KUNA, Idaho – The Boys and Girls Idaho Junior Amateur Championships became a tale of two stories at Falcon Crest Golf Club. The Girls division featured a dominating performance and the Boys division was an all-out battle royale with players entering the fray and folding as the minutes ticked past.
Two competitors emerged victorious. Carly Carter led from start to finish, shooting +1 overall to win the 54-hole Idaho Girls’ Junior Amateur by six strokes.
Carter started the day five shots clear of Christine Cho. A rough start to the final round allowed Cho to get within two shots. A birdie on the eighth hole gave Carter a jumpstart to get the round back together; she finished the back nine 1-under for a 74. Cho would finish second.
Drew Reinke was able to bounce back from a difficult final round in brutal heat and wind to win in a playoff over Jake O’Neil. Reinke was +8 overall for the 54-hole event, making birdie on the first playoff hole to secure the Idaho Junior Amateur title.
Reinke also had a rough front nine start, but was able to control the damage from two double-bogeys with three birdies. The birdies didn’t show up on the back nine, though, and his back nine 40 led to a 77.
Tensions were high in the scoring area as players awaited scores from the final pairing. Of those players, Jake O’Neil, was in the clubhouse tied with Reinke at 224. His final round 75 was one of the better final rounds out of the leading groups.
On the first playoff hole both players were within 15 yards of the green off the tee. O’Neil’s chip from the rough landed short and he got up and down for par. Reinke played a low chip shot that wrapped around the edge of the cup, leaving him a short putt to close it out.
Makena Rauch was the winner of the Girls 16-18 division and finished 3rd overall. Lindsey Lloyd came in second.
In the Boys 13-15 division, Taylor Mortensen was able to hold off Joe Gustavel for the win. Mortensen finished at -8 overall, three strokes ahead of Gustavel.
The Diamond Line Players of the Year (season long points race for the Idaho Junior Tour):
Girls 13-15- Carly Carter (Eagle)
Girls 16-18- Makena Rauch (Moscow)
Boys 13-15- Joe Gustavel (Boise)
Boys 16-18- Charles Taylor (Rexburg)
View full results here.