Hudson Shy (right) and John DeLuca (left). (Photo courtesy of Caroline Buchan/Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association)
Photo courtesy of Caroline Buchan/Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association
Hudson Shy packed a one-two punch in two recent junior golf tournaments.
Shy, who will be a senior this fall at St. Charles West, won the 27th Metropolitan Junior Amateur Championship played at St. Clair Country Club in Belleville.
Shy shot a final round 70 for a total of 8-under par to claim the James M. Holtgrieve Trophy in the 18U tournament. He finished with a 208 total to win by three strokes.
“I was happy to win the tournament, and it was awesome to have some of my friends and family there supporting me,” Shy said. “This is the biggest and most impactful tournament I have ever won.”
Shy, who plays out of Bogey Hills Country Club, almost made it two tournament titles in a row.
Shy followed the Metropolitan Junior Amateur by finishing second in the 42nd annual Missouri Junior Amateur Championship held at Franklin County Country Club in Washington.
Hudson Shy holds the James M. Holtgrieve Trophy after finishing first in the 27th Metropolitan Junior Amateur Championship. (Photo courtesy of Caroline Buchan/Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association)
(Photo courtesy of Caroline Buchan/Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association)
Shy recorded a three-round total of 212. He finished 1-under for the tournament. St. Louis University High’s Parker Andersen, who will be a senior this fall, won with a 211.
In the Metropolitan Junior Amateur Championship, Shy was at the top of the leaderboard at 6-under par heading into the final round. He was followed by John DeLuca at 5-under. DeLuca will be a junior this fall at Chaminade.
Shy shot a 71 in the first round. He was tied with two others after the first 18 holes.
“I made an eagle on the par-5, sixth hole, which kickstarted my round,” Shy said. “During that round, I got to 3-under par two times, but didn’t finish well, making some bogeys late to finish that round at 1-under par.”
He shot a 5-under 67 in the second round to lead by one stroke.
“During round 2, I made a bogey on the par 5, 4th hole, and then went on to make six birdies in the final 14 holes,” Shy said.
That left him one stroke up on DeLuca. He knew what he had to do in order to finish first.
“I thought that during the final round I needed to stick to my process, control the things I can control, and have fun,” Shy said.
His start was not the best. Shy bogeyed the first hole, but he shook it off.
“It didn’t affect me, as I knew there was still a bunch of golf to play,” Shy said.
DeLuca, of the Country Club of St. Albans, was the runner-up at 5-under in his first 18U division outing in the event. Previously, he won the 15-U division in the Metropolitan Junior Amateur.
Nick Vilela, of the Metropolitan eClub, ended his week in third at even par 216. Vilela recently graduated from St. Louis University High. He led the Junior Billikens to a pair of Class 5 state championships and served as the team captain. He will play in college at Butler.
Recording a fourth-place finish was Kenny Crislip, of Lake Forest Country Club, who finished at 2-over 281. Crislip will be a junior this fall at Timberland.
Holtgrieve was unable to present his trophy to Shy, but he sent his congratulations from afar.
“This championship means a lot to me because of who the trophy is named after – my friend, Mr. Holtgrieve,” Shy said. “My golf game wouldn’t be where it is without being allowed to spend as much time as I do at an amazing golf course in Bogey Hills Country Club.
“A big thank you goes out to the membership, Angel Walters Likens, Ryan Roy, Bobby Pavelonis, Chad Fetter and Steve Luebbers, who allow me the time and freedom to work on my game.”
Shy said within the last nine months, he has started working with Zach Conlin at ELV8 Golf in Lake Saint Louis.
“He has helped me improve and fine-tune areas of my game and my mental approach process,” Shy said.
Shy competed in the Missouri Junior Amateur for the second time. Last summer, he finished in a tie for 16th place.
He felt confident heading into the final round of the tournament.
He wanted to “stick to my process and try to give myself as many looks at birdie as possible.”
Shy finished with a 71 to come in second.
“I struggled to convert big birdie putts throughout the round, but made some big par saves that kept me in the mix until the very end,” Shy said. “I was in the mix the entire day and the final group separated from the pack a bit.
“I never took the lead, but continued to apply pressure with good play. I had a birdie putt on the final hole that would have forced a playoff and I wasn’t able to convert.”
However, he was not displeased.
“Overall, it was another good week of solid golf,” Shy said.
He plans to stay busy until school starts.
Shy will be playing in the America Junior Golf Association’s Bass Pro Shops/Payne Stewart Junior Championship at Buffalo Ridge Golf Course in Hollister. He’ll then play in the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association’s 36th Amateur Championship at the Country Club of St. Albans.