Vance, Shao headed to Junior PGA Championship

   Methacton senior Kyle Vance, a two-time District One Class AAA champion, will play in two of the premier events for junior golfers in America in the next month.

   Vance had already earned a trip to the U.S. Junior Amateur when he was the qualifying medalist at Chesapeake Bay Golf Club last month. The U.S. Junior Amateur tees off next Monday at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn.

   Monday at Whitford Country Club in Exton, Vance earned a trip to the 41^st Junior PGA Championship presented by Under Armour and Genesis Networks, which will be played Aug. 9 to 12 at Wannamoisett Country Club in Rumford, R.I.

   Vance added a 3-under 69 to his opening-round 71 for a 4-under 140 total that gave him a four-shot victory in the Philadelphia Junior PGA Championship. Only one boy in the 13-to-18 division qualified for the national event at Wannamoisett.

   Jack Melville is the first alternate on the strength of his runnerup finish. He matched Vance’s second-round 69, but opened with a 75 and finished with an even-par 144 total.

   Nicky Marrollo of Exton had steady rounds of 72 and 73 to take third at 145 and David Kim of Dresher had rounds of 72 and 76 to finish alone in fourth at 148.

   Four players – Jacob Macinanti (77-72) of Lancaster, Penn Charter junior Brian Isztwan (77-72), J.T. Spina (72-77) of Schwenksville and Austin Barbin (77-72) of Elkton, Md. – shared fifth place at 149. 

   Rounding out the top 10 were Malvern Prep sophomore John Updike (74-76), the reigning Pennsylvania Junior Boys’ champion, and Matthew Bricker (76-74) of York, who finished tied for ninth at 150.

   Vance will be joined at Wannamoisett by Christine Shao, a 15-year-old from Green Brook, N.J. who claimed the Philadelphia Junior PGA title Monday at LuLu Country Club in Glenside.

   Shao added a 2-under 69 to her opening-round 76 for a 3-over 145 total and a three-shot victory in the girls 13-to-18 age group. Only one girl qualifies for the Junior PGA Championship.

Esther Park of Wilmington, Del. had rounds of 77 and 71 for a 148 to finish second. Park is the first alternate.

   Agnes Irwin junior Kaitlyn Lees, the reigning two-time Pennsylvania Junior Girls’ champion, headed a group of four players who finished in a tie for third at 153. Lees added a second-round 74 to her opening-round 79.

   Joining Lees at 153 were Conestoga sophomore Samantha Yao (77-76), Radnor senior Gabby Kim (77-76), who won the PIAA Class AAA East Regional title last fall, and Camille O’Halloran (78-75) of Northfield, N.J.

   The 12-and-under entrants, who normally play nine holes, stretched out to 18 holes and Win Thomas, an 11-year-old from Coatesville, claimed the Philadelphia Junior PGA crown with a 75. The 12-and-under players don’t compete at the national event.

   Joshua Ryan of Norristown and William Pabst of Roaring Brook Township shared second place, each carding a 77.