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- ABOUT PINETREE -
2008 RENOVATION
HISTORY & LORE
'A PINETREE MEMORY' OPENING DAY
COURSE LAYOUT
- PINETREE IN THE NEWS -
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
INTERVIEW W/ BILL BERGIN
GEORGIA AMATEUR PREVIEW
BECK TAKES THE TITLE
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PINETREE HOSTS 2ND ANNUAL
AJGA BABYGRANDE ATLANTA CLASSIC HONORING GENE SILLER
Kennesaw, GA — It was another unforgettable week as we hosted the 2nd Annual AJGA Babygrande Atlanta Classic Honoring Gene Siller. What began as a vision just a couple years ago has quickly grown into one special tournament in honor of our past professional, Gene Siller, whose passion for junior golf continues to inspire.
Junior - Am
The week kicked off with our Sunday Junior-Am, where amateur teams were paired with some of the top juniors in the event. Once again, our members and guests walked off the course stunned by both the skill and professionalism these young players brought with them. Special congratulations goes out to the Quigley Family (Dianne, Jim, and Matt) who were paired with AJGA Junior Caroline Hawkins shooting -12 ultimately winning in a scorecard playoff over Casey Granato, Dave Burke, Paul Burke and AJGA Junior Elizabeth Sullivan.
Tournament Highlights:
From the opening round on Monday, the leaderboard began to heat up. Slater Meade (North Wilkesboro, NC | Class of 2027) opened with a solid 69 and never looked back, carding back-to-back 70s in rounds two and three to finish at -7 (209) and secure the Boys Division title. Just one shot back was Bodie Brumlow (Cartersville, GA | 2027) at -6 (210), highlighted by a second-round 67.
In the Girls Division, we had a familiar name at the top: Addison Peeples (Gainesville, GA | 2029), who not only returned to Pinetree after a strong showing last year; she was also a recent recipient of the Gene Siller Grant! This year, Addison closed the deal with rounds of 75-70-70 to finish at -1 (215) and win by a single stroke over Riley Grimm (Pinehurst, NC | 2028), who also had a stellar week with rounds of 72-70-74.
The field was stacked with future stars, and the level of play across all three days proved why the AJGA is considered the gold standard in junior golf. Notably, Grace Lee fired a sizzling 67 in the final round to tie for 5th in the Girls Division, while Drew Sutherland shot a closing 69 to jump up the board on the Boys side.
The Cause
While the competition was fierce, Wednesday’s final round was about more than trophies. It was a day to celebrate Gene Siller, his legacy, and what he meant to junior golf. The players once again donned red shorts and special pins in his honor — a visual tribute with such special meaning! Conversations with the players after the round made it clear: they understood why this event exists and who it represents.
Thank You
These events don’t happen without a village. A huge thank you to Diane Ash, Dianne McPherson, and Doug Waite for their tireless work coordinating volunteers and various aspects of the tournament. Thank you also to Gordon O’Neill for media and communications support, and Ned Goepp for his continued dedication to growing sponsorships!
And of course, thank you to our Members. Your presence, your energy, and your generosity continues to remind us all what makes this Pinetree family so special. Here’s to continuing Gene’s legacy through junior golf — one meaningful shot at a time.
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