Dallas Vaughn, of Calhoun, won the 12-13 year old Optimist State Golf Competition at Trail Golf Club in Savannah on June 18. She shot a low score of 82 on the 6,000 yard course.

The win advanced her to the international competition in West Palm Beach (Fla.) where she will compete in the Optimist Junior Golf Championship.

She will be joined by 39 other U.S players and 40 international players at the PGA Resort Spa, home of the PGA Honda Classic.

“Dallas is just a sixth grader and already plays like a high school player,” said CMS Middle School Golf Coach Roger Gresham. “She competes a lot at the local level so now she will get a chance to test her skills nationally and internationally.”

The event will be a 72-hole tourney with cuts over a period of four playing days from July 23-28.

“It is going to be something new for her,” said Vaughn’s golf coach Phil Meadows. “She works hard and is going to be a good player. She is already a good player.

“I think she will do well as long as she goes down there and play course and not other people, he added. “I have taught her for four years and she has improved greatly. She regularly shoots in the 70’s and she is very coachable.”

To qualify for state, Vaughn first won the Regional Qualifying Junior Optimist Tourney which was held at Meadow Lakes Golf Club in Cedartown. The event was sponsored by the Rome and Carterville Noon Optimist Clubs, along with the Club from Summerville/Trion.

Also competing in the regional tourney was Blake Urbano, also from Calhoun.

Urbano, who was a freshman on the CHS golf team this past year, picked up the win in the 14-15 year old boys division and also advanced to the state tourney. At state he shot an 88 but did not place.

“Blake is quite the athlete,” said Gresham, his former coach. He plays several sports including football and basketball so I am not sure how much time he will have to dedicate to golf but he is a good player.”