RINGGOLD, Ga. - The Evitt Foundation RTC Junior All-Star will have a distinct final threesome today as the 54-hole tournament concludes at WindStone Golf Club.
The first-day leader, the player who shot Wednesday's best round and the only player to shoot in the 60s both of the first two days at the American Junior Golf Association event will comprise that final group.
Fifty-four boys ages 12 to 15 from all over the world competed on the second day Wednesday, and ultimately it came down to a tie for first between Narayan Mohan, from Charlotte, N.C., and Cohen Trolio, from West Point, Miss. They are at 5-under-par 137.
Leila Raines, from Galena, Ohio, paces the field of 23 girls at 1-under 141, three strokes ahead of Amanda Sambach, from Davidson, N.C.
Today's final boys' threesome will tee off at 9:50 a.m. It features first-day leader Mohan (67-68), Trolio (68-69), and Gorman Sargent, from Birmingham, Ala., who backed his opening 72 with a 67 to get within two of the leaders.
Although his second round was only one shot off his first, Mohan said he played better Tuesday. He noted that Wednesday's conditions were much windier. He also said his tactics in his final round won't waver from his approach the first two days.
"I plan on doing the same as today and yesterday," Mohan said. "I want to play to my strength, which is my wedge shots. I won't be going for any par 5s in two."
Raines also commented on how the conditions in the second round were more challenging than in the first.
"My putter was pretty solid, as were my longer irons and my hybrids," Raines said of her par round after shooting 70 on Tuesday. "With all the wind, it was playing a little longer."
Joining Raines and Sambach in the final group is Karoline Tuttle, from Lake Mary, Fla. She has carded two 73s.
The final girls' group is scheduled to tee off at 8:50 on No. 1. The tournament has had groups teeing off on Nos. 1 and 10 both days, although shortly after finishing her second round, Raines did not know where she would begin her final round.
"I think I'll have the same plan as the first two days," Raines said. "I don't care which nine I play first. The back nine I'll have to play more conservative. It's definitely tighter and hillier than the front."
Harrison Davis, from Fort Payne, Ala., is among the Chattanooga-area golfers in the competition. His total of 144 (70-74) has him tied for eighth and in a group starting on No. 1 with a 9:10 tee time. Also from Fort Payne is Dawson Garrett, who backed his first-round 79 with a 72 and is tied for 29th and has an 8 a.m. tee time.
Tucker Windham, a student at Gordon Lee listed from Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., is at 149 (75-74) and tied for 19th. His final round will begin on No. 10 at 9:20.
Hannah Nall, from Cleveland, Tenn., shot rounds of 75 and 77 is tied for eighth on the girls' side at 10 over. Her group is set to begin on No. 1 at 8:30.
Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653. Follow him on Twitter @KelleySmiddie.