GOLF: Champions crowned at Kokopelli Jr. PGA event
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Jack Holmgren of Corcoran, Minn., finished what he started, leading the field every day under tough competition and windy conditions, and won the boys' 16-18 division in the PGA Junior Series on Friday at The Links at Kokopelli.
Zachary Gollwitzer of Ballwin, Mo., birdied three holes in a row to put some pressure on the leader. The streak came to an end when Gollwitzer shot six-over par on the next five holes allowing Holmgren to go back to his conservative game plan.
"My game plan coming into today was play safe," said Holmgren, "I hit the fairways, I hit the greens, I made a couple birdie putts but I got my two-putts for par and got it done."
Holmgren only missed a couple fairways and greens to shoot a 73 for a three-day total of 219.
Despite shooting the low score on Thursday and Friday, Michael Sharp of Kendallville, Ind., wasn't able to catch the leader, finishing three shots back for second place.
Gollwitzer took third, carding a 77 on Friday for a three-day total score of 224.
When Katherine Hepler of Lincoln, Ill., double-bogeyed the ninth hole and fell three shots back of Teri Doss of Paducah, Ky., it could have meant the beginning of the end for her. Instead, Hepler maintained her composure and finished the back nine at one-under-par while Doss struggled and her bogey on the 18th hole sent the two to a sudden-death playoff to determine the overall girl's champion.
Hepler birdied the second playoff hole to win the girls' division. She shot a final round of 73 for a three-day total score of 222.
"I have a lot of experience in playoffs so I know not to make bogies and if a birdie presents itself then that's great," said Hepler.
Runner-up in the girls' 16-18 division was Kelly Grassel of Chesterton, Ind., shooting a 75 on Friday for a three-day total score of 232. Katie Sharp of Kendallville, Ind., and Rachel Walker of Terre Haute, Ind., both shot a combined score of 233 but Walker prevailed in a scorecard playoff to finish in third place.
Heather McDaniel of Pinckneyville posted Friday's second best round in the girls' 16-18 division, shooting 74 to finish with a three-day total of 242, good for ninth place overall.
Although Doss lost in the playoff, she did win the girls' 13-15 division with the total score of 222. The runner-up in that division was Cayce Hendrickson of Benton, Ky., who shot a 75 for a three-day total of 228.
Finishing in third place was Amy Ding of Lexington, Mass., who carded a 76 for a three-day total score of 232.
Locals dominated the boys' 13-15 division but Brendan Lewis of Marion, Ill., emerged as the champion. He had a five shot lead after the front nine but then Kody Rendleman of Murphysboro, Ill., caught up to Lewis.
"I was pretty excited going into the back nine," said Lewis, "I let my nerves get to me and let Kody back in it."
They were even with two holes remaining when Rendleman hit his tee shot out-of-bounds and ended up with a double-bogey. Lewis made birdie, giving him the upper hand with a three-stroke swing with only one hole to play.
His short game allowed him to make some critical up and downs around the green.
"My chipping and putting, my short game, was really good today," said Lewis. Lewis shot a 76 for a three-day total score of 231.
Rendleman finished two shots back with a three-day combined score of 233. Ben Fowler of Harrisburg, Ill., finished in third place, shooting a 77 for a three-day total score of 236.
Du Quoin's Kolton Pavloff finished fifth with a score of 252 after an 81 on Friday.
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