Editor's note: An item Tuesday that included golfers who qualified for the Rex Hospital Open inadvertently omitted that Elliot Gealy of Raleigh qualified for the U.S. Open.

RALEIGH -- Carter Jenkins counts his victory at the Rex Hospital Open Junior Invitational on Sunday as one of the major accomplishments of his young life.

The Leesville Road High School sophomore shot a 2-under-par 69-69-138 at TPC Wakefield Plantation to secure an unrestricted exemption into the Rex Hospital Open, where he will tee off Thursday with Nationwide Tour players.

"I'd have to say it's the biggest thing to happen to me," Jenkins said. "How often do you get to play in a PGA Tour event as a 15-year-old? It's incredible."

Jenkins edged his Leesville Road teammate, Grayson Murray, by three strokes. Murray was the defending champion, who last year became the first junior player to make the cut at the Rex Hospital Open.

Murray, now a junior, was the only other golfer to shoot under par during the 36-hole event Sunday.

Jenkins hit every fairway and turned in a steady performance. His efforts earned him a chance to play with Nationwide Tour professionals, a dream opportunity for a local junior golfer.

"I'm going to try to go into it as another golf tournament," Jenkins said. "It's just a really big one."

With this victory, life grew a little more hectic for Jenkins and his family this week. "Things got really exciting really fast," said Bobby Jenkins, his father and caddie.

While preparing to compete with the pros, Jenkins also must study for a geometry final today and an English exam Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the family is preparing for his sister's graduation from Leesville Road and a dance recital this weekend. His grandparents are now coming to town a few days earlier.

On Monday, Jenkins gave a radio interview and fielded questions about the opportunity.

"This has never happened to me before," he said. "So I'm just going with it."

His heart was racing in his chest Sunday.

"We told him [Sunday] after he won to relax and enjoy it," Bobby Jenkins said. "I think he'll be most confident when he's on the golf course."

Finding time to study may be the biggest challenge.

"I'll figure out how to make time," Jenkins said. "I won't necessarily want to, but I'll figure out the time to."

robinson@newsobserver.com or 919-829-4781