DAVIS, W.Va. — Tommy Evans’ final round in the West Virginia Junior Amateur Championship at Canaan Valley Resort didn’t contain the same birdie barrage he displayed in the first two rounds of the tournament. However, steady play throughout the final 18 holes allowed the Washington High School rising junior to take the top WVGA junior golf event in the state.
Evans shot a 1-under par final round of 71 to finish the 54-hole event at 16-under, good enough for a two-shot victory over WVU signee, and WVSSAC Class AAA state champion from Cabell Midland, Jack Michael.
Evans played bogey-free golf until the final two holes during the final round.
“I didn’t get many putts to fall early in the round,” Evans said. “I kind of just stuck in there. I made a lot of pars, which was great. I got a birdie to fall on 9. So it kind of gave me some help coming into the back.”
Michael began the day four strokes behind Evans. He cut that deficit in half with an eagle on the third hole.
“Jack is a great player. I have been playing against him for a couple years now. He is always near the top of the leaderboard. Playing with him in the final round was definitely awesome. When he eagled No. 3, I got a little scared, obviously, just because of the great player he is.”
Evans kept at least a two shot lead throughout the final round. Birdies on the 13th and 16th holes later extended his cushion to four strokes. Evans is the second eastern panhandle consecutive golfer to win this event at Canaan Valley. Rutgers sophomore Argyle Downes won the championship in 2024.
“My buddy Argyle, last year he won. We live in the same neighborhood. He kind of gave me some talks coming into this. And that helped a lot. I won a couple weeks ago on the AJGA so I had a little bit of momentum coming into this.”
Michael finished at 14-under par. Shady Spring golfer Cooper Ward finished third at 7-under. He posted the best round of the day with a 65, one-stroke off Evans’ opening-round mark. Hurricane’s Isaac Hayes, Stephen McDavid of Scott Depot and McCartney Hinkle of Bluefield finished tied for fourth at 6-under.
In the girls championship, Chastyn Viars of South Charleston won the title with a score of 240 (24-over). Viars is an incoming freshman at George Washington High School.
“It wasn’t as good as the other days. My putting was bad. My driver was good,” Viars said.
“It is pretty big because I am normally not that good. The past few rounds have been my best rounds ever.”
Runner-up honors in the girls division were shared by Bridgeport’s Audrey Kerr and Lexi Green of Charleston.