Deussing defeats Saggers in playoff to claim title in Jock MacKenzie Memorial at Sandy Run

 

   Michael Deussing of Jericho National Golf Club stuck a 9-iron to six feet and converted the birdie try on the second hole of a playoff to defeat Ben Saggers of Applecross Country Club and claim the title in the 39^th Jock MacKenzie Memorial, the final Golf Association of Philadelphia major championship of the summer for junior golfers, July 17^th at Sandy Run Country Club.

   Deussing, a senior at The Hun School of Princeton, and Saggers, a recent Bishop Shanahan graduate who will be joining head coach Brian Quinn’s Temple program later this summer, both had some adventures on the closing 18^th hole at the 6,544-yard, par-72 Sandy Run layout.

   Deussing drove it out of bounds on the 337-yard, par-4 finishing hole, but managed to limit the damage to a bogey. Saggers, meanwhile, needed to hole a 30-foot bomb to save par.

   Both ended up with a 3-under-par 69 and headed for extra holes. The second playoff hole was the 135-yard, par-3 10^th at Sandy Run and Deussing hit it close to capture the crown.

   Deussing was going in the wrong direction when he made bogeys at the fourth, fifth and sixth holes. But he got right back on track when his wedge shot from 50 yards away at the 320-yard, par-4 seventh hole found the bottom of the cup for an eagle.

   Deussing then reached the putting surface in two at the 537-yard, par-5 eighth hole with a 3-wood and two-putted for birdie. He had just 40 yards left into the 308-yard, par-4 ninth hole, hit it to six feet and converted the birdie try to get it to 2-under for his round.

   Deussing made a bogey at the par-3 10^th hole, where he would eventually win the championship. Birdies at the 11^th, 13^th and 17^th holes got him to 4-under for his round before he drove it out of bounds at the last, leading to a bogey.

   Saggers put together a solid round that featured five birdies and two bogeys to earn himself a spot in the playoff. After making a bogey at third hole, he rattled off birdies six, seven and nine. Saggers made a bogey at the short 10^th hole, but birdies at 13 and 16 got him to 3-under before he came up with the big par save at the last.

   “I’m happy to come out on top,” Deussing told the GAP website. “I came in here trying to play as well as I can. Even though some of the best GAP (junior competitors) aren’t here, there were a lot of good players in the field. It’s pretty cool (to win).”

   It was probably fitting that Wilmington Country Club’s Homer twins, Matt and Jeff, finished in a tie for third place, each carding a 2-under 70 to finish a shot out of the playoff between Deussing and Saggers.

   The 70 for Jeff Homer earned him the Harry Hammond Award for the second time. The Harry Hammond Award combines a player’s scores from qualifying for match play in the GAP Junior Boys’ Championship, the 36 holes of the Christman Cup and the Jock MacKenzie.

    Jeff Homer also won the Harry Hammond, named for the Philadelphia region’s biggest supporter of junior golf and the co-owner of Penn Oaks Golf Club, in 2021.

   Jeff Homer was typically steady all summer with a 73 in qualifying for match play in the GAP Junior Boys at LuLu Country Club and rounds of 71 and 73 in the Christman Cup at Gulph Mills Golf Club to go with the 70 he posted at Sandy Run for a 2-over 287 total.

   Deussing’s strong showing at Sandy Run enabled him to earn runnerup honors in the Harry Hammond Award standings with a 4-over 289 total.

   Jeff Homer joined a list of two-time Harry Hammond Award winners that includes Ron Robinson (2016, 2017), Cole Berman (2012, 2013) and Billy Stewart (2000-2001).

   The Homer brothers, who have been scholastic standouts at the Tatnall School, have been a constant presence on the leaderboards of GAP junior events the last few summers. When Jeff Homer clinched the Harry Hammond Award at the Jock MacKenzie in 2021, it came on the heels of his Christman Cup victory with Matt Homer capturing the title in the Jock MacKenzie that same day at Sandy Run.

   The GAP website indicated that Jeff Homer is headed for Delaware, although there is no mention of him playing golf for the Blue Hens and he does not appear on the 2023-2024 Delaware roster.

