by Bill Turner
Moriya Jutanugarn made it back-to-back wins in the girls 15-18, and Davis Womble used a last-minute opening to take the boys 15-18 in the 29th annual Scott Robertson Junior Golf Tournament played Friday through Sunday at Roanoke Country Club.
Jutanugarn, a 17-year-old from Thailand who blitzed the field last year with a 16-under 197 total, battled over the last 9 holes Sunday for a 69 and three-day total of 204. The 9-under finish bested runner-up Annie Park by two shots.
Jutanugarn joined 4 other girls as the only winners in two straight years, the last of which were current-LPGA pro Paula Creamer in 2002-03, and Isabell Lendl in 2006-07. She will not be eligible to return in 2013 due to her age.
Womble, who was a third-alternate after a withdrawal by another qualifier, played like a seasoned veteran down the stretch. Tied with runner-up Chad Merzbacher with three holes to play, Womble saved par from the sand on the long par-3 16th, duplicated the sand trick for a birdie on the par-5 17th, then calmly got up and down for par on the finishing hole surrounded by a sizeable gallery.
Merzbacher finished bogey-par-par to end the tournament two shots back.
In the 14-under girls, Hiu Lam Vanessa Yan won by 6 shots with a 218 total, while Nathan Chowait took the boys 14-under with a three-day score of 215.
The Scott Robertson has become one of the top-10 junior golf tournaments in the country. with the 2012 field including participants from 22 different states and 18 countries. This year’s field of 168 also included 12 American Junior Golf Association All-Americans.
Over the last eight years the tournament has given over $100,000 to The First Tee Roanoke Valley.
