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GAP newcomers to meet in 100th Junior Boys’ semifinals at RivertonCINNAMINSON, N.J. — Under the advice of their respective coaches, Nicolas McCook and Erik Reisner decided to enter the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s 100th Junior Boys’ Championship. Now the two will meet in the tournament’s semifinals at Riverton Country Club. McCook, who hails from Applecross Country Club, filled the David role Wednesday. He upset two-time reigning GAP Junior Player of the Year Cole Berman, 6&5, in the Round of 16 before defeating co-medalist Connor Goodrich of Merchantville Country Club, 2&1, in the quarterfinals. Reisner, a Plymouth Country Club member, showed steely resolve in a pair of 1-up victories over Alex Butler of Blue Bell Country Club and Joshua Madarang of Applecross. Also advancing Wednesday were Burlington Country Club’s Blaine Lafferty and Fox Hill Country Club’s Mariano Medico. The semifinals begin tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. “It feels really good. It feels like I accomplished something,” McCook, 17, of Chester Springs, Pa., said. “I just remembered that I had to stick with my swing and that I had to trust myself. I knew I was going to get tired toward the end, but I just stayed confident in my swing and came through in the end.” McCook is an incoming senior at Downingtown Stem Academy and plays on the golf team at Downingtown East High School. Scott Yard, his coach and a former GAP Executive Committee member, suggested that he sign up for the Junior Boys’ Championship. Now McCook is two wins away from hoisting the Peg Burnett Trophy. But the easygoing Goliath slayer isn’t taking much stock in what’s to come, or pedigree of opponent, for that matter. “I just went out and tried to play,” McCook said. “I knew that if he’s here in the Championship flight, then he’s probably going to be a pretty good player and the match is going to be tough. You can’t get too high or too low with your attitude. You have to stay very level. In the end, a score is great, but it’s how you carry yourself on the course that leaves an impact on how you played.” McCook is leaving an impact in name and game. In his quarterfinals bout against Goodrich, he moved ahead for good on No. 7 (par 5, 518 yards) with a birdie. McCook hammered a 5-iron 200 yards into the left greenside bunker and splashed out to two feet. He closed the contest on the par 5, 478-yard 17th hole, where he sent a 6-iron 190 yards to seven feet. The 17th served as the site of Reisner’s genesis Wednesday. He squared the Round of 16 fight against Butler with a 10-footer for birdie following a 20-yard pitch. Reisner, 17, of Gladwyne, Pa., secured a quarterfinals berth with a 3 on the par 4, 352-yard 18th hole. After finding the fairway bunker, Reisner grabbed a pitching wedge and debated his next move with caddie Josh Spear. “I threw up some grass and there was a little bit of breeze, and I kind of figured since I’m on the upslope, the ball’s not going to shoot straight up,” Reisner, an incoming senior at Harriton High School, said. “I went to a 9-iron and put a good swing on it. The ball landed 20 feet short and released to the flagstick. I made an uphill, right-to-left putt for the win.” Reisner spoiled the chances of an Applecross reunion in the semifinals by firing a birdie on No. 17 in his match against Madarang. He poured a hybrid from 240 yards into the front bunker, exited accordingly and executed a downhill 15-footer. “Coming down the stretch with the help of my caddie, I controlled my breathing and stayed focused. I came through with a couple of big putts,” Reisner said.
Reisner’s swing coach, Brian Quinn, encouraged his participation in the Junior Boys’ Championship. For Lafferty, coaching, too, is what’s boosted the Marlton, N.J. resident into the semifinals. “I wasn’t hitting it great, but I had a nice short game lesson with Mike Dynda,” Lafferty, 18, a recent Cherokee High School graduate, said. “I really found my putter right before the tournament started, so that gave me a lot of confidence. Last year my putting completely defeated me, and this year, it’s saving me.” Lafferty, who will attend the University of Delaware in the fall, defeated Max Siegfried of Aronimink Golf Club, 3&1, in the quarterfinals. He cited No. 16 (par 3, 154 yards) as a turning point. Lafferty lofted a light 6-iron that landed on the back tier and rolled into the front fringe. A flop shot to two feet meant a conceded 3 and a 2-up lead. He sealed a semifinals date with Medico following a two-putt birdie on No. 17. Medico, the 2012 Junior Boys’ Champion, edged home-club hopeful Kevin Kramarski, 1-up, in the quarterfinals. He won No. 12 (par 4, 432 yards) with a birdie after knocking a 9-iron 140 yards to five feet. The conversion cut Kramarski’s lead to 1-up and tilted the match’s momentum. “I knew I had to start pressing a little bit at that point,” Medico, 18, of Shavertown, Pa., said. “My gameplan going in to play Kevin was that I can’t get down in this match. When you’ve got the home field advantage, you know the course inside and out.” “I’m excited for the opportunity again to get to the semifinals. This is one of my favorite events.”
Golf Association of Philadelphia
Quarterfinals
First Flight
Round of 16
First Flight
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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.
