Eastman, Baker advance to U.S. Junior match play, but lose in opening round

        The two Triangle golfers who made the cut at the U.S. Junior Amateur were eliminated in Wednesday’s first-round of match play at Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Stephen Eastman, a Durham Trinity Academy golfer who shot 1-over-par 142 to tie for 19th in stroke play, lost his Round of 64 match to Callixte…

Where I played this week: Return to Sugar Mountain was sweet

        Sugar Mountain Golf Club may be the best “short” course anywhere. The par-64 municipal layout that winds through the golf/ski resort community at 4,000 feet near Banner Elk offers some outstanding holes with beautiful views of the surrounding peaks, including Grandfather Mountain. And the poa annua/bent grass greens have typically been just as fast as…

Missouri player halts Hannant’s U.S. Girls’ run; Wake Forest commit advances to semifinals

        Ella June Hannant’s bid to win the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship was halted in Friday morning’s quarterfinals by Anna Bell of Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Bell knocked off Hannant 2 and 1 to advance to a semifinal against Amelie Zalsman of St. Petersburg, Florida, who has committed to play at Wake Forest, beat Hannant 2 and 1…

Triangle golfers advance to match play at U.S. Girls’ Junior at Old Chatham

        The Triangle advanced two players into the match play section of the U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur. Ella June Hannant of Pikeville and Jenna Kim of Raleigh survived Tuesday’s 36-hole cut from 156 players to the top 64 for Wednesday’s opening-round match-play pairings. Hannant added 72 to Monday’s 69 to for a 3-under-par 141. Colombian Maria…

Triangle golfers pack leaderboard entering final round of Carolinas Amateur

        A former N.C. State golfer holds a share of the lead entering Friday’s final round of the 112th Carolinas Amateur at Governors Club in Chapel Hill. Tanner Cadieux of Greensboro shot 72 Thursday to join Aston Lee of Charlotte at 10-under-par 206 through three rounds on the 7,062-yard course. James Rico of Cary, who won…

Bertagnole fires 61 in first round of Elite Amateur Series tourney

        A North Carolina player shot 61 Wednesday to grab the first-round lead at the Northeast Amateur, one of seven tournaments in the Elite Amateur Golf Series, which includes the North-South Amateur. Carson Bertagnole of Pinehurst, a rising sophomore at the University of North Carolina, made nine birdies and one bogey in his round on the…