November 22, 2024
JUNIOR GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

Hand captures state title Bucksport golfer defeats Bouchard in final round

CUMBERLAND – Whitney Hand of Bucksport beat Emily Bouchard of Saco 3 and 1 in the final round of match play Thursday to take the girls division of the Maine Junior Golf Championship at Val Halla Golf and Recreation Center.

“I really wanted to win this,” Hand said. “This and last week were my two goals.”

Hand finished eighth in last week’s Women’s Maine State Golf Association championship. She was the top junior.

Saco’s John Whiteman won the junior championship division, defeating Ron Kelton 3 and 2. Gardiner’s Ryan Gay was the winner in the 13-14 age division and Henry Fall won the 12-and-under age division.

Hand also defeated Brunswick’s Shannon Mitchell 4 and 3 in the semifinal Thursday morning, one year after Mitchell defeated Hand 3 and 2 in the 2004 final round.

Bouchard led the entire time on the front nine but Hand said she started to catch her on the back nine, eventually taking a four-hole lead despite just one birdie in the round.

“My second shots onto the green were what kept me in it,” she said. “That helped me win some holes.”

Hand and Mitchell have seen a lot of each other in competition. The two tied for first place in the 2003 high school championship.

“I was nervous,” Hand said, “but I was excited, too.”


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