   College golf is a big commitment, but if Patty Post, who just received an extension as the director of golf for both the men’s and women’s programs at Delaware, is looking for reinforcements for her men’s roster, she might find a pretty good player on campus in Newark.

   Saucon Valley Country Club’s Evan Eichenlaub, who capped an outstanding scholastic career at Moravian Academy by finishing in fourth place in the PIAA Class AA Championship last fall at Penn State, and North Hills Country Club’s Declan McLane, looks like he’s a junior at St. Joseph’s Prep, finished in a tie for fifth place, each recording a 1-under 71.

   There was one more Homer in the top 10 in the Jock MacKenzie as the younger brother of Jeff and Matt, Jack Homer, a junior at Tatnall, headed a group of five players tied for seventh place at even-par 72.

   Rounding out the group at even-par were another North Hills guy, Chris Vahey, Honeybrook Golf Club’s Ian Larsen, who will join the program at reigning District One Class AAA champion Downingtown West next month, Connor Matteo of Blue Ridge Trail Golf Club and Brian Cotter of the Legacy Club at Woodcrest.

   Sunnybrook Golf Club’s Gabi Courtney was the lone entry in the Junior Girls division and carded a solid 85. Courtney, a recent Mount St. Joseph’s graduate, is headed for The Catholic University of America.

   Max Leung of White Manor Country Club captured the title in the Junior-Junior Boys division, carding a 1-over 37 on Sandy Run’s 2,729-yard, par-36 back nine at Sandy Run.

   After making bogeys at the 12^th and 13^th holes, Leung, an eighth-grader at Episcopal Academy, needed just a 9-iron to reach the green at the 368-yard, par-5 15^th hole from 135 yards away and holed a 10-foot putt for eagle. A bogey at the 17^th hole dropped Leung back to 1-over.

   Henry Sokol of Green Valley Country Club’s Team Sokol was the runnerup as he finished four shots behind Leung with a 5-over 41.

   Sandy Run’s Nicholas Stampone, using his home-course advantage, finished three shots behind Henry Sokol in third place with a 44. Jack Sokol, the other member of Green Valley’s Team Sokol, was a shot behind Stampone in fourth place with a 45.

   Justin Delfidio of Manufacturers Golf & Country Club, John Peyton of Union League National Golf Club, William Quartermain of Llanerch Country Club and Alitya Rege, a GAP Youth on Course entry, finished in a tie for fifth place, each registering a 46.

   William Thorkelson, a Philadelphia Junior Tour entry, finished alone in ninth place with a 49.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stetson's run in U.S. Junior Amateur ends in loss to Fang in round of 16 at Daniel Island

 

   A terrific run in the 75^th U.S. Junior Amateur by Episcopal Academy senior Hunter Stetson came to an end Thursday afternoon as he fell in the round of 16 to Zeqian Fang of China, 3 and 1, at the Daniel Island Club’s Ralston Creek Course in Charleston, S.C.

   Stetson began the day with a hard-fought 2 and 1 victory over Tyler Sanford of Montgomery, Texas in a second-round match, a win that sent him into the round of 16 against the talented Fang.

   Stetson, one of the Inter-Ac League’s top players the last two seasons, quickly found himself in a 2-down hole against Fang when Fang took the second hole with an eagle 2 at the par-4 second hole and got a win at three with a par.

   But Stetson, a product of the junior program at Aronimink Golf Club, quickly put Fang on notice that he was going to be in for a fight when Stetson cut his deficit in half by taking the fifth hole with a birdie.

   The two exchanged wins with Fang restoring his 2-up advantage by taking the seventh hole with a birdie, Stetson answering with a win at eight with a birdie and Fang getting a win at nine with a birdie to again take a 2-up advantage.

   Stetson then rattled off wins on three straight holes, taking the 10^th hole with a par, 11 with a birdie and 12 with a par and suddenly it was Stetson who was in front with a 1-up lead.

   Fang, however, stopped Stetson’s momentum by winning the 13^th hole with a par to draw even. Fang then won the 14^th hole with a birdie and 16 with a par before closing out Stetson by taking 17 with a birdie.

