BUCKINGHAM — Josh Sumpter, a member of the golf team at Healdsburg High School, captured the overall boys” title on Wednesday during the 16th annual Lake County Junior Golf Championship at Adams Springs Golf Course on Cobb Mountain.
Sumpter shot a 12-over-par round of 80 to win by a four-stroke margin. He opened up his front nine with a 37 and jumped out to a three-stroke lead over Brandon Walker of Kelseyville, the winner of the Buckingham Summer Junior Golf Tournament on Tuesday at Buckingham Golf and Country Club.
Sumpter continued to play steadily over the next three holes on the back nine and opened up a seven-stroke margin over the rest of the field. He backed up a little bit and allowed his competition to close the gap to three shots with back-to-back double bogeys on the 13th and 14th holes.
Tyler Drake of Kelseyville ran off a string of pars to get within striking range of Sumpter, but he too suffered from double bogeys on the 16th and 17th holes. Building his lead back to four strokes, Sumpter safely cruised to victory as both he and Drake bogeyed the 18th hole.
Sumpter shot nines of 37-43 for his 80 and first junior tournament title.
Drake was the runner-up for the second day in a row with nine-hole totals of 43-41 for an 84 total. Drake won his the 16-17 boys” age division. Walker struggled on the inward nine and came in with a score of 90 to finish second in the 16-17 division behind Drake.
Peter Wotherspoon and Michael Davis of Kelseyville tied for third with 97.
In the 14-15 boys” division, Wyatt Ferrell of Lakpoert came in first with 88. Stone Phillips of Lakeport was next at 93, Corey Huber of Clear Lake Riviera was third with 97, and Daniel Eagle of Clearlake finished at 101.
The 12-13 boys” division went to Aaron Waldrop of Cobb. Waldrop shot a 94. Keanon Jardstrom of Clearlake finished second with 109.
In the 9-11 boys” division, Matt Wotherspoon of Buckingham carded a nine-hole score of 55 to edge out Israel Gonzalez of Kelseyville by a single shot. Michael Camacho of Lakeport finished third with 64 and Clinton Salie of Chico came in fourth with 68.
Lisa Copeland of Hidden Valley Lake put an exclamation point on her outstanding junior golf career in Lake County by capturing a sixth consecutive Lake County Junior girls” division trophy with a score of 78.
Copeland, who will be a senior at Middletown High School this fall, opened up her front nine with a 2-over-par 36 but had to settle for a second-nine 42 as she got on the bogey train to open up her back nine.
Copeland”s six consecutive titles is a tournament record that will most probably never be broken. She turns 18 next year and is ineligible for a seventh straight championship.
Liz Berry of Buckingham won the 16-17 girls” division with a score of 110. Sophie Sells of Kelseyville captured the 12-13 girls” title with a nine-hole score of 63.
Twenty-six boys and girls between the ages of 9-17 competed in this year”s Lake County Junior, which is sponsored by the Adams Springs Men”s Golf Club as well as Eddie and Linda Mullins, Jack and Sharon Lucich, the Hoberg Family, and John and Julie Berry.
Each pairing had an adult rules official. NCGA, USGA and PGA Tour Qualifying School official Jack Lucich as well as officials Ed McComb, Ed Slevin, John Flynn, Jim Ziebell, Jerry Boyer, Russell Leeper, Nick Schaefer, Ken Kearse, and Tom Salie donated their time.
The junior golfers and their families were treated to lunch at the conclusion of play. Al Mankins, Dennis Layton and Julie Berry coordinated the barbecue.
The next event on the Lake County Amateur Golf Circuit calendar is the Grandparent/Parent-Junior Championship to be contested at Buckingham Golf and Country Club on Sept. 19.
It is a two-person scramble format.
Entry forms are available at local area pro shops.
