Baylor School senior Keith Mitchell earned an invitation Wednesday to the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.

Mitchell shot a 4-under 68 on Wednesday for a two-day total of 140 at Old Fort Golf Course in Murfreesboro to claim the second of three invitations.

"I went out there and decided to just play my best and I didn't want to get in my own way," Mitchell said. "My ball-striking was the highlight."

Lexus Keoninh of Murfreesboro earned medalist honors by a stroke over Mitchell. Payne Denman of Riverwatch, Tenn., claimed the final spot witha 141. Zach Hester of Soddy-Daisy tied for ninth at 3 over after shooting 1 under Wednesday.

Mitchell has attempted to qualify for the U.S. junior in each of the last four years but never made it out of the qualifier until Wednesday.

"It's a relief because that first year I bogeyed my last two holes and missed it," Mitchell said. "The last two years it would make or break my summer and I never played well."

The national junior championship will be played July 20-25 at Trump National Golf Club in New Jersey.

Two locals advance

Second-seeded Brooke Pancake of Chattanooga and 18th seed Shelby Gilbert of Hixson advanced to the second round where they will face each other in the State Women's Amateur Championship.

Pancake defeated Amanda Randolph of Cookeville 7 and 6 at Memphis Country Club. Gilbert defeated Shayla Forsey of Morristown 2 and 1 to advance to the round of 16.

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior Kayla Stewart defeated Kayla Turner of Clarksville 3 and 2. Signal Mountain resident Debbie Durham fell to Ashley Lance of Franklin 8 and 7.

Older Mitchell even

Former McCallie and Georgia golfer Adam Mitchell shot an even-par 69 and is tied for 29th after the first round of the Northeast Amateur Invitational at Wannamoisett Country Club in Rhode Island. University of Tennessee senior David Holmes and Stanford junior Sihwan Kim are tied for the lead at 4 under.