Titanic semifinal showdowns set in OGA Junior Championship
There should be plenty of fireworks in the semifinals of the Oklahoma Golf Association Junior Championship, considering who survived the first two rounds of one of the most talent-rich tournaments in memory.
Chase Hughes of Oklahoma City, the member of the USGA National Team and top-ranked junior boy in the state, had to get past Emerson Majma of Edmond, a 2027 commit to Oklahoma State, 2 and 1 and Baylor signee Tripp Anderson 1 up to reach Thursday’s semifinals.
If that murderer’s row wasn’t tough enough, he now faces Edmond’s Ainslee Stanford III, who shot 10-under to win the Stroke Play Championship then dispatched Benson Diehmn of Norman 6 and 4 and Jack Anderson of Claremore 5 and 3 Wednesday at KickingBird Golf Course in Edmond to set up the titanic showdown.
Lurking in the other semifinal is Grady Thompson of Edmond, the defending champion bound for Iowa State. He took out the talented duo of Chase Blaser of Edmond 2 and 1 and Reed Higgins of Edmond 4 and 2.
Next up for Thompson is Wyatt Basford of Tuttle, who advanced with a 3 and 2 win over Tyler Robertson of Stillwater and a 4 and 2 victory over Ty Netherlin of Edmond.
Chase Hughes
In the girls semifinals, defending champion Kate Moore of Tulsa will play Juliana Hong and stroke play medalist Dia Singh of Bixby faces Maggie Ruby of Stillwater.
Moore rolled along with a 4 and 3 victory over Nora Riggs of Ardmore and a 5 and 3 win over Mackinlee Brunker of Cordell. Hong, who has signed with Columbia, also won her two matches handily, defeating Xavri Rynes of Ada 6 and 5 and Autumn McMahan of Choctaw 5 and 4.
In the other bracket, the 13-year-old Singh blasted Katherine Cooper of Edmond 8 and 6 and defeated Natalie Carlson of Norman 3 and 2. Ruby won 4 and 2 over Sophie Groves of Ardmore and 4 and 3 over Charlotte Dixon of Midwest City.
Semifinal matches begin at 8 a.m.
