The 2024 AJGA Vaughn Taylor Championship kicked off Tuesday, June 11 with 78 elite junior golfers from across the United States and the world converging on Bartram Trail Golf Club in Evans which plays host to the 54-hole tournament, and the CSRA was represented well.
Local golfers such as Tyler Newsome, Sarah Martin and Sam Rogers were among the impressive list of junior phenoms representing the CSRA this week. And, for the most part, the local contingent showed well.
With a powerful and balanced golf swing, Tyler Newsome plays a steady and consistent game as he keeps his ball in front of him. At only 13 years old, the young man competes with tremendous composure and maturity.
Early on, Newsome executed several different golf shots. After striped drives that found the middle of the fairway, his short iron approaches finished within 10 to 15 feet from the pin. His lengthy birdie putt on the second hit the center of the hole and gently bounced off the flagstick like a basketball against a backboard.
On the third hole of the day, Newsome hit a gentle draw off the tee with his driver, which mirrored the shape of the fairway on the lengthy par 5. From here, a smooth fairway wood and a pitch shot resulted in his ball coming to rest pin high. He converted the birdie putt to complement his play on the second.
Tyler’s play on the par-3 fourth hole revealed more of his composure. The hole stretches 162 yards and drops a significant amount downhill. His tee shot fell short into the greenside bunker. Displaying his short-game prowess, Newsome hit his bunker shot to four feet past the hole. He converted the par putt, maintained his early momentum, and carried on with calm body language.
Competing in his second Vaughn Taylor Championships, Newsome completed his first round with a score of 71, one under par. Wednesday morning, he’ll begin in a tie for 10th place.
In the girl’s division, Sarah Martin, of Evans showed a sense of intentionality golf fans often see from the stars on the LPGA and PGA Tours.
For example, on the greens, she broke down putts into segments on Monday in a manner reminiscent to two-time Masters winner Scottie Scheffler, and she uses her feet to read the slopes. Throughout her round, Martin converted plenty of stress-free two-putt pars, thanks to tremendous speed control on Bartram Trail’s green surfaces.
From the tee to green, her swing produces high ball flights that result in shots landing softly, often in the middle of the fairway.
In between shots, she moved with a relaxed posture and seemed to enjoy the moment with her fellow competitors. Alongside playing partners Delaney Anderson and Zoey Cho, she often walked with them down the fairways, sharing laughs and supportive words after good shots.
Martin shot a two-over-par score of 73 and is tied for 14th place after the first round.
Off the 10th tee at 9:20 a.m., Sam Rogers teed it up en route to a 76. His play on the first nine holes of the day unfortunately moved up and down, but a birdie on the par-5 13th highlighted his round. Showing a lot of grit and determination, Rogers strung together seven pars in a row to steady himself with two rounds to go. He is currently tied for 40th.
The tournament’s second round begins Wednesday, June 12 at 8:00 a.m. with competitors starting on the first and 10th tees.
