Kevin Smith has been one of the best players in the Central
League in the regular-season dual matches in his first two seasons at Strath
Haven.
But that has not really translated to postseason success as
Smith has been unable to get past the District One Class AAA Championship. But
Smith has shown signs this spring that he’s taken his game up a notch.
It happened again at this week’s Precision Pro Golf Open, a
36-hole Philadelphia Section PGA Junior Tour test at Hickory Valley Golf Club’s
twin courses in New Hanover Township. Smith fired a solid 2-over-par 73 over Hickory Valley’s challenging
6,611-yard, par-71 Presidential Course Friday for a two-day total of 6-over 148
that gave him a four-shot margin over a strong field.
Smith had posted a 4-over 75 over Hickory Valley’s
6,309-yard, par-71 Ambassador Course in Thursday’s opening round. The
Ambassador is shorter and often plays a little easier than the Presidential,
but Thursday’s persistent breezes clearly sent the scores higher.
In addition to the usual Junior Tour age divisions, the
Precision Pro Golf event also offered American Junior Golf Association points
in an overall 13-to-18 division for the boys and girls.
Smith was the overall boys winner and topped the 16-to-18
division with his outstanding two-day effort. Earlier this spring, Smith nearly
advanced out of a local U.S. Open qualifier at Hidden Creek Golf Club, losing
in a playoff for the final spot in sectional qualifying.
Smith had two birdies in each round at Hickory Valley and a
did a good job handling the conditions, particularly during Thursday’s windy
opening round when his 75 gave him a one-shot lead. And he did a nice of
playing with the lead in Friday’s final round.
The older guys dominated the overall scoring with the top
nine from the 16-to-18 division accounting for the top nine overall finishers.
Cole Shew of West Chester was the runnerup as he matched
Smith’s 2-over 73 Friday at the Presidential Course after opening with a 79 for
a 10-over 152 total.
Christopher Skean of Kennett Square, Stephen Lorenzo of
Lower Gwynedd and Hunter King of Atglen shared third, each landing a shot
behind Shew at 153. Skean added a 3-over 74 to his opening-round 78, Lorenzo
was one shot better on Day 2 with a 76 after opening with a 77 and King matched
Lorenzo’s effort, adding a 76 to his opening-round 77.
Connor Bennink, who capped his junior season at Unionville last
fall by helping the Indians capture the PIAA Class AAA team championship,
finished alone in sixth at 156 with a pair of 78s. Bennink also finished tied
for fifth in the Class AAA individual competition in the state championship at
the Heritage Hills Resort.
Nathan Pierce of Limerick finished seventh, adding an 80 to
his opening-round 77 for a 157 total. Matthew Lofland of Blue Bell carded an 80
at the Ambassador Course and bounced back with a 78 at the Presidential Course
to finish alone in eighth at 158.
John Wang of Wilmington, Del. added an 81 to his
opening-round 78 to finish ninth at 159. Alec Ryden of Moorestown, N.J. rounded
out the top 10 in the division with a 161 total after adding an 82 to his
opening-round 79.
Ryan McCabe, who captured the District One Class AA
individual title as a freshman at Devon Prep last fall, and Jack Davis of
Newtown Square both ended up with 160 totals, but a scorecard playoff gave
McCabe the 13-to-15 title.
McCabe carded a 78 on the Presidential Course in Friday’s
final round after opening up with an 82 at the
Ambassador Course. Davis had a solid 4-over 75 on Day 2 after struggling
to an 85 in Thursday’s windy conditions.
McCabe and Davis were the only players from the 13-to-15
division to sneak into the overall top 10 as they finished tied for 10th.
Nicholas Ciocca of Devon was a shot behind them in third
place at 161 after adding an 82 to his opening-round 79. Garnet Valley junior
Jacob Sokolsky was a shot behind Ciocca in fourth at 162 as he improved off an
opening-round 83 with a 79 in Friday’s second round.
