Lees cruises to title in IJGT Philly Open at Radley Run

   Agnes Irwin sophomore Kaitlyn Lees, who had a strong summer highlighted by a victory in the Pennsylvania Junior Championship in Hershey, continued her solid play with a dominating victory in the International Junior Golf Tour’s Philly Open at Radley Run Country Club outside West Chester over the weekend.

   Lees, who has been one of the top players in the Inter-Ac League since winning the league tournament as a seventh-grader,

put together rounds of 3-over 75 and 4-over 76 for a 36-hole total of 151 that left her 16 shots clear of the girls field.

   Lees was rolling in Saturday’s first round, going 1-under through 13 holes. She backed off a little to finish at 3-over, giving her a six-shot lead over Mary McGuiness of Haddonfield, N.J. heading into Sunday’s final round.

   Lees struggled in the early going of the final round, turning for the clubhouse with a 40 on the front side. But she quickly righted the ship with birdies at the 10^th and 11^th holes on her way to an even-par back nine of 36.

   “I came into (Sunday) with the same mentality as (Saturday),” Lees told the IJGT website. “I did not want the lead to get to my head.”

   It was Lees’ third career IJGT win and her final-round 76 earned her the Clazic Belts Low Final Round Award as well.

   McGuiness added an 86 to her opening-round 81 to finish second at 167. Notre Dame sophomore Olivia Traynor, the reigning Inter-Ac champion, had rounds of 88 and 85 to finish third at 173.

   On the boys side, Nicholas Gianelos, a West Chester resident and Radley Run member, defeated Thomas  Moran of  Marietta in  a playoff for the title after they finished tied after the regulation 36 holes at 10-over 154.

  Gianelos and Moran both went 77-77 in finishing at 154. Gianelos made a par on the first hole of the playoff to claim the title.

   Malvern Prep sophomore and Aronimink Golf Club member Matthew Davis finished in a tie for sixth with a pair of 79s and a 158 total.

   Matt Barkann of Newtown Square had rounds of 88 and 90 to finish 30^th at 178.