HJGT Fall Championship held at Woodside course

This past weekend, the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour visited Aiken and the scenic Woodside Plantation Cupp Course for the HJGT Fall Championship, which was the final major for the 2009 season. The beautifully laid-out course offered many challenging holes for the players. With the out-of-bounds, water and bunkers on almost all of the holes, many of the players found the course very difficult but fair. The cold, rainy weather during the first round added to the challenging nature of the course. The players who were able to withstand the tough conditions ultimately prevailed as the fall champions.

After a first round of rain and cold, only Thomas Bradshaw of Columbia and Joshua O'Neal of Simpsonville carded rounds under par in the Boys 16-19 division. Bradshaw was the first-round leader with a 2-under-par round of 70, and O'Neal was in second with a 1-under 71. Caulder Moore of Isle of Palms was also in close contention with a strong first round of 1-over-par, 73.

O'Neal came back strong the second round and almost overtook Bradshaw as the leader with two consecutive birdies on the eleventh and twelfth holes, but Bradshaw was able to hold O'Neal off for the title. Both Bradshaw and O'Neal turned in rounds of 73 for the final day, but Bradshaw's one-shot lead after the first round was the key to his win. Bradshaw's tournament total of 143 was largely helped by his average of 4.62 strokes on the par-5s and his nine birdies, which was the most of anyone in the field. O'Neal's outstanding par-4 average of 3.95 helped him in scoring a two-day total of 144 and second place. Moore's 25 pars allowed for his solid rounds 73-72, a tournament total of 145, and third place in the Boys 16-19 division.

In the Boys 13-15 division, Jackson Moore of Isle of Palms and Grant Waggoner of North Charleston were tied for the lead after the first round when both turned in a four-over par, 76. Waggoner started off the second round a little shaky, bogeying the first hole to Moore's par; this allowed Moore to take the outright lead. After that point, Moore's steady play for another four-over par round of 76 and a tournament total of 152 allowed Moore to take the division title. Waggoner took second place with a final round of 78 and tournament total 154. Emmanuel Kountakis of Augusta was tied for eighth after turning in a first round score of 80, but Koutakis came from behind to take third place after a final round of 76 and a two-day total of 156.

In the Boys 10-12 division, Jake Carter of Aiken was the leader after the first round. His consistent play allowed him to take first with a tournament total 164. Bryson Nimmer of Bluffton finished second with a tournament total of 171.

Collins Bradshaw of Columbia took a tremendous lead with her first round of one-over par, 73. She easily took the Girls 10-19 division title with a second round 72 and a tournament total 145. Bradshaw's five birdies and 25 pars for the tournament contributed to her large victory. Elizabeth Kim of Martinez, Ga., finished in second after carding rounds of 85-79 and a tournament total 164. Rounding out the top three finishers in the Girls 10-19, Heather Wiquist of Bluffton turned in rounds of 88-84 for a tournament total 172.

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