Haverford School's Rosato claims Bert Linton Invitational title

   Aronimink Golf Club, a course legendary architect Donald Ross considered one of his masterpieces, hosted a PGA Tour event when the 2010 and 2011 AT&T National was staged there and the tour will return in 2018 for the BMW Championship, a FedEx Cup playoff event.

   And that makes the 2-under-par 68 that Haverford School senior Davis Rosato fired there to win the Bert Linton Invitational Thursday pretty special. It makes Rosato the Inter-Ac League’s individual champion and maybe takes a little of the sting out of the near miss for the Fords in the Inter-Ac team chase.

   Rosato’s round included six birdies and he posted a remarkable 31 on the challenging back nine at Aronimink.

   Rosato is Haverford School’s first Inter-Ac individual champion since Cole Berman won the second of his back-to-back Bert Linton Invitational titles in 2012.

   It’s always special to win the Bert Linton because you’re beating such a quality field. Rosato finished five shots ahead of three players tied for second at 3-over 73.

   The ties were broken with a match of cards and runnerup honors went to Malvern Prep sophomore John Updike, a product of the Aronimink junior program and the reigning Pennsylvania Junior Boys’ champion.

   Third place went to Episcopal Academy junior Cole Kemmerer, a member at Waynesborough Country Club, a few miles up Route 252 from Aronimink. Kemmerer played a big part in the Churchmen’s drive to the Inter-Ac team crown. Fourth place went to Rosato’s Haverford School teammate Sam Walker, a sophomore.

   Malvern Prep junior Matt Davis, another product of the Aronimink junior program, finished alone in fifth place with a 4-over 74. Malvern Prep senior Nick Miller was another shot back in sixth place at 75.

   Penn Charter junior Brian Isztwan, who was the top player in the Inter-Ac’s points system during the six regular-season mini-tournaments, finished in a tie for seventh with a 76. Isztwan won the Bert Linton as a freshman two years ago.

   Isztwan was joined at that figure by Episcopal Academy freshman Case Hummer, who seems to save his best stuff for this event. A coaches pick into the event a year ago at Merion Golf Club’s historic East Course, Hummer was the runnerup to Malvern Prep’s Marty McGuckin. Hummer, another Aronimink member, was again a coaches pick this year and earned a share of seventh place with Isztwan.

   Ian Diaz of Springside Chestnut Hill Academy finished alone in ninth place with a 77.

Three Haverford School players – David Hurly, Cal Buonocore and Mac Costin – finished in a tie for 10^th, each carding a 78.

   Episcopal Academy junior Jon Nolan Perry, who was second behind Isztwan in the regular-season points standings, led a group of three players tied for 13^th at 80. He was joined at that figure by Malvern Prep senior Gavin Sims and Penn Charter junior Noah Schwartz.

   Haverford School sophomore Peter Garno was alone in 16^th place with an 81.

   Episcopal teammates Michael Zeng, a sophomore, and Ashton Dunn, a junior, were among four players tied for 17^th at 82. Also carding 82s were Penn Charter’s Joey Centeno and Malvern Prep’s Andrew Curran.