Vance runs into a buzz-saw in first-round U.S. Junior Amateur setback

   Methacton senior Kyle Vance ran into a buzz-saw in Joseph Chun of South Korea, who ended Vance’s run in the U.S. Junior Amateur with a 5 and 4 victory in an opening-round match Wednesday at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn.

   Chun birdied exactly half of the 14 holes in the match as Vance, a two-time District One Class AAA champion, fell into an early hole that he couldn’t dig himself out of.

   Chun won the first four holes of the match, taking the first with a birdie, the second with a birdie, the third with a bogey and the fourth with a birdie. Vance got on the board by winning the fifth with a pair to cut his deficit to 3-down.

   Chun increased his advantage to 5-up by winning the sixth with a par and the seventh with a birdie.  But Vance answered by winning the eighth with a birdie and the ninth with a par to cut Chun’s lead to 3-up at the turn.

   But Vance couldn’t cut any further into Chun’s lead. Vance birdied the 11^th and 12^th holes, but, in both cases, it was only good enough for a half. Chun then closed Vance out by winning the 13^th with a birdie, his seventh of the round, and the 14^th with a par.