Brett McGrath earned the No. 1 seed by posting an even-par 36 in the stroke-play qualifier.

Huntingdon Valley's McGrath medals, earns top Jr.-Jr. seed

  MOORESTOWN, N.J. — Huntingdon Valley Country Club’s Brett McGrath came into the 68th Junior-Junior Boys’ Championship with one goal: to gain a low seed for match play. On Monday at Moorestown Field Club (par 36, 2,703 yards), he achieved that feat… and then some.

     McGrath, 13, of Huntingdon Valley, Pa. carded an even-par 36 to earn medalist honors in the Junior-Junior Boys’ stroke-play qualifier. After gaining the No. 1-overall seed, McGrath went on to beat Talamore Country Club’s Andrew Lauerman, 4&3, to advance to tomorrow morning’s quarterfinals. He will face No. 9-seeded Jake Maddaloni of Aronimink Golf Club at 8 a.m.

  The semifinals will immediately follow. The 18-hole Championship Match is set for 8 a.m. Wednesday. All matches, other than the final, as well as qualifying are nine holes.

  “I just didn’t want to be close to the last seed because I knew I would have to play somebody pretty good,” McGrath said. “I wanted to try and get up there so I could make it into tomorrow. I didn’t even really realize what I was at until the second to last hole. I didn’t try to think about it, so that helped.”

  The rising-eighth grader at Bryn Athyn Church School made match play of the Championship Flight last year, but fell to Applecross Country Club’s Jacob Zeng, 1-up. This year, McGrath comes into the event having worked on his play with older brothers Connor, 16, and Liam, 19, specifically on his short game.

  “I’ve been playing a lot with my brothers and they’ve been helping me a lot with the shorter shots around the green,” McGrath said. “I’ve been trying to work on my chipping when we go out to play.”

  Following his only blemish of the day, a bogey on the par 4, 305-yard 2nd hole, McGrath regrouped with a red figure on No. 3 (par 4, 315 yards). Finding the fairway with his tee shot, McGrath got underneath a “hardish” gap-wedge from 110 yards, leaving himself 15 feet off the front of the green. He then displayed the progress he’s made in his short game by chipping in for birdie.

  “I just tried to put it close with the chip and it went in,” McGrath said.

  In his first-round match, McGrath made easy work of Lauerman, winning Nos. 1 (par 4, 305 yards) and 2. After the pair halved No. 3, McGrath stuck a 9-iron to 7 feet on the par 3, 132-yard 4th hole and drained the birdie putt. Finding the center cut of the fairway on No. 5 (par 5, 396 yards), McGrath bashed a 7-iron, flagstick high, just off the green. Lauerman, lying 5 after finding trouble in the right hazard, would concede the hole. The pair would halve No. 6 (par 4, 350 yards) giving McGrath the win.

  “I just won my first match in the [Huntingdon Valley Junior-Junior] club championship, so I felt confident trying to win another one,” said McGrath, who earned a bye in the first-round after claiming the No. 2 seed. “I like that you can have one blow-up hole and not be done for the rest of the round.”

  Defending champion Louis John Giovi of Mercer Oaks Golf Course also advanced to the quarterfinals. After firing a 4-over-par 40 in stroke-play qualifying, Giovi, the No. 4 seed, ousted the 16th-overall seed Bryce Fazio of Huntingdon Valley, 5&4.

  “I felt nervous the first time and nervous this time,” said Giovi, 13, of Orlando, Fla. “There’s a lot of good players playing this year, just like there were a lot of good players playing last year.”

  Giovi, who lived in Ewing, N.J., moved to Orlando, Fla. in the summer of 2014. He returns to the area to play in tournaments, such as the Junior PGA League Team.

  “I played alright, I didn’t play my best. I left a few out there,” Giovi said.

  Giovi will square off against Matthew Zerfass of Brookside Country Club of Allentown at 8:07 a.m.

  Now in its 68th year, the Junior-Junior Boys’ Championship is open to players from Member Clubs who are 10 to 13 years of age. 39 players teed off in the morning, with 32 making match play. The top 16 seeds compete in the Championship Flight, while the lower 16 compete in the First Flight.

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  Founded in 1897, the Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) is the oldest regional golf association in the United States and serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. Its 151 Member Clubs and 57,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. As Philadelphia’s Most Trusted Source of Golf Information, the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.

Championship Flight
Round of 16
1. Brett McGrath, Huntingdon Valley CC, d. 16. Andrew Lauerman, Talamore CC, 4&3.
9. Jake Maddaloni, Aronimink GC, d. 8. Andrew McCook, Applecross CC, 4&3.
4. Louis John Giovi, Mercer Oaks GC, d. 13. Bryce Fazio, Huntingdon Valley CC, 5&4.
5. Matthew Zerfass, Brookside CC of Allentown, d. 12. Ryan Garvey, Rolling Green GC, 3&2.
2. Henry Fish, Chester Valley GC, d. 15. Michael Schafer, Llanerch CC, 5&4.
7. Darren Nolan, Talamore CC, d. 10. Peter Ryan, Philadelphia Cricket Club, 2&1.
3. Patrick Isztwan, Huntingdon Valley CC, d. 14. Noah Sim, Commonwealth National GC, 2&1.
6. Roy Anderson, Kennett Square G&CC, d. 11. Matthew Normand, Riverton CC, 10 holes.

First Flight
Round of 16
1. Andrew Damico, McCall G&CC, d. 16. Liam Buckley, Rolling Green GC, 3&2.
8. Matthew Wilson, Meadia Heights GC, d. 9. Brendan Reilly, Commonwealth National GC, 5&3.
4. Jack Davis, Aronimink GC, d. 13. Chad Rexon, Tavistock CC, 5&3.
5. James Gradisek, Philadelphia CC, d. 12. Joshua Baker, West Chester G&CC, 4&3.
2. Kevin Lafond, Blue Bell CC, d. 15. Ethan Niu, Radnor Valley CC, 2&1.
7. Charlie Hurchalla, The Springhaven Club, d. 10. Jake Ladden, Whitford CC, 2&1.
3. Matthew Macbride, Moorestown Field Club, d. 14. Matthew Hurchalla, The Springhaven Club, 5&4.
6. Drew Loughnane, Merion GC, d. 11. Nick Prosperi, III, Flourtown CC, 4&3.