Max Jackson Wins RI Boys Junior Amateur
La Salle phenom Max Jackson added to his already growing legend on Friday morning, edging Moses Brown’s Harry Dessel 1-up to win the Rhode Island Boys Junior Amateur Championship at Rhode Island Country Club.
Earlier this summer, Jackson won the High School State Championship, then the World Series of Junior Golf and now this.
“This tournament is way different because there is match play in it. So, getting to the top 16 the first day and then win four matches, I’ve never done that before so that felt really good,” Jackson told GolfNewsRI after the round.
He adds, “I’ve put a lot of time in this summer with my dad, who is my coach, and it’s just crazy.”
Jackson will now playin a a few team events over the next couple of weeks before getting ready for soccer season at La Salle.
Jackson Comes up Clutch
It is a shot that will be talked about for days, weeks and maybe months.
Leading one-up walking down the 18th fairway at Rhode Island Country Club, Jackson stuck his second shot right next to the flag, just inches away to pretty much seal the match.
“That was definitely the most timely shot I have ever hit, to be able to put it that close at that time of the match. I didn’t expect it to be that close, I was just trying to get it somewhere on the green, put some pressure on Harry, and to have it be some place where he can give it to me just meant the world,” said Jackson.
He stopped short of calling it the best shot he ever hit, but most timely will do.
A Showdown
Coming in to the match, everyone knew that it was going to be a showdown, the big gallery watching them proves that.
And it was.
Dessel took a one up lead on the third hole, before Jackson tied it on four and took his own lead on the fifth hole.
The Moses Brown star would tie the match on the 8th hole and it would remain tied until the 12th hole.
Jackson won the 12th hole with a birdie and then dropped about 15 foot birdie putt on 15 to take a two-up lead.
Dessel would cut into the lead on 16, but the two players would halve 17 and 18 to give Jackson the win.