Martin's sizzling 66 at Skippack earns him a Junior Tour victory

   Nick Martin, gearing up for his senior season at Methacton, made six birdies in a sizzling 4-under-par 66 as he earned his first career Philadelphia Section PGA Junior Tour victory at Skippack Golf Club Wednesday.

   Martin’s Methacton teammate, junior Jason Rieger, was the runnerup in the 16-to-18 division as he had a birdie at the fourth hole and an eagle at the 14^th hole on his way to a 3-over 73 over the 5,790-yard, par-70 Skippack layout.

   Pennridge junior Brendan Bauer got it going on Skippack’s back nine, matching par with a 35, as finished a shot behind Rieger in third place with a 4-over 74. Mario Ventresca III of Blue Bell took fourth with a 75 and Plymouth-Whitemarsh junior Dylan Gooneratne was fifth with a 76.

   Kyle Resuta of Phoenixville and Michael Bozzi of Newtown Square shared sixth place, each carding a 77, Mason Asadoorian of Richboro was eighth with a 78 and Elijah Ruppert of Fleetwood was ninth with a 79.

   Rounding out the top 10 were three players tied for 10^th at 80, including Blake Stewart of Perkasie, Shane Lawler of Malvern and Jake Rotelle of Honey Brook.

   Jeet Patel of Ephrata made a birdie on the fourth hole and had a streak of five straight pars as he posted a solid 4-over 74 that topped the 13-to-15 field and earned him his first career Junior Tour win.

   Christian Matt of Springhouse had three birdies as he finished two shots behind Patel in second place with a 76.

   There was a four-way logjam tied for third at 79 among Seth Roth of Hatboro, Rory Nesbitt of Haverford and a couple of Blue Bell guys, Kevin Lafond and Ajeet Bagga. Connor Cunningham of Dresher finished alone in seventh place with an 80.

   Kenneth Kretz of Harleysville and Drew Davenport of Haverford finished in a tie for eighth place, each signing for an 81. Rounding out the top 10 were two players – Ryan Horenci of Lansdale and Chase Marinacci of Elverson -- tied for 10^th at 83.

   The best score of the day among the girls came from Rhianna Gooneratne of Plymouth Meeting’s Team Gooneratne, who captured a victory in the 13-to-15 division with an 85 that was highlighted by a birdie at the fourth hole.

   Caroline Gola, a freshman on Mount St. Joseph’s District One Class AAA championship team last fall, had six pars in earning runnerup honors with an 88. Serena Bagga of Blue Bell’s Team Bagga finished up with a par at the 18^th hole as she was a shot behind Gola in third place with an 89.

   Mia Pace of Exton finished fourth with a 92, Evelyn Lauerman of North Wales was fifth with a 106, Morgan Graves of Furlong with sixth with a 121 and Alexandra Petkunas of Ambler was seventh with a 129.

   Josie Genuardi of Kulpsville had four pars as she carded an 88 to edge Stef Bonini of Bryn Mawr by a shot in the 16-to-18 division and earn her second career Junior Tour win. Bonini opened her round of 89 with a par on the 10^th hole.

   Emma Schotsch of Philadelphia had a couple of pars in a row on the back nine on her way to a third-place finish with a 93.

   Bonini and Schotsch are coming off solid sophomore seasons at Notre Dame and Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, respectively. Bonini finished in a tie for fourth and Schotsch was third in the Inter-Ac League Championship at the French Creek Golf Club in May.

   Aleena Ghanta of Phoenixville finished fourth among the older girls with a 101.

   Ethan Martin of North Wales birdied the 15^th hole and carded a 2-over 37 while playing on his home course at Skippack to best the field of nine-holers.

   Jax Puskar of Kennett Square made three straight pars to close out his round as he finished three shots behind Ethan Martin in second place with a 40. A third member of Team Bagga of Blue Bell, Kiran Bagga, made par on the 18^th hole to finish third with a 48.