Perfect weather conditions greeted the field for the final round of the 24th Sea Pines Junior Heritage played at the Pete Dye designed Heron Point Sunday. At the end of regulation, both the girls and the boys brackets were all knotted up. After two, one-hole playoffs, Bryson Nimmer of Bluffton and Ana Paula Valdes – last year’s ladies champion from Morelia, Mexico – both laid claim to the championship titles in their respective divisions.
After 36 holes of very competitive golf on two world class venues, Bryson Nimmer sat atop the leaderboard at even par, 143. Joining him ahead of the field was local resident Andrew Orischak. Both players were within three shots of the lead after day one. Nimmer sat one shot back at even par and Orischak three back at two over. When the scorecards were turned in, Orischak posted a two-under par, bogey free round of 70. Nimmer made it interesting, posting a bogey and three birdies in the final five holes, including holing out for birdie from the greenside bunker on the final hole.
Nimmer and Orischak proceeded to head to the par-four 18th hole once all the scores had been turned in to start their playoff. Nimmer stuck an eight iron inside of six feet on his approach shot and made the birdie putt to claim his title, joining the likes of many PGA Tour players who have been champions of The Sea Pines Junior Heritage!
On the girls side of the competition, Ana Paula Valdes, who was one shot back after the first round, and day-one leader Annika Bovender of Mt. Pleasant were tied at five-over par 148. Valdes finished strong with a one-under par 35 on the back nine at Heron Point. What was equally as strong was Bovender making a birdie on the final hole to push the competition into a playoff, also on 18. A wayward tee shot for Bovender, left her scrambling and unable to make par. Meanwhile, Valdes made a routine two-putt par and repeated as Junior Heritage Champion.
The event is hosted by The Sea Pines Resort and competed over Harbour Town Golf Links for the first round. The final round was contested on the Pete Dye designed Heron Point course, Sunday, February 8. Two talented players will walk away with the Lighthouse Trophies befitting of their respective championships. The SC Junior Golf Association would like to recognize The Sea Pines Resort for presenting and hosting this prestigious event along with Nike Golf, Coca-Cola, and the Heritage Classic Foundation for making this must play tournament.
Past players include: Jonathan Byrd (’94, 96’),Brent Dalahoussaye (’98, ’99),Lucas Glover (’96),Bill Hass (’98, ’00),Charles Howell III (’94 Champion,’96 Champion),Ruiji Imada (’94),Anthony Kim (’01),Hunter Mahan (’99, ’00),Kevin Na (’99, ’00),Sean O’Hair (’98 Champion, ’99),Jeff Overton (’01),Webb Simpson (’02, ’04), Brandt Snedeker (’99),Kyle Stanley (’05 Champion, ’06),D.J. Trahan (’98,’99),Bubba Watson (’96),Paula Creamer (’01 Champion, ’02, ’03 Champion),Julieta Granada (’02, ’03, ‘05),Christie Kerr (’92, ’93, ’94),Christina Kim (’01),Jessica Korda (’08,’09, ’10),Kristy McPherson ( ’98, ’99),Morgan Pressel (’02, ’03),Alexis Thompson (’08, ’09 Champion, ’10).
The 2015 Sea Pines Junior Heritage consisted of an 84 player field. Six players were derived from local qualifying and the rest of the field was set with 78 invited players. Thirteen states and multiple countries were represented in the 24th edition of the nationally renowned junior championship.
Boys Division
T1 Bryson Nimmer Bluffton, SC 2015 71-72–143 E*
T1 Andrew Orischak Hilton Head Island, SC 2017 73-70–143 E
T3 Tom Crow Virginia Beach, VA 2016 74-71–145 +2
T3 Shiso Go Hilton Head Island, SC 2017 71-74–145 +2
T5 Patrick Stephenson Four Oaks, NC 2016 74-72–146 +3
T5 Aaron Terrazas Hilton Head Island, SC 2015 71-75–146 +3
T7 Doc Redman Raleigh, NC 2016 74-73–147 +4
T7 Benjamin Shipp Duluth, GA 2016 70-77–147 +4
T9 Coleman Self Greenwood, SC 2015 75-73–148 +5
