RICHMOND, KY (June 10, 2021) – The final spots of the inaugural Barbasol Junior Championship are now confirmed following the conduction of the Barbasol Junior Qualifier. Taking place at Boone’s Trace National Golf Club on June 9-10, 36 holes of stroke play were completed by a field of 73 players playing for 10 exemptions into the tournament on June 29 – July 1 at Keene Trace – Keene Run.

The low man in the field receiving medalist honors was Justin Begley of Manchester, who had the low round of Wednesday’s play and tied for the low round on Thursday. With scores of 68-66 for a combined total of 134 (-10), Begley bested his closest competitor by three strokes and will head to the Barbasol Junior Championship with ample momentum.

“When I get some putts to fall, the game is definitely there,” Begley said after the round. “I hit a lot of good iron shots out here and managed to make some of the putts, so it was just a solid couple of days. Playing in the Championship should be a lot of fun and a great experience. I’m looking forward to it and hopefully I can string some more good rounds together.”

Taking the second through ninth berths in the Championship are the following players:

• Peyton Bonny: 71-66 - 137 (-7)
• Ben Wulkopf: 71-67 – 138 (-6)
• Logan Liles: 69-72 – 141 (-3)
• Jacob Settles: 71-70 – 141 (-3)
• Cam Roberts: 71-71 – 142 (-2)
• Kash Albarado: 71-73 – 144 (E)
• Jackson Hill: 72-72 – 144 (E)
• Charlie Spiller: 71-74 – 145 (+1)

The final spot up for grabs required a playoff after Gavin McKune, Gehrig Sexton and Seth Smith all finished the tournament at 147 (+3). Smith was eliminated on the first extra hole with a bogey, but McKune and Sexton would need five holes before one of them could edge the other. It was McKune who prevailed, as a birdie putt from approximately twenty feet falling proved to be the winner when Sexton’s attempt to tie afterwards missed. That means McKune is the tenth and final player to assure himself a place in the Barbasol Junior Championship.

“I was really nervous during that playoff,” McKune said. “It just feels good to get it done having made a big birdie putt to qualify on the fifth extra hole. I’m excited to get to Keene Run in a few weeks and compete there; I haven’t played in a whole lot of really big tournaments so that should be an incredible experience.”

NOTES & STATS

• For the two days combined, the hardest hole on the golf course was the par-four 15^th. It played to a stroke-to-par average of +0.62, with only nine birdies recorded on it during the two rounds.
• The easiest hole statistically was the par-five 6^th, which played -0.04 in the two rounds. Four eagles and forty-one birdies were lodged on it throughout the event.
• The back nine averaged out to being more than a whole shot harder than the front nine. The average score on the inward nine was 40.05 compared to 38.90 on holes 1-9. The combined scoring average was 78.95.

Click here to view the final results

Click here to view the photo gallery

The Barbasol Junior Championship, Keene Trace Golf Club and the Kentucky PGA Junior Tour extend their thanks to Cam Rutherford, the Director of Golf at Boone’s Trace National Golf Club and their staff for hosting the first Barbasol Junior Qualifier. Their site will also be home of the Barbasol Championship’s Monday Qualifier on July 12, an event they have hosted each year since the Barbasol Championship’s move to Kentucky in 2018.

Appreciation is also expressed towards all players and their families who participated in this week’s Barbasol Junior Qualifier and supported the event. The Championship looks forward to welcoming the ten players who qualified and more than 100 other top junior golfers from across the world at Keene Trace – Keene Run for the competition on June 29-July 1, where the winner will earn an exemption into the Barbasol Championship at Keene Trace – Champions Trace on July 15-18.