Audrey Kerr Enjoying the Experience of Playing a Major Tournament at Home
By Michael Minnich on July 18, 2026
Tuesday through Thursday weren’t just another trip around a course that Bridgeport’s Audrey Kerr knows so well.
The girls state high school golf champion in 2024, Kerr competed for the second year in the WVU Medicine United Hospital Center Junior Championship at Bridgeport Country Club, finishing in 26th.
“It’s a lot of fun. It’s nice to go out there and see a bunch of friendly faces. I feel like I have a lot of support behind me, which Bridgeport Country Club did a great job with this week,” Kerr said. “There’s a little bit of pressure that comes with that, but everyone’s done a good job of telling me that I need to have fun and play my game. The rest will work itself out.”
If that advice was also given to the other two Harrison County golfers, Carson Higginbotham and Alexander Randolph, they sure heeded it.
“I’m so extremely proud of them and excited to see them excel,” Kerr said. “They’re both really good golfers and they put in the time. They come out there and play 36 holes sometimes just because they have a love for the game.”
Kerr enjoys the multi-day aspects of the event, a difference from the normal one-off events of a high school season.
“Knowing it’s a three-day tournament definitely helps you with the mindset that there’s a lot more golf to be played,” Kerr said. “That leaderboard is not going to stay the same through these three days, so you still have a chance to get your name back up there.
“I think it spreads the golf out. One hole isn’t as disastrous or as great. It makes you more level throughout the entirety of the round. There’s less pressure on each individual shot and hole, but it’s also tougher at times to keep your focus for three days instead of one.”
The competition level helps Kerr lock in, too.
“They really know what they’re doing, so it makes it fun and super cool to experience the great players out there,” Kerr said. “The two girls I played with were phenomenal, both super nice and both played really well.”
Seeing new golfers attack a course that Kerr knows so well is fascinating, too.
“I’ll never forget, I was standing on top of hole 15 and you can see the tee box of 6. I saw one of the guys take an iron off that tee box. That’s something I’ve never seen before,” Kerr said.
Kerr has had a busy summer, playing in events at Penn State and across the state of West Virginia, including the Women’s Amateur and Junior Women’s Amateur.
“I really think those had some great competition and it prepared me a lot,” Kerr said. “A lot of those girls played in college, so it’s awesome that they stuck with it and they still enjoy the game. That gives me a lot of hope for my future because I’m excited for the years of golf to come. This is a high-stakes tournament, but there’s so much more golf. This one tournament isn’t going to define my entire game.
“Outside of that, just playing on this course and practicing are the kind of things that get you ready for events like this. It’s countless hours,” Kerr said.
Kerr is preparing for her senior year of high school golf, which is just weeks away from starting.
“I’m just looking to have a good season. Making it to the state tournament again would be awesome and trying to get a little bit higher after finishing fifth as a team last year. We’re hoping for top-3 this year. I’d like to be an all-state golfer again and have a good finish at the Girls State Invitational again like I did the last two years.
“Other than that? Have a good time. It’s senior year, you know? You’re just supposed to make the most of it and have a good year. That’s the goal.”
Another longer-term one is getting to play in college.
“We’ll see. I’m definitely interested in talking to different coaches and seeing what opportunities arise.”
This weekend, profiles of the local golfers in the WVU Medicine United Hospital Center Junior Championship continue.
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