T9 William Voetsch New Vernon, NJ 2015 79-69–148 +5
T11 Justin Kim Rome, GA 2017 76-73–149 +6
T11 Eric Bae Pinehurst, NC 2016 74-75–149 +6
T11 Stephen Franken Raleigh, NC 2015 74-75–149 +6
T14 Matt Cheng Taipei, Taiwan 2014 75-75–150 +7
T14 Bobby Bai Lake Mary, FL 2016 77-73–150 +7
T14 Will Miles Hilton Head Island, SC 2015 77-73–150 +7
T14 Jake Carter Aiken, SC 2016 73-77–150 +7
T18 Jordan Warnock Roebuck, SC 2016 76-75–151 +8
T18 Ryoto Furuya Alpharetta, GA 2016 77-74–151 +8
T18 Philip Loeb Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 2015 73-78–151 +8
T21 Ritwik Jain New Dehli, IN 2015 76-76–152 +9
T21 Trace Crowe Bluffton, SC 2015 77-75–152 +9
T21 Zachary Bauchou Forest, VA 2015 74-78–152 +9
T21 Spencer Ralston Gainesville, GA 2016 78-74–152 +9
T21 Will Thomson Pittsford, NY 2019 78-74–152 +9
T21 Jamie Wilson Mount Pleasant, SC 2016 72-80–152 +9
T27 Colin Bowles Oceana, WV 2018 77-76–153 +10
T27 Alec Weary Bluffton, SC 2016 78-75–153 +10
T29 Austin Harrill Hickory, NC 2016 77-77–154 +11
T29 Henry Shimp Charlotte, NC 2016 75-79–154 +11
T29 Logan Sowell Kershaw, SC 2016 78-76–154 +11
T29 David Mackey Bogart, GA 2012 78-76–154 +11
T29 Aaron Walker Charlotte, NC 2015 70-84–154 +11
T34 Alex Smalley Wake Forest, NC 2015 76-79–155 +12
T34 Jonathan Phillips Hardeeville, SC 2015 76-79–155 +12
T34 Andrew Spiegler Abingdon, VA 2017 80-75–155 +12
T34 Youxin (Robin) Wang Lake Mary, FL 2017 81-74–155 +12
T38 Zach Seeler Marion, IN 2015 76-80–156 +13
T38 Nicholas Cortez Hoover, AL 2015 77-79–156 +13
T38 Christian Salzer Sumter, SC 2016 80-76–156 +13
T38 Geuntae Kim Hilton Head Island, SC 2015 81-75–156 +13
T42 Dwight Cauthen Columbia, SC 2016 79-78–157 +14
T42 Preston Ball Raleigh, NC 2016 81-76–157 +14
44 Caleb Proveaux Lexington, SC 2016 82-76–158 +15
T45 Ryan Stachler Alpharetta, GA 2015 81-78–159 +16
T45 Min Ho Oh Hilton Head Island, SC 2015 83-76–159 +16
T45 Graham Hutchinson Bethesda, MD 2017 83-76–159 +16
T48 Cole Patterson Greenville, SC 2015 77-83–160 +17
T48 Jason Stokes St Brelade, UK, 2016 79-81–160 +17
T48 Wil Sheppard Mt Pleasant, SC 2017 80-80–160 +17
T48 Jack Parrott Columbia, SC 2017 80-80–160 +17
T48 Nick Willis Cowpens, SC 2017 82-78–160 +17
T48 Justin Hood Saint Matthews, SC 2015 87-73–160 +17
T54 Tennoshin Ogawa Hilton Head Island, SC 2017 84-79–163 +20
T54 McCullough Pickens Saint Simons Island, GA 2016 87-76–163 +20
56 Blake Wagoner Cornelius, NC 2016 88-82–170 +27
57 Charles Musto Sterling, VA 2016 90-82–172 +29
Girls Division
T1 Ana Paula Valdes Morelia, Mexico 2016 75-73–148 +5*
T1 Annika Bovender Mt Pleasant, SC 2015 74-74–148 +5
3 Rei Nakatani Hilton Head Island, SC 2016 74-78–152 +9
4 Kayla Kozak N Myrtle Beach, SC 2017 78-75–153 +10
5 Anna Redding Concord, NC 2015 80-74–154 +11
6 Jacqueline Twitty Chapin, SC 2015 77-78–155 +12
7 Kayley Marschke Suwanee, GA 2016 80-77–157 +14
8 Clementina Rodriguez Hilton Head Island, SC 2015 82-76–158 +15
T9 Sera Tadokoro Hilton Head Island, SC 2017 79-80–159 +16
T9 Cake Phuchanbanchob Chiang Mai, TH 2015 77-82–159 +16
T11 Delaney Shah N Potomac, MD 2015 85-78–163 +20
T11 Claire Cameron Martinsville, IN 2017 81-82–163 +20
T11 Claire Hodges Sorrento, FL 2017 79-84–163 +20
14 Gabriela Teran Managua, NI 2016 81-83–164 +21
T15 Kathleen Sumner Daniel Island, SC 2017 83-82–165 +22
T15 Alix Lowe Farmingdale, NY 2015 82-83–165 +22
T17 Savanah Goodman Easley, SC 2016 85-81–166 +23
T17 Jensen Castle West Columbia, SC 2019 83-83–166 +23
T19 Kaitlin Milligan Norman, OK 2017 89-78–167 +24
T19 Ankita Kedlaya Bagalore, IN 2016 80-87–167 +24
21 Anita Uwadia Lagos, NG 2016 85-83–168 +25
T22 Gracyn Burgess Lexington, SC 2018 87-83–170 +27
T22 Kasidy Beckel Okatie, SC 2015 77-93–170 +27
24 Victoria Huskey Greenville, SC 2016 87-84–171 +28
25 Hailey Cleary Lexington, SC 2016 92-82–174 +31
26 Warissara Puangcharoen Chonburi, TH, – 2015 86-90–176 +33
27 Morgan Cox Easley, SC 2016 92-89–181 +38
*won in a playoff