Agnes Irwin sophomore Kaitlyn Lees, who had a strong summer
highlighted by a victory in the Pennsylvania Junior Championship in Hershey,
continued her solid play with a dominating victory in the International Junior
Golf Tour’s Philly Open at Radley Run Country Club outside West Chester over
the weekend.
Lees, who has been one of the top players in the Inter-Ac
League since winning the league tournament as a seventh-grader,
Lees was rolling in Saturday’s first round, going 1-under through
13 holes. She backed off a little to finish at 3-over, giving her a six-shot
lead over Mary McGuiness of Haddonfield, N.J. heading into Sunday’s final
round.
Lees struggled in the early going of the final round,
turning for the clubhouse with a 40 on the front side. But she quickly righted
the ship with birdies at the 10th and 11th holes on her
way to an even-par back nine of 36.
“I came into (Sunday) with the same mentality as (Saturday),”
Lees told the IJGT website. “I did not want the lead to get to my head.”
It was Lees’ third career IJGT win and her final-round 76
earned her the Clazic Belts Low Final Round Award as well.
McGuiness added an 86 to her opening-round 81 to finish
second at 167. Notre Dame sophomore Olivia Traynor, the reigning Inter-Ac
champion, had rounds of 88 and 85 to finish third at 173.
On the boys side, Nicholas Gianelos, a West Chester resident
and Radley Run member, defeated Thomas
Moran of Marietta in a playoff for the title after they finished
tied after the regulation 36 holes at 10-over 154.
Gianelos and Moran both went 77-77 in finishing at 154.
Gianelos made a par on the first hole of the playoff to claim the title.
Malvern Prep sophomore and Aronimink Golf Club member
Matthew Davis finished in a tie for sixth with a pair of 79s and a 158 total.
Matt Barkann of Newtown Square had rounds of 88 and 90 to
finish 30th at 178.
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