GRANITEVILLE (S.C.) — Last year, the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley featured two playoffs to determine the titles for the boys and the girls. This year’s event featured wire-to-wire winners.
Aldrich Potgieter, Anna Davis and Anna Davis led the way at the top national junior tournament. They will be leaving the club among the South Carolina pines carrying the trophies as well as the gold jackets. Each player had a lead of five shots entering Saturday’s final round. They won in an impressive fashion.
Davis said that he entered the week hoping to win and believed he would win the final round. “I have high expectations of myself.”
Nika Ito finished solo second and holed out from fairway for eagle on 17 holes to put pressure on Davis. Davis was monitoring the leaderboard throughout the afternoon.
“That’s my second experience getting hung-out on having the lead. I got used to it so I thought it was fine. Davis said, “It happens.” “You have to be prepared for it to happen when you are in that situation so you don’t get caught off guard.”
Davis responded with a “pretty poor second shot” which narrowly missed the water guarding 17 green.
“I had enough room because I am left-handed. Davis explained that Davis would have been standing in water if he was right-handed. The rising star then followed Ito’s lead, and contributed to the stoppage of the momentum swing.
Auburn student Davis turned 17 Friday. She celebrated by walking in the winning putt just off the 18th Green with serious swagger, to complete the tournament at 7 under.
After the round, she laughed and said “Kinda douche bag move.” “Right off my putter face, I thought, ‘that has to go in,’ so I walked it into.
Anna Davis, the @anwagolf champion, walks in the winning putt at @JrInviteSage like a boss.
In a few weeks, the wire-to-wire winner will be riding some momentum down to Augusta National. pic.twitter.com/R0qt609wbW
Adam Woodard (@AdamWoodard March 18, 2023
Ito was two shots behind at 5 under. Kiara Romero was third at even par, after firing the low round of 5-under-67.
Next for Davis will be her title defense at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in two weeks. She’ll be entering with more pressure and expectation after her 2022 win.
Davis stated that she believes it is because Davis has the confidence to play in the area and will be able to build on it for her ANWA title defense. Augusta and Champions Retreat are very similar courses to this one. It is very beneficial to be able and comfortable playing this type of golf. That just added to my win last season.
Potgieter, the British Amateur champion, won by 10 shots. This is the record for the biggest margin of victory in tournament history. To finish at 13 under, the South African shot rounds of 65-70–68. Lee Byungho finished T-2 at 3 over, Aaron Pounds was fourth at 1 under, and Preston Stout was fifth at even par.
Potgieter described his Junior Invitational win and debut as a winner, saying, “Yeah it was an awesome week. I really enjoyed it.” “Today was a good round. After struggling for a while, I missed a par-5 fourth and missed a birdie or five-footer. Then I missed one on five. That was a very disappointing break. However, knowing that there were many opportunities on the back nine and still having to play three Par fives, it was enough for me to score a good score.
These children are amazing.
Aldrich Potgieter followed Anna Davis’ wire to wire win with one his @JrInviteSage, and won the trophy by ten shots. Amazing week of golf. pic.twitter.com/wcEFAA1acc
Adam Woodard (@AdamWoodard March 18, 2023
“I always go back to Tiger Woods’ words, you don’t come to a tournament to not win. Potgieter said, “I came to prepare for the Masters, and getting the win here gives me more confidence going into that.” “I feel this course is very similar to Augusta National. I am taking this as an opportunity to learn and I believe if I play like this week I will do pretty well.”
Potgieter was pleased to see that the rest in the boys’ field were struggling to score, whereas he was scoring every day this week.
He joked that most of the guys were pissed at me for hitting it 50 yards past everyone.
Potgieter, the British Amateur champion was awarded a spot in the 2023 Masters field and will be joining Davis at Augusta National in just two weeks.
