Rehoboth Beach Junior Open yet another success

More than 80 intrepid junior golfers swarmed over the Rehoboth Beach Country Club golf course June 16 in the long-running Rehoboth Beach Junior Open.

A sanctioned event of the Philadelphia Junior Tour, the all-day affair also featured the award ceremonies for the Delaware State Golf Association Scholarship Fund.

Founded by Jerry Medd, Bob McCurry and Ron Barrows, the fund has awarded nearly $1 million in college assistance to about 125 student-athletes. Applicants must demonstrate academic ability, community service and a connection to golf.

Kyle Plusch of Middletown won a four-year scholarship worth $5,200 per year. He will attend the University of Delaware and hopes to go on to medical or dental school. Plusch won the 2008 Delaware Junior Amateur, and made the cut in the Delaware Amateur in 2012 and 2013.

Lauren Mayse of Cecilton, Md., will use her $3,800-per-year scholarship to attend LeMoyne College, majoring in bioengineering. She also expects to play Division II golf for the school, and was the MVP of her high school golf team.

Robert Gooden of Newark earned a $2,500 scholarship, and will be going to Campbell University’s professional golf management program. He was the No. 1 player on his high school team all four years, and also made first and second team all-conference.

Kevin Speer, also from Newark, will be going to Drexel University this fall, where his $2,500 scholarship will come in handy for his mechanical engineering major. In addition to golf, Speer was also a varsity member of his high school’s cross country and tennis teams.

In the Junior Open’s 16-18-year-old boys' event, Alex Butler of East Norriton, Pa., came in first, with Adam Chandler of Newark in second. Liam Murphy of Hockessin and Ryan Rucinski of Wilmington tied for third.

Kyle Vance won the boys' 13-15 category, with local junior Brock Maloomian taking second. Liam Powderly of Reisterstown, Md., finished in third.

The 9-hole Division was coed this year. Jacob Zeng of Downingtown, Pa., won first place, while Alex Mulrooney of Wilmington took second, and Haley Quickel of Middletown finished in third.

Nine girls competed in the 16-18-year-old group, with Emily Gilbert of Gilbertsville, Pa., taking first place. Rylie Doyle of Dagsboro came in second, and Rebecca Davis finished in third.

Three girls played in the 13-15 category. Grace Stillman of Lititz, Pa., took first, followed by Gianna Ward of Collegeville, Pa., in second and Helen Wilson of Delmar in third.

Local club competition results

The Rehoboth Beach Country Club 18 Hole Ladies golf league held its weekly round June 11, and played an ABCD scramble.

Eileen Clark, Linda Welch, Lyn Webster and Jeanne Allan combined for first place in the net category with a 64. In the gross category, the three-member combination of Pris Desena, Diane Strickler and Kathy Curry took turns as their fourth player, and still managed to take first place with an 82.

The Kings Creek Country Club Ladies 18 Hole Golf League played a low net competition June 12.

Trish Ritthaler won first place in the first flight, followed by Marsha McLaurin in second and Judy Wetzel in third.

In the second flight, Kathy Casey took the first spot, with Bernie Reid in second and Sherry Pie in third.

Mary Mezger won the third flight, while Prabhat Karapurkar took second place and Monica Fleischmann came in third.

Brenda Butterfield’s approach to two feet on the eighth hole won the closest to the pin contest for the day.

The June 16 Kings Creek Ladies 9 Hole golf event used a format called Criers, a scoring arrangement with which I had no familiarity at all.

Tournament Chair Noreen Buzerak explained that each golfer threw out their worst four scores and replaced them with pars, minus the player’s handicap for that hole. In the example Buzerak gave, a golfer shooting a 10 on a par five, entitled to 2 strokes on the hole, would post a 3 instead.

Shirley Maloney had the best crying jag, winning first place. Evelyn Diggs took second place and Carole Ellison came in third.

Sally Horvath won the closest to the pin contest with her approach in the 11th hole finishing 28-feet-2-inches from the flag.

I don’t think any tears were shed as a result.