PARKERSBURG, W. Va. — Led by two even-par rounds from Kurtis Grant, the Virginia State Golf Association’s eight-member team posted a two-day 897 to win the 8th Mid-Atlantic Junior Invitational by 20 strokes over Maryland this past weekend at Parkersburg Country Club in Vienna, W. Va. The margin of victory was the largest in the history of the event.
West Virginia shot 922 to come in third.
Virginia captured its second straight Mid-Atlantic Junior Invitational title and its fourth title in the last five years. Virginia edged out Maryland by a single point in 2015, when the event was shortened to 27 holes due to diminishing daylight.
Grant (Army Navy CC) returned two rounds of even-par 73 for an aggregate score of 146, the best two-round total of the tournament. Grant, who attends South Lakes High School and finished second in the Virginia High School League 6A championship last week at Magnolia Green GC, won the VSGA’s Junior Stroke Play title at The Federal Club in July.
Drew Brockwell (CC at The Highlands) posted the best single-round score of the tournament, a 2-under 71 in Saturday’s first round, part of a two-day 153. Ryan Hammer (Loudoun G&CC) also returned an under-par score in the first round, a 1-under 72. Hammer was second on the Virginia roster with a 149.
Teddy Zinsner (Belle Haven CC) shot 150 for the VSGA. Connor Burgess (Boonsboro CC) and Brockwell each shot 153. Jimmie Massie (Boonsboro CC) and Connor Johnson Jr. (CC of Virginia) shot 154, and Andrew Kennedy (Richmond CC) finished at 162.
Austin Barbin and Zack Barbin each shot 150 to pace the Maryland contingent. Howie Peterson IV was the top scorer for West Virginia, also returning a 150.