There are two things in Lenoir County you can count on in mid-June — random thunderstorms and the Roy Jones/BB&T Junior Golf Classic.
The prestigious junior golf tournament is back for a 28th year and will begin today at the Kinston Country Club.
Male and female junior golfers 18 and under will convene on the par-71, Ellis Maples-designed course for two days in search of an age-division title and looking to add to their overall ranking with the Tarheel Youth Golf Association five-multiplier event — the highest ranking a tournament can earn.
This year there are roughly 100 participants spread out across several different age groups.
“I can’t believe we’re here, in our 28th year,” said Jones, a retired local businessman who started the tournament in 1985. “The tournament has just grew and grew and grew.”
This year’s field includes several local standouts, including recent Parrott Academy graduates Riley Davis and Jack Sides. Davis, who is headed to UNC-Pembroke, had a scoring average of 73.6 for the Patriots while Sides, who has signed with High Point University, averaged a team-best 72.
Also playing locally is Jackson Crocker, Cameron Minyard, Matt Simmons and Tara Simmons.
“We have a great field this year,” Kinston C.C. club professional Carl Beaman said. “The course is in great shape, so I expect a challenging yet exciting two days of golf.”
The tournament kicks off at 8:30 a.m. and is free and open to the public.
Ryan Herman can be reached at 252-559-1073 or Ryan.Herman@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter: @KFPSports.
Roy Jones/BB&T Junior Golf Classic
When: Today-Wednesday
Where: Kinston Country Club
Who: Junior golfers, both male and female, from all over N.C.
Notable local participants: Riley Davis, Jackson Crocker, Jack Sides, Cameron Minyard, Matt Simmons and Tara Simmons