Dawson County sophomore sensation Pearl Hughes is tabbed BLITZ Golfer of the Year!

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Area Runner-Up (78)
2x Low Medalist
2 Top-5 Regional events
1st @ Southeastern Junior Golf Tournament
1st @ Peggy Kirk Bell Golf Tour
-1 Scoring Avg
35 9-Hole Avg
75 18-Hole Avg

The accolades and numbers speak for themselves. Hughes was the Area Runner-Up, but didn’t qualify for state only because the Area Champ was also the top golfer on a team that didn’t qualify. Despite being robbed of that opportunity, Hughes is a highly-regarded young talent with a -1 scoring average, carding a 35 typically in a 9-hole event and 75 in a full 18.

VOTING RESULTS

1. Pearl Hughes – 37.5 pts (6 1st-place votes)
2. Rylee Brown – 30 pts (3)
3. Addie Maney – 27.5 pts (2)
4. Liv Eckhard – 22 pts
5. Billikayl Allison – 18 pts (1)
6. Tenley Maney – 9 pts

Voting included our 12-person panel made up of sports reporters, writers, video producers, former coaches, players, GHSA officials, and sports experts. The voting is Heisman-style, with the following points system:
1st place votes: 5 pts; 2nd: 3 pts; 3rd: 2 pts; 4th: 1 pts; 5th-6th: 0.5 pts; 7th-8th 0.25 pts

Pearl Hughes captured six 1st-place tallies to win the voting. Rylee Brown as just a freshman was right behind her, and senior Addie Maney had a pair of 1st-place votes.

HISTORY OF GOLFER OF THE YEAR

• 2025 – Pearl Hughes – Dawson County SO
• 2024 – Samantha Dewendt – Dawson County SR
• 2023 – Samantha Dewendt – Dawson County JR
• 2022 – Katie Grace Randall – Stephens County SR
• 2021 – Catie Craig – White County SR & Maggie Jackson – Tallulah Falls SR
• 2020 – Catie Craig – White County JR
• 2019 – Catie Craig – White County SO
• 2018 – Caroline Craig – White County JR & Catie Craig – White County FR
• 2017 – Caroline Craig – White County SO
• 2016 – Maddie Horinek – Union County JR & Ally Horinek – Union County SO
• 2015 – Madison Caldwell – Dawson County SR
• 2014 – Madison Caldwell – Dawson County JR
• 2013 – Madison Caldwell – Dawson County SO
• 2012 – Cara Gowder – Banks County JR
• 2011 – Morgan Wood – Lumpkin County JR
• 2010 – Morgan Wood – Lumpkin County SO

The award stays with Dawson County, as Hughes is the sixth all-time winner for the Lady Tigers, matching White County as the record holders for this particular award. She’s the first sophomore since Catie Craig in 2019 to claim it.

WHO WILL WIN IT NEXT YEAR?