Nicholas Lyerly became the youngest NC Amateur champion on Sunday
(Carolinas Golf Association Photo)

"I've been close a bunch of times, just never got a win," said Lyerly about claiming his first CGA championship victory. "To come out with a win is just great. I'm glad it's on Father's Day, I know my dad is really proud."

Lyerly, the 2015 North Carolina Junior Player of the Year, started Sunday's final round with a two stroke advantage over Thomas Eldridge of Raleigh and Caleb Keck of Reidsville. Eldridge, 20, a rising junior at UNC- Wilmington and 22-year-old Keck would not apply much pressure on Lyerly, posting 73 and 78, respectively on Sunday.

The competitor that closed within one stroke of Lyerly, played two groups ahead, Jamestown's Justin Tereshko. The 26-year-old Tereshko's five-under 67 was kick-started by three opening birdies then an eagle- birdie combination on Nos. 13 and 14.

"I think I am going to come up one shot short again," the 2015 runner-up said while waiting for the last group to finish. The birdie on hole 14 elevated him to 8-under for the championship, but a downhill putt hit off the green on hole 16 led to bogey. In four rounds, Tereshko made 19 birdies and two eagles. He commented that what he will lose sleep over, are the three double bogeys he made during the back nine on Saturday.

Also shooting 67 Sunday was Tim Conover of Holly Springs. His round was highlighted by an albatross on the par-5 13th, made by knocking an 8-iron into the cup from 181 yards.

Lyerly came out firing Sunday, hitting pitching wedges on the first two holes to tap-in birdie range, extending his lead to four. "On the front nine I came out firing," Lyerly recalled after his round. Knowing he had a sizable advantage on the field at the turn, the UNC- Greensboro commit started playing conservatively on the back nine. Unfortunately, that game plan led to back-to-back bogeys on holes 15 and 16, cutting his lead to just one over Tereshko. A birdie on the par-5 17th gave Lyerly the cushion he needed to tap-in a bogey for the one-stroke victory at 8-under-par 280.

With the win Lyerly gets his name engraved on the trophy and an exemption into the 102nd Carolinas Amateur Championship hosted by Country Club of Charleston July 14-17. Next on his playing schedule is the 49th North Carolina Junior Boys' Championship, which begins at Wilson Country Club on Tuesday. Lyerly was stroke play qualifying medalist last year before losing in the quarterfinals.