Herman reaches final round of Junior PGA Championship in Hot Springs
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (Aug. 3, 2023) ー The third round of the 47th Junior PGA Championships saw many ups and downs as the Girls struggled early while the Boys fired 19 rounds under par on the Arlington Course at Hot Springs Country Club. At the end of the day, Kylee Choi and Miles Russell, the No. 7-ranked junior on the Rolex AJGA Rankings, sat atop their respective leaderboards heading into Friday’s final round.
Choi, of Murrieta, California, shot over par for the first time in the championship, carding a score of 1-over 72 after rounds of 66-67. But on a day where many in the field struggled, the 16-year-old’s overall 8-under 205 gives her a one-stroke lead heading to Friday.
Lisa Herman of Jenks shot a third-round 72 to make the cut into the final round. She is tied for 16th at 3-over after rounds of 68-76-72.
On the boys’ side, Russell, the co-leader coming in, turned in the low round of the day with a 6-under 65 to take sole possession of the lead by five strokes heading into Friday. The 14-year-old from Jacksonville Beach, Florida, was bogey-free, and fueled by three straight birdies on holes 4-6. Russell finished with his sixth birdie of the day on the par-5, 517-yard 18th hole to move to 14-under 199 through 54 holes.
Parker Sands of Edmond, the lone Oklahoman to make the 36-hole cut, did not advance to the final round after a third-round 76 left him at 4-over for the championship. The final cut came at even par.
Prestige of Junior PGA Championships Not Lost on Competitors
The Junior PGA Championships have been springboards for many of the PGA and LPGA Tours’ most accomplished players.
“It has a great field and a great history,” said Owen Bolles from Chandler, Arizona, who led the Boys Division after the first round and sits T-26 at even-par 213 entering Friday. “It’s definitely an honor and a privilege to be able to play in such a prestigious event.”
Tiger Woods, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas have competed on the Boys side, while the list of past Girls Junior PGA winners includes Inbee Park, Yuka Saso, Lexi Thompson and Rose Zhang.