It took two playoff holes, but for the second consecutive season, Yinyoe Yang of Conway bested Susanna Manns of Russellville to win the high school girls Overall title Thursday afternoon at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock.
Junior Jack Denery of Little Rock Catholic took home the boys title after shooting a 3-under 69 on the same course where the PGA Tour Champions will compete next week in the Simmons Bank Championship.
In the girls competition, after playing to a 1-over 73 tie through 18 holes, Yang and Manns entered the sudden death playoff. Both players parred the first playoff hole. Yang made par in the second playoff round, but Manns was unable to connect on her par putt, giving Yang the title in dramatic fashion.
“The round today was really close,” Yang said while clutching her championship trophy. “I was expecting that because Susanna is such a great player. Going into the last couple of holes, they were kind of hard, but whoever makes the mistakes is going to end up losing.”
Yang, the Class 6A state champion, fell behind by three strokes after a triple bogey on 16. But Manns, the 5A winner, could not take advantage as she also made a triple bogey on 17 that tied her with Yang at 1 over. Both players parred 18 to force the playoff.
Yang and Manns will each continue their careers at the Division I level. Yang is set to attend Arkansas State next year, while Manns will compete in the Big Ten at the University of Minnesota.
“It’s really special to win again,” Yang said. “This is my last high school tournament, so to be able to finish it with a win is great.”
Lillie York of Mount St. Mary’s (2 over), Teagen Muldoon of Gravette (4 over) and Payton Bourland of Hot Springs Lakeside (7 over) rounded out the top five finishers in the girls competition.
On the boys side, Denery sealed his victory with a birdie on 18 to cap off his round.
“I’ve had probably the best season I’ve had so far,” said Denery, who finished third in the Class 6A boys state tournament. “I’ve played a lot of really good golf, but I’ve kind of struggled the past two or three weeks. To come back and play like I did today, it’s a big motivator.”
During his round Thursday, Denery recorded six birdies and 10 pars. Henry O’Keefe of Little Rock Christian was the only other player to shoot under par, finishing with a 1-under 71 to take second place.
Miken Ashmore of Cabot and Paxton Lane of Benton tied for third place at 1-over 73, while Hogan O’Keefe of Little Rock Christian and Knox Stephens of Magnolia tied for fifth at 3-over 75.
“On this golf course, you got to hit the ball straight off the tee and you got to hit it close,” Denery said. “I played a really low day and hit a lot of shots close, so that’s a big bonus out here.”
The top two boys and girls finishers will be granted the opportunity to participate in the pro-am of the Simmons Bank Championship at Pleasant Valley. Yang, Manns, Denery and Henry O’Keefe will all take part Wednesday.
“I’m really excited for that,” Yang said. “I played in it last year with Susanna, so I’m excited to be back.”
Little Rock Christian’s Henry O’Keefe placed second in the state high school Overall boys golf tournament on Thursday at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock. O’Keefe finished two shots behind Little Rock Catholic’s Jack Denery.
(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Staci Vandagriff)
