In the 4A Championship at Pinehurst No. 6 (Par 70, 5,326 yards), the Pinecrest girls golf team successfully defended its 2023 title, announced the North Carolina High School Athletic Association on Tuesday.
On the team leaderboard, Pinecrest posted a 23-over-par, 443 to finish atop the leaderboard and seven shots better than Charlotte Catholic. Marvin Ridge finished in third place, two strokes behind the Cougars, and Northwest Guilford took fourth place.
The win is the seventh state championship for Pinecrest and third in a row.
The Patriots were led by senior Kaitlyn Kruczek and freshman Ashley Lee, who posted six-over-par, 146, and finished in a tie for fourth on the individual leaderboard. The Cougars were led by Freshman Elizabeth Guthrie, who finished in a tie for 10th at 8-over-par.
On the individual leaderboard, Northwest Guilford’s Leah Edwards was tied for the lead with Kruczek after the first round but posted another even par round of 70 on Tuesday to hold on to the top spot. She held off the 2022 champion, Myers Park senior Elizabeth Rudisill, by one shot as Rudisill fired a three-under 67 on Tuesday. Rudisill’s second-round score was the only under-par round of the championship.
Edwards is the first 4A champion to defend the title since Jennifer Chang from Athens Drive won four in a row from 2014-2017.
Jordan senior Emerson Dever finished in third, and Mary Elizabeth Harrison from Cardinal Gibbons, as well as New Bern’s Baker Hudson, each finished in a tie for fourth with Lee and Kruczek.
The 4A Women’s Golf NC Farm Bureau Sportsmanship Award winners were Kate Grantham from Pinecrest and Maggie Schugel from Charlotte Catholic.
Contributed article and photo.
