Katherine Schuster, Tyler Wilkes Lead After Rd. 2
On a sunny but blustery Saturday afternoon at TPC Myrtle Beach, Katherine Schuster (Kill Devil Hills, N.C.) was able to create a little separation from the field in the second round of the Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship presented by Fujikura in the girls tournament.
On the boys side, Tyler Wilkes (Tampa, Fla.) rode a round of 71 to the top of the leaderboard, setting the stage for a dramatic final day. Wilkes is 1-under for the tournament, just a stroke clear of Andrew Yong. H Jung (Championsgate, Fla.) and David Ford (Peachtree Corners, Ga.).
[FULL LEADERBOARD: BOYS, GIRLS]
Jong fired the round of the day, a 2-under 70 that moved him up 14 spots on the leaderboard. Jong and Wilkes were the only two players to break par on a day that saw the average score for the boys surge to 77.79.
Ford offset three birdies with three bogeys to shoot 72.
Schuster recorded a 73, equaling the best round of the day in the girls event, and will take a two-stroke lead over Taylor Roberts (Parkland, Fla.) into the final round. Schuster, who made a pair of back nine birdies, is 1-over for the tournament and she gained some breathing room when Roberts doubled her final hole of the day – TPC’s ninth.
Roberts shot a 75 and is +3 for the event. Yoko Tai (Windermere, Fla.), the leader after the opening round, is in third place at 6-over par after shooting an 80.
TPC Myrtle Beach played 6,997 yards from the tips for the boys. The course played 6,018 yards for the girls. The top 40 boys and top 15 girls advance to Sunday’s final round.
36-HOLE LEADER TYLER WILKES POST ROUND INTERVIEW
katherine schuster & taylor roberts post round interviews
The Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship is a 54-hole, college style event that has quickly grown into one of the top junior events in America.
With Johnson’s support, the tournament provides players a PGA TOUR-like experience, and the opportunity to test themselves against a premier field.
A significant part of the event’s appeal is TPC Myrtle Beach, one of the Grand Strand’s most decorated layouts. TPC Myrtle Beach has hosted the Senior PGA Tour Championship and been ranked among “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses” by Golf Digest, making it an ideal venue to test golf’s rising young stars.
The event’s past boys champions are: 2016 – Blake Taylor (East Carolina), 2017 – Trent Phillips (Georgia), 2018 – Brennan and 2019 – Akshay Bhatia The previous girls winners are: 2016 – Delaney Shah (Louisville), 2017 – Skylar Thompson (Ohio State) and 2017, 2018 – Alex Pano.
The Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship presented by Fujikura is also sponsored by Founders Group International, the Dustin Johnson Golf School, Adidas, TaylorMade, Dustin Johnson Foundation and PlayGolfMyrtleBeach.com.
Johnson’s involvement with the tournament reflects his long-time commitment to junior golf, particularly in South Carolina, where he grew into one of the world’s best players. Through the Dustin Johnson Foundation, which is headquartered in Myrtle Beach, Johnson has donated more than $500,000 to junior golf, sponsoring numerous events throughout the state and helping cover entry costs for kids who need financial assistance.
