Junior Amateur

By Ryan Hanchett
Published in Sports on June 17, 2010 1:46 PM

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DUDLEY -- During the high school golf season, Caleb Jones does not usually have a person he can turn to for calming advice.

In the midst of a tough opening stretch of holes in the Wayne County Junior Amateur on Wednesday, it was Jones' caddy who delivered some strong words of encouragement.

"I told him to get it together or I was going home," bag man Dane Jones said with a grin. "I guess it worked because he played two-under from that point on."

Caleb Jones fired a round of 75 to capture the boys' 18-Under championship at Southern Wayne Country Club. After navigating the first six holes of the tournament at 6-over par, the Eastern Wayne High School standout made a birdie on the par-5, seventh hole and turned his fortunes around.

"I made a double bogey at four and followed that with another one at six," said Caleb Jones. "But I put a couple good shots together at seven and got myself back into the tournament."

Taylor Gardner finished second in the boys' 16-18 year old division with a round of 82. John Taylor Graham took third-place honors with an 18-hole round of 84.

The hottest competition on the course for most of the morning came in the boys' 14-15 year old age division. Wesley Simmons earned first-place honors with a round of 76. Nicholas Adams finished second with a 77 and Matt Simmons took third on the strength of 78.

Michael Sutton II claimed the boys' 12-13 year old division with an 88.

"We had a very good group of players this year and it showed on the scoreboard in some of the younger divisions," said tournament organizer Stan Adams. "The course is in excellent shape and I think most of the players had an enjoyable round today."

Kenneth Wiggins won the boys' 10-11 year old division with a nine-hole total of 52. John Berry fired a 54 to win the boys' 8-9 year old class.

Livie de Araujo carded a 49 to win the girls' 8-12 year old division and Lauren Larison fired a 95 to win the girls' 13-18 year old flight.