STATHAM, Ga. — Two local teenage golfers helped propel the Southeast District golf team win the 38th annual Georgia State Golf Association (GSGA) Junior Sectional Challenge Match on July 26-27.
    Spencer Jordan, an eighth grader at Bulloch Academy, and Sara Jane Bowers, a sophomore at Statesboro High School, were two of the 15 members of the team which ran away with the title in the seven-squad tournament. The Southeast section totaled 64.16 points for the victory while the Southwest section finished second with 44.83 points, almost 20 points behind the SE team, to earn runner-up honors.
    Jordan finished third in his age division (12-13) with a one-under 143 in the two-day, 18-hole tournament, which was held at The Georgia Club. Bowers took 11th in her age group (14-18) with a 181.
    Both had to qualify for the Southeast District team by playing five rounds on five different courses during the months of June and July.
    The Junior Sectional Challenge Match is a statewide competition that brings together the top performers from the summer-long GSGA Junior Sectional Program.  Participants earned the opportunity to compete and represent their section in the tournament by accumulating points in their section's qualifying events. 
    Each of the seven geographic sections sends their top four point earners from each boys’ age division, the top three from each Girls’ 14-17 division and the top two from the Girls’ 12-13 and 11 and under divisions to the Challenge Match.  The team winner, or winning section, is determined by cumulative points earned based on order of finish in the various age divisions during each round.
    The Junior Sectional Program began in 1974 and was established by the Georgia State Golf Association as a grassroots effort to provide juniors across the state with the opportunity to experience competitive golf.