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By Stan Olenik
For Hometown News
Drayton Melton and Leslie Cox made their first round leads hold up to claim the boys and girls titles at the Coca-Cola Spartanburg County Junior Amateur championship.
Cox carried a three shot lead into the final round but struggled to start her final round.
“I played pretty bad on the font and was five over. I told myself I had to shoot even par on the back and I did,” she said.
Cox finished at five-over par 76 to hold off Brittany Lowe and Ann Taylor Hough for the title.
“Last year I didn’t play very well in this tournament so I improved a lot. I was a little nervous making the turn but it worked out,” she said.
The boy’s championship turned into a two-player chase as Melton was challenged by Aaron Setro.
Melton held a four shot lead going into the final round but Setro, playing in the group in front of him; cut the lead down to just a single stroke on the back nine.
“I wanted to give 150%. This is my last year of junior golf and I tried to give it my best,” said Setro.
The rising senior at Dorman carded a four-under par 67 but missed a chance to tie for the lead.
Melton, a recent Chapman grad, made an important scrambling par on the fourteenth hole to keep the lead.
“That was huge, it could have gone bad real quick if I didn’t make that putt,” said Melton.
The tournament leader needed to hole a tricky par putt on the final hole to wrap up the victory. “It was a little tester. I’m glad nobody told me it was for the win,” said Melton.
This was Melton’s first county championship after top-ten finishes the last three years. The champion shot rounds of 67 and 70 for a five-under par total and one-shot victory. “I made a few mistakes today I didn’t make yesterday. This is by far my best finish,” said the future Spartanburg Methodist golfer.
Joshua Chay and Dillon Stevens tied for third place.
Boys Flight winners included - First Flight - Adam Chick, Second Flight _ Jordan White, Third Flight - Geoffrey Ball.
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