Ledger Conley did not get the results he was looking for in the USGA Junior Amateur tournament this week but he didn’t come up empty-handed, either.
While the rising Richmond Hill senior failed to advance to the field of 64 in the prestigious tournament --- he shot a pair of 75s to finish at 9-over par --he gained a world of experience on the biggest stage of his golfing career in addition to ratcheting up his recruiting profile.
A total of 264 golfers qualified to play in the event with the low 64 advancing to match play competition beginning Wednesday with the champion being crowned on Saturday.
Three Georgia golfers advanced. Mason Howell of Thomasville, who qualified for last month’s U.S. Open, was the medalist with a 7-under par 134. Also advancing were Hamilton Coleman of Augusta and Georgia Southern signee Trace Carter of Blackshear. The cut was three-over.
Conley was the first greater Savannah area golfer to qualify for the event since Brian Harman who won it in 2003. Harman also reached the semi-finals in 2002 and 2004.
Also competing in the event was Grant Odum of Statesboro. Odum, a rising junior at Bulloch Academy who finished 7-over. Odum has a Richmond Hill connection as his father, Bradley, is a RHHS graduate and was a member of the Wildcats state championship basketball teams in 1993 and 1994. His grandparents are Gary and Beth Odom.
Conley qualified for the event by being the co-medalist at a qualifying tournament in Athens in early June while Odum got in by winning the Georgia State Junior tournament.
Ironically, Odum qualified by beating Conley in a three-hole sudden-death play to win the Georgia State Golf Association event two weeks ago at Valdosta Country Club. Odum had forced the playoff by chipping in for a birdie on the final hole.
It’s been quite a summer for Conley who has emerged as one of the top young golfers in Georgia.
The son of Barry Conley of Pembroke and Tura Sandt of Richmond Hill won the Class 6A high school state championship by three shots this spring and was named 6A Player of the Year by Georgia high school coaches. He followed that up with an outstanding 67 at the USGA qualifier in Athens before the GSGA state junior event.
In the 54-hole state juniors tournament Conley shot seven-under only to see his efforts go for naught thanks to Odom’s clutch birdie. Odom shot a final round 67 while Conley closed with a 68.
“I’m a competitive person and it sucks to lose, especially when you’ve played three good rounds of golf,” Conley said, “but that’s the way it works out sometimes.”
The USGA event, Conley said, was the biggest tournament he’s played in and now that it’s behind him he’s turning his attention to the recruiting process.
Conley will be in the first group of high school recruits who can now be paid directly by their school in addition to any NIL opportunities but he said he’s more into looking for opportunity than money.
“I want to go somewhere where I fit in as a player and with the coach,” Conley said. “I might go somewhere where I might be getting some money, but I might hate it (school) so that won’t benefit me.”
Conley has no lack of suitors as he has drawn the attention of West Virginia, Florida State, Texas Tech, Alabama-Birmingham, Coastal Georgia and North Georgia. He obviously gained additional exposure by making the USGA field.
“I’m going to have some choices,” Conley said. “I’ve got to start narrowing it down because I want to commit by the end of the year if not sooner.
“It’s not a surprise,” Conley said of his successful spring and summer. “I knew my game would come around eventually because of all the practicing I do. I just feel it’s more of a relief that I’ve been able to play solid. I knew it was coming.”
While disappointed with not making the field of 64 one of the real highlights of the summer for Conley is that he has been able to share it with good friend and teammate Will McNeely who has been caddying for him.
“Having Will on the bag helps me relax,” said Conley of McNeely who has signed to play at Brewton-Parker. “We have fun. I hit a shot, walk to the next shot and we talk, tell a joke. I just feel calm and he knows my game really well, too.”
While McNeely is off to college Conley is looking forward to being a member of the first graduating class at the new Richmond Hill High School which is going to have one of top athletic facilities in the state including, Conley said, two indoor golf simulators which will be a boon to the program.
Mike Brown is a sports correspondent with the Bryan County News.
