Walker, Dolan have strong showings at Philly Challenge

   When Radnor sophomore Brynn Walker got back to me in February concerning her decision to commit to North Carolina, you could tell she was anxious to get back on the golf course in a winter that wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

   Well, the International Junior Golf Tour (IJGT) scheduled its Philly Challenge two weekends ago (March 22-23) at White Manor Country Club and got a little lucky weather-wise. Saturday was probably the nicest day since some time last fall with Sunday turning a lot colder and blustery.

   And Walker was ready to play some golf. She opened with a 1-over 72 in Saturday’s benign conditions and followed it up with a 76 for a 148 total that gave her the victory in the girls division by a whopping 10 shots. Walker had three birdies, two of them on par-3s, in her second-round 76.

   More impressive was the fact that the runnerup who finished those distant 10 shots behind Walker was none other than reigning PIAA Class AAA champion Isabella DiLisio, a junior at Mount St. Joseph. DiLisio had a pair of 79s for a 158 total, pretty nice playing, especially in the tough second-round conditions. But Walker clearly dusted a girl who also won a District One title as a sophomore and led the Mount to the PIAA Class AAA team title a day after winning the individual crown.

   Walker had finished second in the IJGT event at White Manor a year ago. She was asked how she was able to perform at such a high level after a winter of watching the snow and ice pile up.

   “Over the winter, it was tough because of the weather to work on different things, but I worked on my mindset and getting the mental game down,” Walker, who finished in a tie for fifth at the PIAA Tournament last fall, told the IJGT website. “I think that really paid off. I was just mentally strong this week.”

   Cara Basso, who won the PIAA Class AA title in 2012 as a sophomore at Villa Maria, had rounds of 90 and 76 for a 166 total that left her in fifth place. Basso and Walker shared the Clazic Belts Low Final Round Award with their 76s.

   Agnes Irwin eighth-grader Kaitlyn Lees, the reigning Inter-Ac League champion, had rounds of 85 and 86 to finish sixth at 171.

   The Philly Challenge also saw a strong showing by Bonner-Prendie junior Quinn Dolan, the reigning Catholic League champion. Dolan, a member at Rolling Green Golf Club, finished in a tie for second in the boys 15-19 division with rounds of 80 and 76 for a 156 total.

   Dolan finished four shots back of the winner, Sam Goldenring of Florham Park, N.Y. Goldenring put up a pair of 76s for a 152 total.

   Sharing second place with Dolan was Malvern Prep junior Brendan Bacskai, who helped the Friars win the Inter-Ac League title last fall. Playing on his home course at White Manor, Bacskai had rounds of 81 and 75. His final-round 75 earned him  the Clazic Belts Low Final Round Award among the guys.