Each of the champions erased two-shot deficits during the final round at ASGA Founding Member Club Texarkana Country Club.
June 25, 2023
By Chris Werner
USGA P.J. Boatwright Jr. Intern
Maumelle’s Luke Hanson and Cave Springs’ Lauren Milligan faced identical two-shot deficits heading into the second and final round of the Arkansas Junior Amateur Championship on June 21.
Hanson fired a round of 70 (-2) in his first go-round at Texarkana Country Club and trailed Jackson McLaughlin of Little Rock by two shots in the boys' division after the first 18 holes.
Milligan posted a 78 on Day One, looking up the leaderboard at Hot Springs’ Maggie Huett (76), Conway’s Presli Webb (76), and Jonesboro’s Caroline Hughes (77) in the girls’ tournament.
Both Hanson and Milligan climbed to the top of the field after Round 2 to capture their biggest titles yet.
Hanson caught McLaughlin on the ninth hole Wednesday as he made the turn in 1-over 37, counting two bogeys and a birdie. McLaughlin played the first nine in 39 with two birdies, a double bogey, and three bogeys including one on the ninth.
With McLaughlin struggling off the tee all day, Hanson, an Arkansas Tech commit, knew steady golf would give him the best chance to win.
“I was really just hitting the middle of the greens,” Hanson said after the trophy presentation. “Making good two-putts and giving myself some chances for birdie, not trying to get too crazy and make double or bogey or anything.”
Although Hanson made three bogeys on the final nine, he carded two birdies, too. McLaughlin closed in 41, dropping four shots in the first three holes of the back nine.
Hanson was one of only four boys not to make a double bogey or worse over the 36-hole tournament.
While Hanson overtook McLaughlin in the event’s final group, Jack-Henry Wise of Searcy was busy putting together the only under-par round of the day in the penultimate three-ball.
After a 73 on Day One put Wise five shots off the lead and three back of second, the Union University recruit went out in 38 but finished the final round in 3-under 33 converting three birdies in his last six holes to force a playoff with Hanson for the trophy.
On the first hole of the playoff — Texarkana’s 400-yard par-4 first — Wise drove it left into the trees while Hanson found the fairway. Wise’s second came up short of the putting surface, he chipped on, missed the par attempt, and tapped in for bogey. Hanson’s approach landed on the middle of the green and his birdie bid slid roughly two feet past the hole, but he knocked in the comebacker to claim victory.
“It means everything to me,” Hanson said. “I’ve never won any of these big championships. Yeah, It’s special.”
In the girls' competition, Milligan came from the second-to-last group to take the crown.
Her closing 72 was six shots better than her first-round score and three shots lower than anyone else managed on Wednesday.
The Rogers State commit played her first nine on Tuesday in 7-over 43, then played her last 27 holes in 1-under.
“I was definitely struggling with my long game yesterday and today I was hitting greens,” Milligan said. “I only missed one green on the front, one green on the back. Hitting greens was crucial.”
Milligan said she did not go to the range after the first round, and by looking at her scorecard, it’s pretty safe to assume she corrected whatever needed to be fixed between the 10th and 18th holes of her first round.
The Junior Am win marks back-to-back Ws for Milligan after she collected a seven-shot victory on June 13 at the Burns Park Junior Invitational.
“It's just amazing,” Milligan said. “I got off my first ASGA win at Burns Park and just to win again is so amazing.”
Hanson and Milligan now lead the Simmons Bank Junior Boys and Girls Player of the Year Points Lists by 68 and 125 points, respectively.
The next ASGA Junior Major Championship is the Junior Match-Play Championship from July 18-21 at Eagle Hill Golf and Athletic Club. The ENTRY DEADLINE is July 14.
