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Jericho National GC's Herr heads USGA Junior Amateur QualifierLAFAYETTE HILL, Pa. - A pair of 2-under-par 70s is all that Zachary Herr of Jericho National GC needed Tuesday. The New Hope, Pa. resident posted consecutive subpar rounds to earn medalist honors in a USGA Junior Amateur Qualifier administered by the Golf Association of Philadelphia at Whitemarsh Valley CC (par 72, 6,627 yards). Herr, one of the region’s most lauded junior amateurs, will now make his first appearance in the Championship proper.
Herr made an imprint on the junior scene in 2008 by capturing the GAP Junior-Junior Boys’ Championship at Phoenixville CC. He followed up with a victory in the Association’s 2009 Junior Boys’ Championship at Riverton CC. Last year, Herr posted five Top 10 finishes in AJGA (American Junior Golf Association) events, winning its Killington Junior Golf Championship in Vermont. He enhanced his junior résumé Tuesday thanks to a 4 under 140 total. “I didn’t let anything get too out of hand,” Herr, 16, said. “I hit the fairways and the greens and let the putts fall. It’s a 36-hole qualifier, so half the field is going to play itself out after the first 18 [holes].” Herr, an incoming junior at Council Rock North, posted four birdies and two bogeys to begin his qualifying bid in a subpar surrounding. He scribed back-to-back red figures on Nos. 17 (par 5, 483 yards) and 18 (par 4, 413 yards). Herr knocked an 8-iron 165 yards to 15 feet and two-putted on the first, and struck a soft 9-iron 134 yards to four feet on the latter. He picked up right where he left off by firing a birdie on No. 1 (par 4, 354 yards). Herr exploded out of the right fairway bunker with a 56-degree wedge from 87 yards out. He converted the ensuing 15-footer for birdie. Herr powered a 5-iron 208 yards to 10 feet on the par 5, 507-yard No. 5 and drained the left-to-right curler. He stopped a 56-degree wedge 98 yards at three feet on No. 13 (par 4, 370 yards). Herr’s only had two miscues in the afternoon. On No. 7 (par 4, 407 yards), he missed the green with an 8-iron and couldn’t get up-and-down. Herr’s wayward drive on No. 11 (par 5, 515 yards) landed on the No. 17 fairway. A heavy 5-iron put Herr 120 yards from the green. He then pummeled a 56-degree wedge to the back of the putting surface and failed to save par. Ultimately, though, the slip-ups didn’t rattle Herr’s confidence or his golf game.
The third time was indeed a charm for Davis. After missing out by a few strokes the last two years, the Newtown Square, Pa. resident finally punched his ticket into the Championship proper. “It feels good to finally put up two good scores and make it out there,” an even-keeled Davis said. Davis kept a 3 under score intact by registering an even-par-72 in the afternoon session. “In the first round, I was just hitting it pure and making a lot of putts,” Davis, 15, said. “I just tried to keep that going for the second round. I’ve been fortunate enough to get out here [to Whitemarsh Valley] a couple of times this year. That experience definitely helped.” A three-hole red figure stretch ignited Davis’ morning round. On the treacherous par 5, 515-yard No. 11, Davis sent a sand wedge 105 yards to six feet. He stuffed a 7-iron to five feet on No. 12 (par 3, 171 yards). And on No. 13 (par 4, 370 yards), Davis knocked a lob wedge 95 yards to seven feet and cleaned up the birdie putt. He would power a 4-hybrid 200 yards to the rear of the No. 17 (par 5, 483 yards) green and two-putted to card his fourth birdie on the back nine. Davis also eagled the par 5, 507-yard No. 3 after demolishing his 3-wood 233 yards to 12 feet. The soft-spoken yet smooth-swinging Davis continued to let his game do the talking in the afternoon. He experienced déjà vu on No. 5, pulverizing his 5-wood 220 yards to 10 feet. Davis, a soon-to-be sophomore at Malvern Prep, also inked red on Nos. 2 (par 4, 400 yards) and 17 (par 5, 483 yards). On the first, he launched his 8-iron 150 yards to the front of the green. Staring at a 50-footer for birdie to a back left hole location, Davis canned a right-to-left breaker for birdie. “I was just trying to get it around the hole and to get good speed,” he said. “It just happened to fall in.”
Hornberger, of Ephrata, Pa., carded a 3-under-par 69 in the morning to start his qualifying attempt. The incoming Manheim Township High School junior posted three birdies and an eagle. On No. 3 (par 5, 530 yards), he smacked a sand wedge 110 yards to 20 feet and drained the uphill left-to-right breaker. His 8-iron sailed 165 yards and settled 15 feet behind the hole location on No. 8 (par 4, 456 yards). On the par 4, 419-yard 15th hole, Hornberger smashed a 6-iron 190 yards to three feet. He carded an eagle on No. 17 (par 5, 483 yards) after a rifling an 8-iron 170 yards to eight feet below the flagstick.
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A Walk Through Time
GAP is the oldest state or regional golf association in the country. It started courtesy of a friendly competition – the Team Matches – and has grown into the preeminent golf association in the country. Along the way, golf history has been made.
