Girls Division
Hailey Kirkland went into the final round of the Masters Tour Championship at Prairie View Golf Club three shots behind Alaina Nugent, the leader at the time, who shot a first round of 2-under-par, 70.
Being three shots off the lead, however, was short lived for Kirkland. After a front nine score of even-par, 36, Kirkland was just one shot shy of the lead. Kirkland drained an 18-foot putt on the par-5, 18th to fire a back nine score of one-over-par, 37 to finish at one-over-par for the day and two-over-par for the tournament. The +2 score was good enough to tie with Christina Pfefferkorn for the lead and force a playoff.
“I was so nervous during the playoff,” Kirkland said. “I missed my tee shot to the right of the fairway in the heather, so it made things difficult to make par.”
Although Kirkland hit it in the heather on the par-4, 1st in the playoff, she was able to scramble and make a par to defeat Pfefferkorn in the playoff and become the 2021 Master Tour Championship Girls Division winner. This is Kirkland’s second win of the season, since her first at the Age Group Championship.
“This win is a huge confidence booster for me, especially since I only really started playing in tournaments last summer,” Kirkland said. “It makes me excited for my upcoming events and high school season.”
Girls Full Leaderboard
Boys Division
Leo Wessel fired a bogey-free first round score at the Masters Tour Championship of 2-under-par, 70 to be trailing Jake Cesare, the leader at the time, by two shots going into the final round.
Wessel continued to play solidly in the final round. Wessel made five birdies and just two bogeys the final round to shoot a 3-under-par, 69 and finish at 5-under-par for the tournament. The 5-under-par tournament score and final round of -3, was good enough to defeat runners-up Happy Gilmore and Cole Starnes by just one shot.
“It feels really good to finally get a win this summer,” Wessel said. “At the Boys State Junior Championship, a couple of weeks ago, I had the worst round I’ve ever had, so it really shows my determination to come back and play well.”
This is both Wessel’s first Masters Tour win and first win since 2020, when he won the Junior Tour event at the Players Club.
“I’m really happy to finally get a Masters Tour win because my friend, who won a Masters Tour event last year, always rubs it in that he has one and I don’t,” Wessel joked. “It’s definitely a good confidence booster.”
Boys Full Leaderboard
Masters Tour Points Winners
Girls Division:
- Emma Weiler
- Hailey Kirkland, Michaela Headlee
- Christina Pfefferkorn
- Ellie Beavins
Boys Division:
- Cameron GeRue
- Jackson Watkins
- Cole Starnes
- Leo Wessel
- Adam Mellere