Jack Reid of Medford, N.J. posted a solid 78 on Day 2 at the
Presidential Course after opening with an 85 on the Ambassador Course and
finished fifth at 163. Win Thomas of Unionville finished alone in sixth with
rounds of 84 and 82 for a 166 total.
Christopher Buysse of Paoli was a shot behind Thomas in
seventh at 167 as he added an 85 to his opening-round 82. Keller Mulhern of
Exton finished eighth at 169 as he bounced back nicely from an opening-round 90
with a 79 in Friday’s second round.
Haverford School sophomore Chase Cohen finished alone in
ninth at 171 after adding an 83 to his opening-round 88.
Rounding out the top 10 in the 13-to-15 division were
Stephen Butler of Telford and Jack Fialko of Berwyn, both of whom landed on
172. Butler added an 87 to his opening-round 85 while Fialko opened with an 84
and finished up with an 88.
Among the girls, the overall 13-to-18 winner emerged from
the younger group with Natasha Kiel of New Hope, much like Smith did, going
wire-to-wire while posting an 18-over 160 total.
Kiel built some momentum on the back nine of Thursday’s
opening round at the Ambassador Course as she birdied 11 and 15 on her way to a
37 on the incoming nine. That enabled Kiel to post an 81 and then she added a
79 on the Presidential Course to finish 10 shots clear of the rest of the
girls.
Eden Richmond of Princeton, N.J. added an 80 to her
opening-round 89 and was the runnerup to Kiel in the 13-to-15 division and
overall with a 169 total.
Kathleen Mark, who helped Episcopal Academy claim the
Inter-Ac League title in her freshman season this spring, finished third in the
13-to-15 division and fifth overall at 179. Mark opened with a 91 and added an
88 in Friday’s final round.
Ava O’Sullivan of Exton finished fourth in the division and
sixth overall as she added an 85 to her opening-round 95 for a 180 total.
Rounding out the 13-to-15 division were Bethany Julias
(118-107) of Schwenskville in fifth at 225 and Carolina Gola (121-105) of North
Wales in sixth at 226.
Olivia Wirsching, who has been part of two District One
Class AAA championship teams at Mount St. Joseph in her first two seasons with
the Mount, claimed top honors in the 16-to-18 division and was third overall at
170. After struggling to a 94 in the opening round, Wirsching’s 5-over 76 in
Friday’s second round was the best score among the girls over the Presidential
Course.
Maya Torpey of Malvern was five shots behind Wirsching in
second in the division and was fourth overall at 175. Torpey rattled off three
straight pars on 15, 16 and 17 on her way to an opening-round 91 and came back
with an 84 in Friday’s final round.
Peyton Kraras of Wyomissing finished third in the division
and seventh overall as she added a 91 to her opening-round 97 for a 188 total.
Alyson Rentschler of Hamburg was two shots behind Kraras in fourth at 190 as
she posted a pair of 95s.
Rounding out the 16-to-18 division in fifth at 219 was Helen
Shaw of Harleysville, who improved by 21 shots from her opening-round 120 with
a 99 in Friday’s final round.
Hunter Probst of Bear Creek was the winner among the
nine-holers with an 86 total. Probst birdied the 16th hole on his
way to a solid 38 in Friday’s second round after opening up with a 48.
Joseph Mancini of Philadelphia was the runnerup as he carded
rounds of 64 and 63 for a 127 total.
The Precision Pro Golf Open also included a college women’s
division and Emily McGarrigle of Wernersville held off a charge by Georgia
Naples of West Chester to capture the 17-to-24 age group.
McGarrigle led Naples by 11 after carding an 83 in
Thursday’s windy conditions over the Ambassador Course and added a 91 for a 174
total. Naples struggled to a 94 in the opening round, but bounced back with an
84 to finish four shots behind McGarrigle at 178. McGarrigle and Naples both
birdied the 17th hole on their way back to the clubhouse Friday.
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