   Stetson was the runnerup to Germantown Academy’s Ajeet Bagga in the Inter-Ac’s points standings compiled from the results of the league’s six regular-season invitationals. He finished in third place in last fall’s Bert Linton Inter-Ac individual championship at Llanerch Country Club in defense of the Bert Linton title he had won as a sophomore at Bluestone Country Club in the fall of 2021.

   Earlier in the day, Stetson found himself 2-down when Sanford, a junior at Lake View High School, made a birdie at the sixth hole.

   But Stetson turned things around when he won the seventh hole with a par, nine with a birdie and 10 with a par to grab a 1-up lead.

   Sanford evened the match when he won the 11^th hole with a birdie, but Stetson took control down the stretch, winning the 13^th hole with a par and 16 with a par that gave him a 2-up lead with two holes to go. When the 17^th hole was halved with pars, Stetson was on to the round of 16.

   Stetson represented Aronimink, Episcopal Academy, the Inter-Ac League and GAP admirably with his deep run at Daniel Island.

   Stetson has been playing some great golf for more than a month now. He fired a 4-under 67 at the RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve in a GAP-administered qualifier to earn the trip to Daniel Island in the first place.

   A couple of weeks ago, Stetson finished in second place in the Philadelphia Boys Junior PGA Championship at the Toftrees Resort near State College that earned him a spot in the field for the Boys Junior PGA Championship, another of the major national junior events that tees off Monday at Hot Springs Country Club in Hot Springs, Ark.

   Stetson is headed for Hot Springs playing some of the best golf of his life and coming off a performance in the U.S. Junior Amateur that has to give him a ton of confidence. He was going toe-to-toe with some of the best junior players in the world and more than holding his own.

   Stetson wasn’t the only player still competing in the round of 16 Thursday afternoon at Daniel Island who emerged out of that qualifier at RiverCrest.

   The medalist in qualifying at RiverCrest somehow arrived in Upper Providence Township, Montgomery County from Australia of all places, Joseph Buttress topping the field with a sparkling 7-under 64.

   It was a Down Under duel just below Stetson and Fang in the bracket as Bustress battled hard before suffering a 2 and 1 setback at the hands of Joshua Bai of New Zealand. Earlier in the day, Buttress prevailed in a 22-hole marathon over Bo Carpenter of Tifton, Ga. to advance to the round of 16.

   It will be Fang and Bai battling it out in the quarterfinals Friday morning. The winners of the morning quarterfinal matches will then tee it up in the semifinals in the afternoon.

   It will be an interesting battle at the top of the quarterfinal bracket between Tommy Morrison, the 6-foot-9 tall Texan and the qualifying medalist, and Will Hartman of Charlotte, N.C., but who emerged from another GAP-administered qualifier, this one at Chambersburg Country Club.

   Morrison graduated from high school early and joined the program at Big 12 power Texas in January. He was in the starting lineup for the Longhorns in the NCAA Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.

   Morrison rallied from 2-down with eight holes to go in his round-of-32 match with Chi Chun Chen of Chinese Taipei to pull out a 1-up victory. Morrison reached the quarterfinals with a 3 and 2 victory over Torger Ohe of Edina, Minn. in a round-of-16 match.

   Hartman, a Class of 2025 entry, has been playing well all week at Daniel Island. He rolled to a 4 and 3 decision over Jay Leng Jr. of San Diego, Calif. in a round-of-32 match before reaching the quarterfinals with a 2 and 1 victory over Carson Looney of Bethesda, Md. in a round-of-16 match.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stetson's summer roll carries him into second round of U.S. Junior Amateur at Daniel Island

 

   Episcopal Academy senior Hunter Stetson is having himself a summer.

   Stetson got the early jump on Josh Duangmanee of Fairfax, Va. by winning the first three holes and was way too solid to let that advantage get away as he claimed a 2-up victory in the opening round of match play in the U.S. Junior Amateur Wednesday at the Daniel Island Club’s Ralston Creek Course in Charleston, S.C.

