Texas golfer wins Western Junior title

Connor Black showed Chicago what a Texas-size grin looks like.

The Houston-area player shot a 3-over 74 on Friday at Beverly Country Club and won the Western Junior Championship by two strokes over Hunter Kraus of Germantown, Tenn.

Black took a four-shot lead into Friday’s fourth round and never let go to finish with a 1-over 285 total. The 15-year-old from Katy, Texas, experienced a roller-coaster ride on the back nine, but he closed two pars for the victory. Black, who missed the cut at last year’s Western Junior, said a par save from a green-side bunker at No. 15 helped him secure the win.

“I came into (Friday) feeling it was my tournament to lose,” said Black, who made one birdie and four pars on the back nine. “After that up-and-down, I thought it was mine, but I wasn’t sure until the 18th hole.

“I played very steady, but (Friday) I wasn’t so steady. But I held it together.”

Buffalo Grove sophomore Doug Ghim was the low local after he tied for 11th with an 8-over 292 (74-74-73-71). He finished Friday with an even-par 71, his best round of the tournament. Ghim tied for third at last year’s state tournament.

Jacobs graduate Scott Cahill tied for 22nd (74-73-74-75—296), while Deerfield graduate Bennett Lavin tied for 31st (72-76-78-72—298). Lavin also tied with third with Ghim at the state tournament.

Last year’s state champion Nick Robles, who will be a senior at Crystal Lake South, tied for 55th (72-79-78-76—305).

With the win, Black earns an automatic exemption into the Western Amateur, which is in August at Glenview’s North Shore Country Club. He wasn’t sure Friday if he will make the trip back to the Chicago area.

“I told my dad at the beginning of the year that this was the tournament I was looking forward to the most,” said Black, who will be a sophomore at Cinco Ranch. “This tournament is so professionally run. The people at Beverly have been so nice. They have taken us in and put their arms around us and really made us feel comfortable.”

The tournament’s low round belonged to Taylor Moore from Edmond, Okla., when he opened the week with a 5-under 66. He ended up tied for sixth.

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