Pewitt, Pinson win their first TGA titles in pair of playoffs

DICKSON, Tenn. — The rain could not wash away the level of talent that was on display for the Tennessee Junior Amateur and Girls’ Junior Championships at GreyStone Golf Club. Both tournaments needed a playoff to settle who would be the latest to join the long list of elite juniors named champions of the respective events. Will Pinson emerged victorious amongst the boys, and Poppy Pewitt outlasted the girls at GreyStone.

Tennessee Girls’ Junior

Over three intense days, two days of play and one of waiting, Poppy Pewitt captured the Ruth Eller Trophy via a 3-hole playoff against Carlee Rogers to become champion and earn an exemption into the U.S. Girls’ Junior in Atlanta, Georgia, later this year. 

The girls battled weather conditions early with misty rain, strong winds, and some of the first-round jitters that come with tournament golf. 

The Dickson native, Pewitt, caught an early rhythm, carding four birdies and finishing the first round with a 3-under-par 69. The University of Miami commit, Carlee Rogers, struggled early with two bogeys on her front nine, but regained her momentum by knocking in a few birdies and bringing her one shot back from Pewitt on the day. There were more challengers just behind those two, with Hayden Cherry one behind Rogers and Isabella Coughlin in solo fourth at 1-over-par. Not far behind them were Team Tennessee members Sophia Gambini and Claire Todd, as well as Ruth Eller’s great-granddaughter Meredith Eller, all at 3-over-par.

Hopes of playing the second round were dashed in the afternoon as more inclement weather delayed start times and ultimately the second round. The girls did not have a chance to make it past the driving range and practice green as they waited on the boys to finish on what could have competed with the longest day in golf because of multiple weather delays. To keep the spirits high, the girls spent their time practicing putting in the hallways of the clubhouse. 

With the tournament now shortened to 36 holes, the final day turned into a high-stakes battle between Pewitt, Rogers and Cherry, all separated by two shots or less. 

Pewitt held a two-shot lead headed to number 14 before Rogers birdied and pulled within one. Up until the 16th, Pewitt had put together a blemish-free round of 1-under through 15 holes but an errant tee-shot on the par-3 16th cost her. Making a double bogey, the hometown kid went from leading to trailing over the course of one hole with time running out.

With Rogers now in the driver’s seat, Pewitt looked to get one back. On 17, Pewitt had a chance to tie it up with a birdie putt, but burned the edge for a tap-in par. Rogers also parred to maintain her lead into the final hole. The challenging 18th was Pewitt’s last shot to come back and try to force a playoff. Her second shot found the green, giving her at least a look at a birdie. Rogers' second shot came up short with a tester of a chip to seal the win. When Rogers’ chip came up short, Pewitt two-putted to put the pressure on. A two-putt from Rogers meant the tournament would need extra holes to decide a winner.

The first playoff hole took place at number 9, where both players had decent looks to get close to the flag on the challenging par 5. The odds were in Pewitt’s favor after she hit her approach to inside three feet for a very makeable birdie putt. Rogers, cool under pressure, drained her 12-foot birdie, forcing Pewitt to make hers. Two birdies sent the playoff to hole 10, where both made par and advanced to hole 11 for the third playoff hole.

Rogers teed off first on the par 3 with the wind to their back. Her shot flew the green leaving plenty of room for Pewitt to put the pressure on. Pewitt’s shot barely held the back of the green but was enough to stay on, putting the pressure back on Rogers. A bogey from Rogers and a pair from Pewitt sealed the victory for the 2028 grad for her first TGA title, doing it in front of friends and family from the Dickson area.

With Pewitt and Rogers claiming the top two spots, Isabella Coughlin turned in one of three even-par or better final-round scores to claim third place at 1-over-par. Cherry slipped a spot to fourth place at 2-over-par and Eller rounded out the top 5 at 7-over-par. Memphis’ Jada Lin was the only player besides Rogers and Coughlin to finish at even par, climbing the leaderboard.

Full results from the 62nd Tennessee Girls' Junior.

Tennessee Junior Amateur

Weather played a huge factor in the play for the boys at GreyStone, with the first two rounds of golf spanning over three calendar days. The final round was completed in one day on Wednesday, but not without its own dramatics and its own tie after 54 holes.

When all was said and done and round two of the Tennessee Junior Amateur was finally complete, Brentwood’s Jack Doyle led the way at 8-under-par. A tightly packed leaderboard sat just behind Doyle, with only a one-shot gap separating each of the next contenders: Will Pinson at 7-under-par, Parker Tenent at 6-under, Leo Froio at 5-under, Turner Cline at 4-under, and defending champion Maddox Crowder at 3-under.

As Round Three began on Wednesday, the juniors hit the ground running under clear skies, looking forward to a promising finish at GreyStone Golf Club. Early on, Doyle maintained his lead, but his momentum quickly began to fade as the final round unfolded, allowing others to climb up the leaderboard.

Parker Tenent, who began the round in third, found his rhythm quickly. He carded a scorching 4-under-par in the front nine, highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 9th, vaulting him into the lead heading into the turn.

One shot back was Middle Tennessee State commit Will Pinson, who wasted no time applying pressure. The final stretch became a two-man race, with Pinson and Tenent matching each other shot for shot. 

Tenent held on through 15 holes, but a costly mistake on the 16th ended his string of good play and pulled Pinson even with just two holes to play.

Seizing the moment, Pinson capitalized on the swing in momentum with a clutch birdie on the 17th to take the outright lead for the first time all day. Tenent, unable to match, settled for par and suddenly found himself trailing heading into the final hole.

But the drama wasn’t over. On 18, with the Harold Eller Trophy hanging in the balance, Tenent responded under pressure, draining a birdie putt to pull even with Pinson to force a playoff. Weather continued to be a part of the story, as a storm system rolled in as the group finished on 18, forcing the playoff to be conducted the next morning.

Hole 10 provided the scene for the playoff between Pinson and Tenent on the 434-yard par 4. Pinson cut the corner of the dogleg left and had just 55 yards in on his second shot. Tenent found the fairway as well, but his approach shot came up short, forcing him to chip his third shot. Looking to make it to put the pressure on, Tenent went right after it but missed long, opening the door for Pinson. A 20-footer with just a slight amount of break, Pinson walked the putt in, his first steps towards Dallas and the U.S. Junior Amateur.

With Pinson and Tenent leading the charge for the boys field, Maddox Crowder bounced back from an opening round 2-over with a strong finish, going 7-under over the final two rounds. Jack Doyle showed signs of fatigue in Round 3, carding a 1-over-par 73 after leading the first two rounds. Walker Webb, who posted top-three scores in both the first and third rounds, slipped with a 5-over in Round 2, landing in a tie for fifth. Knoxville’s Colmore Sprouse and Nashville’s Turner Cline joined him in that tie, rounding out the top five with consistent play throughout the tournament.

Full results from the 66th Tennessee Junior Amateur.