   Stetson, a product of the junior program at Aronimink Golf Club, won the first hole at the 7,367-yard, par-72 Ralston Creek layout with a birdie and then picked up wins at two and three with pars to grab a 3-up lead.

   Duangmanee, who will join the program at Atlantic Coast Conference power Virginia next month, kept fighting back, but Stetson never gave up his lead. When Duangmanee made birdies at the fifth and sixth holes, Stetson matched him to maintain his 3-up advantage.

   Stetson finally made a bogey at the eighth hole and Duangmanee took advantage by winning the hole with a par. But Stetson answered right back with a birdie at the ninth hole to restore his 3-up lead.

   The only other bogey on Stetson’s scorecard came at the 10^th hole, but Duangmanee couldn’t capitalize, making a bogey of his own.

   Duangmanee made a birdie at the 14^th hole to take the hole and cut his deficit to 2-down and creeped within 1-down with a birdie and a win at 17.

   But Stetson showed some toughness with a win at the last with a birdie, his fifth of the day, to earn the 2-up victory. Duangmanee didn’t lose this match, Stetson won it.

   Stetson, who has been one of the Inter-Ac League’s top players the last two falls, earned a second-round date with Tyler Sanford of Montgomery, Texas. All Sanford, a junior at Lake Creek High School, did in his opening-round match was dismantle Ratchanon TK Chantananuwat of Thailand and No. 26 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) with a 6 and 4 victory.

   Sanford has been playing well at Daniel Island as he finished in third place in qualifying for match play, including a 5-under 67 at Ralston Creek in Tuesday’s second round.

   Stetson finished in second place in the Inter-Ac’s individual points race during the six invitationals that make up the league’s regular season last fall. He then finished in third place in the Bert Linton Inter-Ac individual championship at Llanerch Country Club in defense of the Bert Linton crown he won as a sophomore at Bluestone Country Club in the fall of 2021.

   Stetson’s golf game has heated up at just the right time this summer.  He was the runnerup two weeks ago in the Philadelphia Boys Junior PGA Championship, a one-day, 36-hole test against probably the deepest field of junior talent in the region at the Toftrees Resort outside of State College.

   That earned Stetson a trip to next week’s Boys Junior PGA Championship, another of the top national events for juniors which tees off Monday at Hot Springs Country Club in Hot Springs, Ark.

   The Stetson-Sanford match will tee off at 9 a.m. Thursday. The winners of Thursday morning’s second-round matches will then square off in the round of 16 Thursday afternoon. If weather permits, there will only be eight players still standing in the battle for the title by the end of the day Thursday.

   Another impressive winner in Wednesday’s opening round was Will Hartman of Charlotte, N.C. who reached the U.S. Junior Amateur out of a Golf Association of Philadelphia-administered qualifier at Chambersburg Country Club.

   Hartman cruised to a 5 and 4 decision over Stanley Lin of Chinese Taipei. That earned him a second-round match with Jay Leng Jr. of San Diego, Calif. Leng advanced to the second round with a 4 and 3 victory over Colin Salema of Matthews, N.C.

   Tommy Morrison, the 6-foot-9 tall Texan who was the qualifying medalist, beat back a tough challenge from Johnnie Clark of Mesa, Ariz. to reach the second round with a 2 and 1 victory.

   Morrison of Dallas graduated high school early and joined the Texas program in January. He was in the lineup for the Longhorns in the NCAA Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. in the spring.

   Clark began his Wednesday by making a par on the ninth hole at the Beresford Creek Course to survive a playoff among 14 players battling for the last seven spots in the match-play bracket. Clark and six other players made pars and the bulky playoff was completed in just one hole.

   Clark made a birdie on the sixth hole to draw even with Morrison. But Morrison finally took control of the match when he won the 11^th, 14^th and 15^th holes, all with birdies, to take a 3-up lead.

   Morrison will take on Chi Chun Chen of Chinese Taipei in Wednesday’s second round. Chen rolled to a 6 and 5 decision over Dylan Burcham of Valencia, Calif. in his opening-round match.