The Lanto Junior Championship concludes in Blacksburg

BLACKSBURG, Va. (WDBJ) - Out at the Blacksburg Country Club, Thursday was the final day of the Lanto Junior Championship where more than 70 junior golfers competed.

The event started three years ago when Lanto Griffin approached his home course about providing another opportunity for young golfers to compete at a high level. This year, 52 boys and 27 girls competed in the three day tournament.

Brad Ewing, Blacksburg’s PGA Pro says that events like this help not only grow the sport, but also the young talent in the Roanoke Valley.

“For really the last 30 years, in the Roanoke Valley and in the New River Valley, we’ve had some great developmental programs, some great junior golf instruction,” he explains. “The big tournament that these kids have grown up idolizing was the Scott Robertson Memorial at Roanoke Country Club, and when Lanto Griffin approached us in the fall of 2020 about bringing a tournament to his home course, we were behind it and our members jumped right on it because it gave another opportunity for kids to compete in our area.”

Nick Piesen from Ohio would win on the boy’s side, shooting 7 under, while Blacksburg native Major Ewing would come in second at 4 under.

Copyright 2023 WDBJ. All rights reserved.