Local golfers dominated the awards Tarheel Youth Golf Association (TYGA) ceremony held at Little River Golf Resort on Dec. 26, with Michael McGowan, Robert Hoadley and Amanda D'Ostroph taking home trophies.

McGowan, the 18-year-old son of Pat and Bonnie McGowan and grandson of Peggy Kirk Bell, picked up awards as a member of the All-State boys' team and Male Player of the Year.

Hoadley, also of Southern Pines, joined McGowan on the 10-player first team. Other players on the first team were Bo Andrews, of Raleigh; Justin Clement, of Lexington; Michael Cormier, of Cary; Logan Harrell, of Huntersville; Michael Marshburn, of Cary; Zach Munroe, of Charlotte; Grayson Murray, of Raleigh; and Robert Register, of Burlington.

D'Ostroph, of Whispering Pines, was named to the All-State Girls' second team.

McGowan, a senior at The O'Neal School who has committed to play for the University of North Carolina's golf team this year, won two TYGA events this year and finished in the top 10 in 11 of the 16 tournaments he entered.

He was the winner of the Pine Needles Junior Invitational a couple of weeks ago and a Winternational Junior Series at Pinehurst event over Thanksgiving weekend. He tied for second in the 2A N.C. Independent School Championship.

McGowan's strong play included reaching the match play portion of the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship for the second year in a row, and he was third in the AJGA Golf Pride Junior. He finished the year with a 72.58 tournament stroke average and a tournament scoring differential of -0.08.

Hoadley, a junior at Union Pines High School, was runner-up in the Dogwood State Junior Championship.

Hoadley has been a standout member of The First Tee of the Sandhills and has scored well in numerous state and national events over the past few years.

The boys' second team featured John Connors, of Apex; Wilson Day, of Raleigh; Zak Dearinger, of Chapel Hill; James Ellis, of Greenville; Christian Hawley, of Kernersville; Billy Herring, of Lillington; Andy Knox, of Cary; Mitchell McGlamery, of Morganton; Cyrus Stewart, of Raleigh, and John Varol, of Waxhaw.

Earning honorable mention were Boomer Boyd, of Wilmington; Stefan Brewer, of Charlotte; Beau Cutts, of Henderson; Andrew Decker, of Greenville; Zach Edmondson, of Morrisville; Austin Griswell, of Charlotte; Spencer Lawson, of Raleigh; Josh Nichols, of Kernersville; Patrick Sawrey, of Smithfield; and Alex Simmons, of Lenoir.

The girls' first team was led by Player of the Year Courtney Gunter of Matthews and included Sarah Almond, who has been dominating the Winternational Series currently being held at Pinehurst Resort; Sarah Bae, of Raleigh; Jessica Hook, of Wilmington; Katie Kirk, of Davidson; Courtney McKim, of Raleigh; Meghan Moore, of Bahama; Katherine Perry, of Cary; Shannon Prunty, of Oak Ridge; and Courtney Taylor, of Gastonia.

Gunter, a senior, finished in the top 10 in eight of the 15 events she entered, and won her third straight High School 1A/2/A/3A title. She was the medalist in the Rex Hospital Pro-Junior and finished second in the AJGA Betsy Rawls Girls' Championship.

She advanced to the quarterfinals in the U.S. Junior Girls' Championship and finished in seventh place in the Trusted Choice Big I National tournament along with tying for second in the AJGA Golf Pride Junior.

Gunter's tournament scoring average for the year was 74.58 and her tournament scoring differential was -0.28. Gunter has signed to play golf for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Joining D'Ostroph on the second team were Michelle Ahn, of Chapel Hill; Tatum Briele, of New Bern; Lizzy Bundy, of Clayton; Allison Emery, of Charlotte; Hayley Hammond, of Mooresville; Faith Hardison, of Jamesville; Courtney Rousse, of Holly Springs; Kayla Sciupider, of Etowah; and Laura Wearn, of Charlotte.

D'Ostroph, the 2008 Tarheel Junior Champion, helped lead Union Pines High School women's team to back-to-back state championships. Her outstanding year included third place in the Peggy Kirk Bell Tour Championship and seconds in the TYGA Championship and the NCHSAA 3A Regional Championship.

D'Ostroph will attend Charleston Southern University on a golf scholarship next fall.

Receiving this award is a great way to end a special year," D'Ostroph said.

"It's very motivating to be recognized for my hard work and accomplishments over the past year," she said.

The awards were determined by a combination scoring differential and total points earned in the rankings events.