•Won via sudden-death playoff
Boys
^Name^Grad^Hometown^R1-R2-R3^Score
1^Jackson Rivera^2021^Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.^69-67-68^204
2^Kelvin Lim^2020^(Canada) Thornhill, Ontario^69-72-65^206
3^Dawson Ovard^2019^Frisco, Texas^73-63-71^207
4^Jake Beber-Frankel^2020^Miami, Fla.^69-70-69^208
5^Tucker Clark^2020^Phoenix, Ariz.^72-67-70^209
6^Nicklas Staub^2022^Boynton Beach, Fla.^74-68-68^210
7^Nate Plaster^2020^Spokane, Wash.^70-69-72^211
8^Jackson Van Paris^2021^Pinehurst, N.C.^67-73-72^212
T9^Evan Vo^2021^Austin, Texas^70-76-67^213
T9^Austin Liu^2019^Oak Park, Calif.^68-72-73^213
T9^Connery Meyer^2020^Marietta, Ga.^72-68-73^213
12^John Daly II^2021^Clearwater, Fla.^71-69-74^214
"I knew I hit it well, and I knew it would draw back into the hole," said Campos, a 14-year-old from Valencia, Calif. "I'm just happy I hit a good shot. If it got to her, then it got to her. That's just part of it."
Morard hit four shots before Campos even had to putt. By that time, Campos only needed to two-putt for the win, but instead sank the eight-footer to begin a celebration that included friend and fellow AJGA golfer Briana Chacon squirting bottled water all over Campos.
"Every time I'm in a playoff, I always get nervous," Campos said. "But I always know how to handle myself and I'm glad I did it right this time, too."
Campos, who said she's strongly considering golfing at UCLA in college, was one-under par on Thursday to give herself a three-day total of 209 (-4) for the tourney. The playoff hole was Campos' second time to birdie No. 9 on Thursday. She said sinking a long putt on that hole during her round gave her confidence and kept her in the championship hunt.
"When I finished the ninth hole, I knew I was still in it and knew I could still do it," Campos said. "My putts didn't drop in on the back-9, so it was a struggle, but I made it through."
Elina Sinz, who sat atop the leaderboard through the first two rounds, had a two-stroke lead heading into the final two holes. But a bogey on No. 17 a double bogey on No. 18 (she three-putted after escaping a sand trap) dropped Sinz into a tie for third and forced the playoff between Campos and Morard, who's already verbally committed to Alabama.
In the boys' division, Jackson Rivera of Rancho Santa Fe shot a two-under par during his final round to finish with a 204 (-6) for his second tournament victory in the past month. He birdied three of the final seven holes to win by two strokes.
"I think I was back three (of the leader) at one point, so I was a little frustrated," Rivera said. "I figured I've got nothing to lose and might as well go right at the pins, so I hit some shots close and was able to get some birdies."
Rivera entered the day tied for the lead with Dawson Ovard, who finished third. Kelvin Lim rocketed from 11th to second place with a five-under par in his final round.
John Daly II was four-over par on Thursday to come in 12th overall with a total score of 214 at the three-day event.
Sports on 06/23/2017