Sports

Junior Open grooming Cavs

• The Albany Junior Open begins today carrying a long line of Darton College signees as past champions.

Scott Chancey

ALBANY JUNIOR OPEN WHEN: Monday, Tuesday WHERE: Stonebridge Golf & Country Club DEFENDING OVERALL CHAMPION: Evan Hanna OTHER PAST CHAMPIONS: Jack Stewart (2003), Ryan Parker (2204), Troy Bart (2005) AGE DIVISIONS: For boys and girls 8-under, 9-11, 12-13, 14-15, 16-18 REGISTRATION FEE: $25 8-under, $50 everybody else FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call Stonebridge, (229) 889-8270

ALBANY – When the fifth annual Albany Junior Open begins at Stonebridge Golf & Country Club, two things are almost certain:

• There will be quality golf by some of the area's top junior players, such as defending tournament champion Evan Hanna.
• A Darton signee will do well in the event.

Two of the tournament's four overall winners were Darton signees at the time (Ryan Parker in 2004, Troy Bartkowicz in 2005) of victory. Although Hanna won the event last year as a rising senior at Tift County, he now is a Darton signee, ready to play for coach Dale Dover's three-time defending NJCAA Division II champion Cavaliers.

"I think, more than anything else, it gives them another tournament to compete in," Dover said. "We try to recruit good players, so that's one reason Darton signees normally do good in this."

Although Hanna won the event last year, that doesn't means he will be calm this time.

"I may be more comfortable this time because I know I can do it because I did it last year," Hanna said. "But it's still a tournament, and you're nervous at a tournament."

Three other Darton signees – Eatonton's Andy Lewis, LaGrange's Ridge Purcell and Moultrie's Aaron Elrod – are signed up to play in the event. According to tournament. According to tournament founder, Usup Choi, the event plans to offer a $750 scholarship prize to the overall winner, a $500 scholarship to second and a $300 scholarship to third. Choi added scholarships could also possibly be awarded in the girls division. A one-day, four-hole tournament is held Monday for ages 8-and-under. A nine-hole, two-day tournament is held for ages 9-11, and two-day, 18-hole events are held for age groups 12-13, 14-15 and 16-18.

When it comes to Darton signees' performances and participation, Choi has been impressed.

"Dale over has been a tremendous help recruiting players for this tournament," said Choi, adding more than 50 junior golfers are registered for this year's event.

For Dover, this tournament is also beneficial to his program.

"It gives me a chance to look at area players who signed up for the tournament," Dover said.

And although Dover has known of Hanna's play since he was a freshman, the signee keeps impressing his future coach.

"He's really competitive and he's a hard worker," Dover said. "I think he'll fit right in with us."

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