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Sunday, April 7, 2019

Watson's 2-over 72 at Honeybrook earns him a Junior Tour victory


   Spring-Ford sophomore Luke Watson carded a 2-over-par 72 to top a field that included several of the top high school players in the area in the 16-to-18 division in a Philadelphia Section PGA Junior Tour stop at Honeybrook Golf Club on the western edge of Chester County Sunday.
   Watson, a PIAA Class AAA East Regional qualifier last fall, had three birdies in a sparkling front-nine 33 on his way to a one-shot victory over Harriton junior Andrew Wallace, a PIAA Class AAA qualifier. Wallace, a left-hander, picked up two birdies on the front nine on his way to a 3-over 73 over the 6,306-yard, par-70 Honeybrook layout.
   Wallace shared the opening-round lead in Class AAA in the state tournament at the Heritage Hills Golf Resort last fall before falling back in the second round and finishing 15th.
   Malvern Prep junior Ryan Kennedy recorded four birdies to finish alone in third place at 4-over 74. Jake Maddaloni, a sophomore at The Haverford School who helped the Fords make a perfect run through the Inter-Ac League’s six regular-season invitationals last fall, was another two shots behind Kennedy in fourth with a 76.
   St. Joseph’s Prep junior Joseph Morganti, a Havertown resident, headed a group of five players tied for fifth at 7-over 77. Joining Morganti in the quintet tied for fifth were Reese Watson of Mechanicsburg, Conrad Benford of Parker Ford, Elijah Ruppert of Fleetwood and John Bradbeer of Bryn Mawr.
   Giles Elliott of St. Davids and Auggie Reilly of Wayne rounded out the top 10 as they finished in a tie for 10th, each posting a 78.
   The best round of the day belonged to Matthew Zerfass of Macungie, who captured the top spot in the 13-to-15 division with a 1-under 69. Zerfass, who earned a victory in a Junior Tour stop at Olde Homestead Golf Club last month, made nine pars on the front nine before recording two birdies against his lone bogey of the day on the back nine.
   Nicholas Ciocca of Berwyn and Jake Shmonov of Harrisburg each carded a 2-over 72 with runnerup honors going to Ciocca in a scorecard playoff. The rounds of Ciocca and Shmonov both featured a pair of birdies.
   Christian Matt, coming off a victory in Saturday’s Junior Tour stop at Middletown Country Club, finished fourth, a shot behind Ciocca and Shmonov with a 3-over 73. Jack Davis of Newtown Square took fifth with a 75 and Benjamin Saggers of West Chester and Matthew Normand of Lumberton, N.J. shared sixth place, each carding a 78.
   Keller Mulhern, coming off a solid freshman season at Malvern Prep, finished eighth with an 80, Julien de Brechard of Brooklyn, N.Y. was ninth with an 81 and Eric Morgan of Newtown Square rounded out the top 10 as he finished alone in 10th with an 82.
   Much like the guys, the best round of the day for the girls belonged to the winner of the 13-to-15 division as Stefanie Fedun of Glenmoore fired a 79 that featured two birdies, one on each side. Strath Haven freshman Grace Smith was the runnerup with an 82.
   Rhianna Gooneratne of Plymouth Meeting took third with an 87, Emily McAninch of Mechanicsburg was fourth with a 95 and Taylor Hicks of Dallastown was fifth with a 98. Teagan O’Donovan of Romansville finished sixth with a 118 and Eva Simmons of Downingtown was seventh with a 133.
   Ava O’Sullivan, a freshman on the Downingtown East team that was the PIAA Class AAA runnerup last fall, topped the 16-to-18 division with an 83. Heather Styslinger of Valley Forge was the runnerup with a 99.
   Jillian Burks of Paoli topped the field of nine-holers with a 9-over 44. Burks is listed as Class of 2027 which makes her, what, a fourth-grader. Looks like the kid can play a little.
   Lawson Leeper of York was the runnerup with a 46, Austin Dostal of Harbeson, Del. took third with a 48 and Colton Ortis of Hershey was fourth with a 49.
   Lawson Holmes of Thorndale finished fifth with a 50, Alexander Gibbs of East Norriton was sixth with a 53, Brady Kelly of Warrington was seventh with a 56, J.P. Klock of Oreland was eighth with a 60 and Joseph Gangemi Jr. of Downingtown was ninth with a 64.


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