Overland Park golfer wins major event

OVERLAND PARK, Kansas - Two golfers from Overland Park shined in a major junior tournament held in their hometowns.

St. Thomas Aquinas golfer Joe Winslow and Harry Higgs, who played at Blue Valley North, pulled off a 1-2 finish on Thursday in the Lockton Kansas City Junior put on by the American Junior Golf Association.

Winslow, who will be a senior at Aquinas this fall, won the prestigious event held at Kansas City Country Club in Mission Hills, Kansas. He shot 69-67-72 to win by four strokes.  Winslow shot 2-over-par in the final round and a total of 2-under-par for the three day tournament.

Higgs shot 70-70-72 to tie for second place in the 54-hole tournament that featured 99 boys and girls ages 12-18 from 16 states and Thailand.

“It was nice to finish with a birdie on No. 18,” Higgs said. “It was nice to make a little 25-foot slider for my last putt in a junior golf event. It was kind of cool.”

This was the last AJGA tournament for Higgs. He is moving on to play golf at Southern Methodist University next year.

Jordan Lippetz of Bradenton, Florida captured the girls' division.  She shot 71-71-74 to win by one stroke.  Former St. Thomas Aquinas and current K-State golfer Gianna Misenhelter competed.  The Overland Park, Kansas native finished nine shots off the lead.