Golfweek

PAWLEY’S ISLAND, S.C. – As a native South Korean in the United States for just eight months, Sam Chun speaks very little English and spends most of his time on the course in silence. That’s OK because Chun is quite fluent in the language of golf.

During the final round of the Golfweek Junior Series event Sunday at Willbrook Plantation, Chun’s clubs spoke loudly enough for him en route to a 1-over-par 73 and a six-shot victory over Dylan Healey and Matthew Adams. Chun got the win despite a triple-bogey 8 on the par-5 15th.

The victory earned Chun an automatic invitation to the Golfweek’s season-ending Junior Invitationals at Reunion Resort near Orlando, Fla., and Troon North in Scottsdale, Ariz. By tying for second place, Healey and Adams also earned invitations to both events.

Video

Golfweek Junior Series: Willbrook highlights

Minami Levonowich and Sam Chun triumph at Willbrook Plantation.

Nursing an eight-shot lead at the time, Chun decided to play boldly when he reached No. 15 and hit a 3-wood into the hazard on his attempt to reach the green in two. After taking a penalty for an unplayable lie, Chun carded his only score higher than bogey in the two days of what was otherwise a brilliant display.

“I didn’t care about qualifying,” Chun said (through an interpreter) of his bold strategy on the 15th. “I want a score as much under par as I can.”

The win was Chun’s third in the 10 events he’s played in the U.S, but was special because he broke new ground in his career. Holton Freeman, Chun’s coach at the Brian Mogg Academy in Florida, said it was important for Chun to learn to play with a lead.

“He’s been more successful chasing people down, coming from behind,” Freeman said. “It was good for him to have to hold a lead; I think that’s harder to do and he’ll learn from this.”

Healey began the day three strokes behind Chun, but the Franklin, Tenn., resident bogeyed three of the first seven holes to virtually fall out of contention. There was also the matter of earning the second qualifying spot, meaning he had to battle with Adams, a California resident who hones his game at the Hank Haney Junior Golf Academy in Hilton Head Island, S.C.

After carding a double bogey on the 10th, Adams righted the ship to play even par the rest of the way for a 75 and a two-day total of 147. Adam matched Healey, who bogeyed the par-3 17th in opening the door for Adams. Perhaps no one in the field had greater appreciation for the weekend than Adams.

“It was pretty intense – we were both grinding because it was pretty much match play,” Adams said of his duel for second place with Healey. “(Saturday) was the first time I shot even par in a tournament. This whole weekend was unreal for me, just way too much fun.

“I can’t wait to play (in the Invitational) – hopefully this will open many doors for me. I feel like I can (play at a high level) for a long time.”

On the girls’ side, Minami Levonowich, also a student at the Hank Haney Junior Golf Academy, held off Trisha Witherby by one stroke in a heated battle. Levonowich, who closed in 74 Sunday, also won the Golfweek qualifier at Pine Needles last year in Southern Pines, N.C.

Witherby bogeyed the par-5 15th while Levonowich birdied for a two-stroke advantage. Levonowich’s par on 17 combined with Witherby’s bogey should have created little drama as three strokes separated the two at No. 18. But after getting into trouble, Levonowich found herself facing a 7-footer for bogey while Witherby was closer putting for birdie. A Levonowich miss and Witherby make led to a playoff, but Levonowich drained the crucial putt. Witherby sank her putt, but her fate already had been decided.

“It’s been a while since I won,” Levonowich said. “This will get my confidence back.”

For Levonowich, the key was the revamped putting stroke that had somewhat abandoned her the day before.

“I’m really happy because I practiced putting a long time (Saturday) and it showed today,” she said. “I hit my irons good again and made some good birdie putts.”

In all, Levonowich carded four birdies Sunday. She sank 5-footers on the second and fifth holes and rolled in birdie putts of 10 feet at Nos. 11 and 15.