Vance surges to victory in AJGA Philadelphia Junior

   Methacton senior Kyle Vance made three straight birdies on the back nine to surge to a two-shot victory in the American Junior Golf Association’s Philadelphia Junior at Huntingdon Valley Country Club Tuesday.

   Vance was coming off a solid showing at the U.S. Junior Amateur at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn. where he qualified for match play.

   Vance, a two-time District One Class AAA champion, opened the tournament with a pair of 72s in Monday’s double round over the 6,913-yard, par-70 William Flynn design and trailed Ambrose Abbracciamento of Washington Crossing by six shots as Abbracciamento had a pair of 69s.

   But Vance came on strong in Tuesday’s final round, making birdies on the 14^th, 15^th and 16^th holes on his way to a final-round 67 for a 1-over 211 total.

   Rij Patel of Hunt Valley, Md. matched Vance’s final-round 67 to take second at 3-over 213. He opened with rounds of 74 and 72 Monday.

   Abbracciamento struggled to a final-round 77, but finished third at 215. Evan Long of New Castle had rounds of 77, 70 and 69 to finish solo fourth at 216.

   Recent Haverford School graduate Max Siegfried, who plays out of Aronimink Golf Club, trailed Abbracciamento by four shots after rounds of 70 and 72 Monday. He carded a final-round 75 to finish alone in fifth place at 217.

   Penn Charter junior Brian Isztwan, playing on his home course, had rounds of 72, 72 and 76 to finish in a tie for ninth at 220. Recent Friends’ Central School graduate Peter Bradbeer, who plays out of Merion Golf Club, had rounds of 72, 73 and 76 to finish in a tie for 11^th at 221.

   Radnor senior Michael Sydnes, who helped the Raiders to Class AAA District One and PIAA titles last fall, fired a 2-under 68 in his middle round between a 76 and a final-round 80 to end up in a tie for 15^th at 224.

   RuQing Guan of China cruised to a 12-shot victory in the girls division, carding rounds of 71, 70 and 68 over a Huntingdon Valley layout that measure 5,985 yards for the girls for a 1-under 209 total.

Defending champion Holly McCann of Raleigh, N.C. was the runnerup with rounds of 75, 72 and 74 for a 221 total.

   Recent Radnor graduate Brynn Walker, a two-time PIAA Class AAA champion, had rounds of 77, 70 and 75 to finish third at 222. It was the 10^th top-five finish in 23 AJGA starts for Walker, who will start her collegiate career at North Carolina next month.

   Agnes Irwin junior Kaitlyn Lees, whose game continues to make steady progress, had rounds of 76, 74 and 75 to finish in a tie for fourth at 225. She was joined at that figure by Riya Ahuja of Singapore, who had rounds of 69, 81 and 75.

   Conestoga sophomore Samantha Yao finished 14^th with rounds of 75, 77 and 78 for a 230 total.

   Recent Unionville graduate Kate Evanko, tuning up for her appearance in the U.S. Women’s Amateur at another William Flynn design at Rolling Green Golf Club, had rounds of 78, 82 and 81 to finish 21^st at 241. Evanko is headed for Georgetown.