By Marty Gordon
15-year-old Blacksburg High School golfer Jake Albert is a national champion after winning this week’s high school golf national invitational at Pinehurst, N.C.
Albert’s 10-under for the three-day, 54-hole event was the lowest score in the tournament’s history. He finished the event with 16 pars.
Benjamin Siriboury of Maryland finished 8-under, two strokes back of Albert.
The invitation-only tournament field featured more than 330 of the top high school boys’ golfers from across the country. They had each won their respective state championships as a team or as individuals.
Individual and team national champions were crowned following the stroke-play event, the fourth straight year for the tournament.
Competition rounds took place on Pinehurst’s No. 5, No. 6, and No. 7 courses.
In team competition, Blacksburg High School’s Pierce Campbell, Sean Ruan, David Zhang, and Albert, playing as Virginia, shot a combined 309 for the tournament to finish in eighth place.