The Philadelphia Section PGA Junior Tour stopped at Turtle
Creek Golf Course in Limerick Wednesday and Thursday for a Precision Pro Golf
Open event, which is a Junior Golf Scoreboard tournament.
Turtle Creek has hosted the District One Championship since 2002,
so it’s always interesting to see how the Junior Tour players fare on the
6,602-yard, par-72 layout, since many of them have played it or will play it in
high school competition. An overnight deluge between rounds 1 and 2 saturated
the course, but it didn’t play any easier, despite the softer conditions.
Conestoga sophomore Morgan Lofland’s familiarity with the
course obviously helped him as he had six birdies in a 2-under 70 at the Turtle
Thursday after matching par in Wednesday’s opening round with a 72 to win the
16-to-18 division and the overall 13-to-18 scoring with a 2-under 142 total.
As a freshman last fall, Lofland finished tied for 10th
in the Central League Championship at Turtle Creek to earn a return ticket for
districts. Lofland advanced out of the district tournament, finishing tied for
10th at the Turtle, to the Eastern Regional at Golden Oaks Golf Club
and then capped a strong freshman campaign by reaching the PIAA Class AAA Championship
at the Heritage Hills Golf Resort.
Pretty sure I noticed Lofland having some success on the
wrestling mat for the Pioneers as well. Golf and wrestling may seem like odd
sports to pursue in tandem, but both are very individual endeavors in which
discipline and mental toughness are just as important as technique is.
Finishing third overall and first in the 13-to-15 division
was Ryan McCabe of Media. After opening with an even-par 72 Wednesday, McCabe
added a 3-over 75 for a 3-over 147 total.
McCabe also tasted success at Turtle Creek last fall, capturing
the District One Class AA individual title and leading Devon Prep to the team
title as a freshman. Like Lofland, McCabe rode that strong showing at Turtle
Creek all the way to the PIAA Championship at Heritage Hills.
Thomas Butler of Telford was the runnerup to Lofland in the
16-to-18 division and overall with a solid 1-under 143 total. Butler had five
birdies in an opening round of 3-under 69 that led the entire field by three
shots before slipping back a little with a 2-over 74 that left him a shot
behind Lofland.
Jonathan Lumley of Saint Augustine, Fla. opened with an
even-par 72 before backing off a little with a 79 to finish third in the
16-to-18 division at 151, eight shots behind Butler in the division and seven
behind McCabe for third in the overall scoring.
Joshua Smith of Harleysville finished fourth in the 16-to-18
division with a pair of 76s for a 152 total. Four players – Nicholas Schnur
(77-76) of Lafayette Hill, Dylan Gooneratne (75-78), a district qualifier as a
freshman at Plymouth-Whitemarsh, Alex Kalbach (72-81) of Royersford and Andrew
Benner (75-78) of Hellertown – finished tied for fifth, each landing at 153.
Hunter King of Atglen finished alone in ninth in the
16-to-18 division and tied for 10th overall after adding a 75 to his
opening-round 79 for a 154 total.
Matthew Lafond of Blue Bell and Joshua Brauer of Royersford
rounded out the top 10 in the 16-to-18 division as they finished tied for 10th
at 157. Lafond improved five shots from his opening-round 81 with a 4-over 76
Thursday while Brauer added an 80 to his opening-round 77.
Strath Haven sophomore Jackson Debusschere was the runnerup
to McCabe in the 13-to-15 division and the only player from the younger group
to crack the top 10 in the overall scoring as he finished tied for 10th
with Atglen’s King at 154. Debusschere opened with a 75 before posting a 79 in
Thursday’s second round and was seven shots behind McCabe in the division.
Win Thomas of Unionville added a 79 to his opening-round 77
to finish third in the 13-to-15 division at 156. Luke Watson of Royersford
improved 10 shots from his opening-round 84 with a 2-over 74 to finish fourth
at 158. It was another four shots back to Stephen Butler of Telford’s Team
Butler in fifth place at 162. Butler carded a 78 Thursday after opening with an
84.
Christopher Buysse of Paoli had rounds of 80 and 83 to
finish alone in sixth place at 163. Auggie Reilly of Wayne and Luke Corcoran of
Lansdale shared seventh place, each carding a 165 total and each going 84-81.
Matthew Zerfass of Macungie added an 86 to his opening-round
83 to finish ninth at 169. Luke Kelly of Wayne and Jack Davis of Newtown Square
rounded out the top 10 in the 13-to-15 division, each posting a 170 total and
each going 84-86.
Maya Torpey of Malvern was the best female player at Turtle
Creek by a lot. Torpey had consistent rounds of 79 and 80 to claim the top spot
in the 16-to-18 division and the overall scoring with a 159 total.
Torpey was 26 shots ahead of Sarah Scarpill of Warrington,
who was the runnerup overall and won the 13-to-15 division with a 185 total.
Scarpill added a 93 to her opening-round 92.
Josie Genuardi of Kulpsville was the runnerup in the
16-to-18 division and third overall with a 194 total. Genuardi opened with a 94
and added a 100 in Thursday’s second round. Grace Manchester of Lederach was
third in the division and fourth overall at 206 after improving eight shots
from her opening-round 107 with a 99 in Thursday’s second round.
Bethany Julias of Schwenksville was the runnerup to Scarpill
in the 13-to-15 division at 219. Julias improved 21 shots from her
opening-round 120 with a 99 in Thursday’s second round.
Wallingford’s Team Debusschere produced a winner among the
nine-holers as Tyler Debusschere added a 45 to his opening-round 42 for an 87.
Debusschere finished a shot ahead of Kayley Roberts of Phoenixville, who had
the best round of the day Thursday with a 43 after opening with a 45 for an 88
total.
Mason Tucker of York finished third with rounds of 45 and 48
for a 93 total. Another member of Plymouth Meeting’s Team Gooneratne, Rhianna
Gooneratne, finished fourth at 97 after improving nine shots from her
opening-round 53 with a 44 Thursday.
The Precision Pro Golf Open events also include men’s and
women’s divisions.
Michael Robinson of Gettysburg dominated the men’s 17-to-24
division as he finished up with a 2-over 74 after opening with a 76 for a
6-over 150 total.
Joe Polidoro of Glassboro, N.J. was the runnerup at 172 as
he was eight shots better than his opening-round 90 with an 82 Thursday. Austin
Regan of Mullica Hill, N.J. was another 10 shots behind Polidoro in third at
182 after adding an 89 to his opening-round 93.
Emily McGarrigle of Wernersville rallied in Thursday’s
second round with a 5-over 77 to overtake Georgia Naples of West Chester and
capture the top spot in the women’s 17-to-24 division.
McGarrigle carded an 86 in Wednesday’s opening round and
trailed Naples by three, but her solid second round gave her the victory with a
163 total. Naples added an 84 to her opening-round 83 to finish four shots behind
McGarrigle at 167.
Steven Coelho, a competitor in the 13-to-15 division from
Malvern, made a splash in the Thursday’s second round when his 3-wood shot off
the tee at the tough 206-yard, par-3 11th hole found the bottom of
the cup for his first career hole-in-one.
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