The Blue Ridge Junior Golf Tour completed its 2021 season at Fincastle in Bluefield Tuesday with the tour championship, and Blacksburg golfer J.J. Robertson shot a 40, giving him a two-day total of 85 and the 9-and-under age-group victory.
The winner’s circle is familiar territory for young Robertson as he won the age group for the fourth time this season.
Marco Beato of Blacksburg and Anderson Lilly of Oak Hill, W.Va., tied for second in the age group with scores of 97.
Here is a summary of the results from the tour championship:
17-18 Age Group Par 70 6579 Yards
Tanner Walls of Mathena, W.Va., started the day with a six-shot lead, fired a closing round 75 and won the age group by nine strokes with a two-day total of 148. Walls made 12 pars for the second day in a row, which didn’t allow any competitor to encroach on his position at the top. The victory also propelled Walls to the Player of the Year honor in the age group. Logan Douthat of Pearisburg shot 77 on the second day to capture second place in the tournament with a two-day total of 157. Seth Walker of Christiansburg posted a score of 80 to finish third with a 36-hole total of 163.
Joining Walls on the season’s All-Star Team were Douthat, Dalton Minnick of Abingdon, Jack Davis of Radford, and Ezra Drumheller of Prosperity, W.Va.
15-16 Age Group Par 70 6168 Yards
Chase Coley of Chilhowie shot 73 and finished with a 36-hole score of 145 to win the age group. Coley entered the day with a four-shot lead, and like Walls in the older age group made plenty of pars to fend off challengers. Coley tallied 13 pars during the trek around the 18 holes and added a lone birdie to secure the victory. Major Ewing of Blacksburg played a solid round and shot 74 to finish with a two-day total of 150, good for second place. Ryne Bond of Floyd secured third place with a 36-hole score of 158.
Ewing was awarded the Player of the Year honor based on his play throughout the season. Joining him on the All-Star Team were Bond, Coley, Walker Gillespie of Pearisburg, and Corey Powers of Check.
13-14 Age Group Par 70 5365 Yards
Grayden Laird of Galax posted a score of 75 on the second day to finish with a 36-hole total of 145 and win the age group. After posting the low round of the day on Monday, Laird was able to hold off challengers with consistent play. The victory helped him earn the Player of the Year honors in the age group. Ryan Highfield of Blacksburg shot 76 for the second consecutive day, yielding a 36-hole total of 152 and a second-place finish. Cameron Sharp had a two-day total of 163 and finished third.
Joining Laird on the All-Star Team were Highfield, Sharp, Carson Iroler of Galax, and Jack Skinner of Blacksburg.
10-12 Age Group Par 35 2421 Yards
It took extra holes before a winner emerged in this age group. Campbell Sayers of Marion was able to outlast Tyler Stover in a playoff that lasted four holes. After both players made a birdie on the par-5 third hole, Sayers made a par on the downhill 149-yard par 3 to secure the victory.
At the beginning of the day, Sayers had a three-shot lead over Stover. However, the young player from Beckley, W.Va., made two birdies, including one on the finishing hole, and shot 39 on the day and 81 for the 18-hole total to pull even with Sayers, who had two birdies on his card as well and had posted a score of 42 on the second day of competition to earn the right to get into the playoff. Rylan McGinnis of Blacksburg had a two-day total of 87 and finished third.
McGinnis was named Player of the Year in the age group as a result of his stellar play throughout the season. Stover was named to the All-Star Team along with Liam Smith of Elliston, Porter Laird of Galax, and Peyton Laird also of Galax.
9 and Under Age Group Par 35 1997 Yards
Christopher Rizo of Tazewell was named Player of the Year in the age group for the consistent level of his play all season. John Cline of Raven, Robertson, Beato, and Lilly joined Rizo on the All-Star Team.
