by Declan O’Malley

Sounder contributor

Joe Anderson, a standout amateur golfer from Orcas Island, captured the Washington Junior Golf Association State Championship in the 14-15 age division and added a top-five finish in the overall 14-18 division this month at Longview Country Club and Three Rivers Golf Course.

“Longview Country Club is not a long course, but it is tree-lined with sloping fairways and very difficult greens. I am not a long hitter, but I pride myself on being accurate and having a solid short game,” Anderson said. “The WJGA State Tournament field is packed with the best players in the state. Every year, it’s a test to see where my game stacks up against them. I got second in the 12–13 division two years ago, so my goal was to win it this year.”

After the opening round, Anderson trailed by two strokes. He recovered with an even-par second round to take a one-shot lead heading into the final day. Playing from ahead, he admitted, is a different challenge.

“I prefer hunting down leaders versus being the player who is hunted,” Anderson said.

In the final round, Anderson wasted no time building momentum. He birdied the opening hole and added birdies at numbers 9 and 10 to move to 2-under on the day, creating a commanding cushion. From there, he settled into consistent play, hitting fairways and limiting mistakes.

A par on the demanding par-3 16th, which plays over a canyon with swirling winds, kept his round steady. He then closed with another par on the long, uphill 18th hole, sealing a four-shot victory in his division.

Anderson’s strong performance also placed him tied for fourth in the overall 14-18 division, a result that underscored his steady rise in Washington junior golf that includes several top performances at the High School State Golf tournaments.