A lesson or two from this year’s Junior Open
Adam Chandler was not a happy junior golfer when he approached the scorer’s table at this year’s Rehoboth Beach Junior Open.
As he explained to Charlie Schuyler, the head golf pro at Rehoboth Beach Country Club, his already-official score on one hole was wrong, by one more stroke than he actually scored. He wanted it reduced, but the Rules of Golf don’t permit that kind of adjustment.
Schuyler gently explained that because the score was more than Chandler actually made on the hole, once the player signed the scorecard it was official. If the signed score was actually less than the real total, however, he would have been disqualified.
The pro then pointed out that Chandler was in luck, because his official 74 still kept him tied for first place in the boys’ 12-13-year-old category. Therefore, Chandler continued to have a chance to win, despite the scoring error.
At that point, however, Chandler was far more upset than hopeful.
Fortunately, after the rest of the scores came in, Chandler remained tied for first with Davis Mitchell.
The two boys then began a sudden-death playoff on the first hole. Chandler rolled in a seven-foot birdie putt to win, while Mitchell just missed his birdie attempt.
Chandler was in a much better mood when we chatted a little later.
He also quickly agreed that he had learned a valuable lesson about being more careful about keeping track of his official score during tournament competitions.
He will be entering eighth grade at Alfred G. Waters Middle School in Middletown this fall and plays golf at Newark Country Club and Back Creek CC in Middletown.
Jack Rolle of Maryland provided another lesson of a different sort. The 12-year-old shot a 104, but just being able to play is a far bigger accomplishment than the day’s total.
The grandson of Maryland Terps broadcaster Johnny Holliday has now been cancer-free for more than a year, after a two-year bout with brain cancer. The Terps made him a team mascot, and he’s been a real inspiration to the university’s athletes, according to Schuyler.
This year’s open did not draw the usual 100 or so participants, which the organizers attributed to the fact that so many schools are still working off their snow days from the past winter.
Even so, the competition remained fairly stiff, In addition, the eight girls in the competition made it the largest female contingent the open has ever experienced.
Braden Shattuck won the overall championship with a fine 73 in windy conditions. Aaron Weiner took first place in the 16-18-year-old category with his 75.
The battle for second place among the oldest boys was a doozy. Nino Rosal, Andrew Mlynarski, and Ralph Blasey tied with 76s.
In the playoff, they remained tied after playing the first, ninth, and 19th holes.
Rosal missed a putt and dropped out on the next replay of the 19th. On the third time playing the 19th, Mlynarski made a nice birdie, while Blasey missed his attempt, giving Mlynarski the second spot.
Madeline Silverman won the girls’ category with a 74, followed by Emma Sills with her 78. Ryan Rucinski won the boys’ 14-15-year-old category with a 77, with Isaiah Logue taking second with his 78.
Local club tournament results
Shawnee Country Club held its annual Member-Member tournament June 11-12, in a best-ball-of-two format.
Jeff Kohel and Ed Mihm won the gross category with a 71-67 total, followed by Dale and Terry Jarrell’s 69-71 score.
In the net category, Powell Billings and Gene Smith shot a startling 53-63 total for first place, with Brett Warren and Ken Miller in second with their 63-58 finish.
The Kings Creek Ladies’ 18-hole group played a game of Even Out, Odd In June 9. In the first flight, Ana Dittel took first, followed by Linda Pini in second, with Patricia Ritthaler and Jeannine Doan tied for third.
In the second flight, Melanie Pereira won first place, with Mary Mezger in second and Anissa Brandt in third. Marsha Mclaurin was closest to the pin on the fifth hole at 8-feet-10- inches.
