Jude Walker, of Elizabeth, won the 13-year-old division during Wednesday’s West Virginia Junior Am Championship at Canaan Valley Resort in Davis. (Photo Provided)

DAVIS, W.Va. — Jude Walker can vouch that the beauty of tournament golf, each round is a new beginning.

The 13-year-old golfer from Elizabeth won his second straight age division title during Wednesday’s final round of the West Virginia Junior Am Championships at Canaan Valley Resort by shooting a round of 4-under par 68 for a two-day total of 1-under 143.

After shooting a 75 during Tuesday’s opening round, Walker managed to put his whole game in order 24 hours later and complete a seven-stroke improvement.

“The past week and a half I’ve kind of been struggling, but I had a hot round today which gave me confidence,” Walker said. “(Tuesday) I hit well off the tee and my iron striking was going well – today I hit some putts that worked in my favor.”

Walker, who won the boys 12-under championship last year by a six-stroke margin, was on top of his game early with three birdies in his first four holes and made the turn on the back nine at 4-under 32. Consistent golf down the stretch resulted in a two-stroke victory over Bentley Shirkey of Barboursville.

“I rolled about a 20-footer on the second hole to get the momentum going and made a nice putt on number four to keep it going,” Walker said.

Shirkey, who defeated Walker on the second playoff hole for the 12-under Junior Am title two years ago, was tied with Walker for second place when play began on Wednesday and stayed within striking distance by making 17 pars as part of his round of 2-under 70.

“Playing in the same group as Shirkey definitely kept me engaged – I knew where I was at in terms of the lead,” Walker said.

Walked shrugged off consecutive bogeys at 11 and 12 and shot even-par on the back nine.

“I definitely did get a little nervous on the back nine down the stretch – on Tuesday, I didn’t play my best but I battled back,” Walker said. “The back nine is a little tougher so I was fine with even par. This last round gave me some confidence.”

First-round leader Ayden Pavlik from Beckley, shot a 78 and finished third at 152.

Before returning to Wirt County Middle School in August for his eighth grade year, Walker is competing in several USGA junior regional championships which will take him to North Carolina, Michigan and New Jersey.

He is especially looking forward to his experience at Pinehurst.

“I’m excited for next week’s tournament at Pinehurst and seeing all the history in the area,” Walker said.

As for the second of three rounds scheduled for the championship divisions at the Junior Am, Parkersburg South High School’s Cameron Fallon climbed two spots up the leaderboard into a tie for seventh place in the boys division after shooting a 70. Fallon’s two-day total of 143 is 14 strokes back of Charles Town’s Tommy Evans, who owns a four-stroke lead at 129.

Evans and Huntington’s Jack Michael, who sits in second place at 133, turned in the low rounds of the day at 7-under 65. A total of 13 golfers in the field of 65 shot under par.

In the Girls Championship field, Chastyn Viars from South Charleston erased a one-stroke deficit after the first round and moved into the lead after shooting a 79. Viars’ two-round total of 159 is six strokes better than South Charleston’s Lexi Green, who sits in second place at 165.

St. Marys High School graduate McKenzie Armstrong follows in third place at 166 after a second-round 85.