Sako defeats Boyd in a playoff in a battle of Central stars in the Christman Cup at RiverCrest

 

   Lower Merion’s Seiji Sako and Radnor’s Lannon Boyd were two of the Central League’s top players the last three falls.

   With their careers as junior golfers winding down, Sako and Boyd went head-to-head in the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s 27^th Christman Cup at the RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve July 21^st.

   The Christman Cup is always scheduled as a one-day, 36-hole stroke-play shootout, but late July weather being what it is in our part of the world, Mother Nature often prevents the top junior golfers in the area from getting in two rounds.

   Such was the case this year as an afternoon thunderstorm halted play in the second round and the event was limited to just 18 holes.

   Sako and Boyd both put together solid rounds of 4-under-par 67 over the 6,518-yard, par-71 RiverCrest layout in the morning and a playoff was needed to determine the champion.

   Sako and Boyd waited until the weather passed and headed to the tee at 5:45 p.m. at RiverCrest’s 340-yard, par-4 opener, where a par by Sako gave him the title.

   “It’s been a great summer for me,” Sako told the GAP website. “I think I’ve had a lot great finishes, but I haven’t really put all the rounds together. I know this one got cut short, but it still feels good to get one done.”

   Sako was always at his best during his scholastic career during the postseason. Each of the last three falls, he earned a trip to the PIAA Class AAA Championship at Penn State. His tie for fourth place as a sophomore in the fall of 2023 was the best finish among the District One contingent at Penn State’s Blue Course.

   Sako is headed for Penn State and hopes to get a shot to join the golf team as a walk-on. I’d say the kid deserves a look.

   Boyd, who will join the program at Saint Joseph’s later this summer, was the co-medalist in the Central League Championship last fall in his senior season, duplicating a feat he had accomplished as a sophomore in 2023. Boyd had been unable to take the final step to the state tournament until last fall when he took care of that little missing piece on his scholastic resume by earning a trip to Penn State.

   It has been a solid summer for Sako and not just in junior events.

   He qualified for the BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship and earned a spot in the match-play bracket in qualifying rounds at Sunnybrook Golf Club and The 1912 Club. Sako also qualified for the Philadelphia Open at Lancaster Country Club a couple of weeks ago and survived the 18-hole cut.

   Those two accomplishments alone would make for a pretty good summer of golf for any amateur in the Philadelphia area.

   Sako also earned a spot in the match-play bracket in GAP’s Junior Boys’ Championship at Chester Valley Golf Club before falling in the first round.

   One thing I’ve noticed in following Boyd and Sako in the Central League Championships at Turtle Creek Golf Course: They can send it, especially off the tee, and their power was every much in evidence at RiverCrest.

   Starting off the 10^th tee at RiverCrest, Sako got off to a fast start, hitting a 52-degree wedge from 104 yards away at the 375-yard, par-4 10^th to 20 feet and draining the birdie try and then driving the green at the 335-yard, par-4 11^th and two-putting for birdie.

   After dropping a shot with a bogey at the 12^th hole, Sako got back to 2-under by reaching the green at the 550-yard, par-5 16^th in two with a 9-iron from 177 yards away and two-putting for a birdie.

   Sako dropped a shot with a bogey at the first hole, but rebounded quickly with birdies at the second and third holes to get it to 3-under for his round.

   Sako reached the green at the 520-yard, par-5 second hole in two with a 7-iron from 207 yards away and two-putted from 30 feet. He stuck a 9-iron at the 167-yard, par-3 third hole to three feet and converted the birdie try.

   Sako needed one more birdie and he got it at the 307-yard, par-4 ninth hole, sending a 5-wood to a greenside bunker and getting it up and down.

   Boyd’s length was on display when he reached the green at the par-5 16^th hole with a 5-iron from 204 yards away and dropped a 30-foot bomb for eagle to highlight his round.

   White Manor Country Club’s Logan Turner, a sophomore on the Devon Prep golf team, and Overbrook Golf Club’s Freddy Hartmann, a senior on the Episcopal Academy golf team, shared third place, each posting a 3-under 68 to end up a shot out of the playoff.

   Turner finished in a tie for 15^th place in the PIAA Class AA Championship as a freshman last fall. Hartmann played a big role in helping the Churchmen capture the Inter-Ac League crown last fall.

   A couple of RiverCrest guys, Colby Komancheck, a senior on the Malvern Prep golf team, and Timothy Burns headed a group of five players tied for fifth place at even-par 71.

   Komancheck, the son of Jamie and Kelly Komancheck, the husband-wife team of PGA professionals who man the pro shop at RiverCrest, has been one of the Inter-Ac’s top players during his first three years with the Friars.

   Komancheck captured the individual title in the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association Championship at Radley Run Country Club, helping Malvern Prep get a share of the team crown, to cap his junior season last fall.

   Komancheck and Burns were joined at even-par by a couple of members of the golf team at Catholic League power La Salle, North Hills Country Club’s Kellen Toussaint and Philmont Country Club’s Benjamin Robbins, and Saucon Valley Country Club’s Colin McAskin.

   Five more players rounded out the top 10 as they finished in a tie for 10^th place at 1-over 72, led by The Springhaven Club’s Luca Kleinschmidt, who wrapped up his scholastic career at Strath Haven last fall.

   Kleinschmidt, the runnerup to Jackson Lane in the GAP Junior Boys at Chester Valley, will join the program at PSAC power Millersville later this summer.

   Kennett Square Golf & Country Club’s Grant Burkhart was also in the group at 1-over. Burkhart wrapped up his scholastic career at Salesianum in the spring with a runnerup finish in the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association Championship at Baywood Greens that helped the Sallies roll to the team crown.

   Rounding out the group at 1-over were Sunnybrook’s Liam Littleton, a senior on the La Salle golf team, Whitford Country Club’s Calvin Pace, a senior on the Downingtown East golf team, and Lebanon Country Club’s Benjamin Allwein, who finished in a tie for seventh place in the PIAA Class AA Championship as a freshman at Annville-Cleona last fall.