SOL Golf Tournament (10-8-24)

Bensalem’s Zac Devos put his name in his program’s record books, the first player ever to win the SOL Tournament.  Ben Reese highlights the top finishes. Photos provided courtesy of Tracy Valko. CLICK HERE for the SOL GOLF GALLERIES.

By Ben Reese

WARMINSTER — Zac Devos had an up and down day on the golf course on Tuesday.

The Bensalem junior remained up enough to grab a four-stroke win in the Suburban One League boys golf championship at Five Ponds Golf Club. And a big part of the upside of his day is that he becomes the first Bensalem golfer to win the SOL championship.

Also, part of the upside were the two eagles he netted in his round, which carved two strokes off his score each. The down side were the four bogies and one double bogie (right after his eagle on the second hole) which appear on his scorecard.

“Starting like that and then I saw Jimmy (McGinty, a Bensalem teammate) was up there,” said Devos, “and I thought ‘Oh boy, it could be a day’ but then he kind of fell off and I just kept going.

“Just knowing I was up there (at or near the lead. It helped keep me focused on the round.”

So, how did those eagles happen?

“(On 2, a par-4) I hit a sand wedge from 100 yards out,” Devos said. “I never saw it go in.”

How about on 12, a long par-5?

“I hit an 8-iron to the front of the green,” he explained. “Then I made a long putt.”

He failed to mention that he started his round on the second hole and was 2-under par after his first hole. But then he double bogeyed the third hole, a par-3, which dropped him back to even par.

This will be Devos second trip to the District One tournament. He qualified as a freshman but missed the trip last year as a sophomore.

“Last year, I just wasn’t playing well coming into (the SOLs),” he said. “I just didn’t play well out here (at Five Ponds). I think this year I was more in control.”

Taking second place was Springfield’s Ryan Brnich, who shot a 4-over 75. He also was all over the place with his scores.

He started on the eighth hole in the shotgun format, bogeying the hole. After a par on 9, he bogeyed 10, 14 and 16 with birdies on 15, 16, 1 and 5.

So, how did he feel about taking second?

“It’s kind of shocking,” Brnich said with a laugh. “I was expecting to play well, but second place is definitely more than I was expecting. I’ll take it.”

Did you ever feel secure in your placement?

“I knew I was good halfway through the round,” he said. “Then just where I placed is really what mattered after that.

“I was getting up and down a lot. If I missed the greens, I would usually hit a good wedge and get close enough where I could make a putt.”

So how do you fell about getting to districts?

“I feel good,” Brnich said. “I made it last year, but I had a rough first round, so hopefully I can have a good round and make it to the second day. That’s the goal.”

One shot behind Brnich is North Penn’s Kellen Toussaint, who turned in a 5-over 76. It was enough to keep him ahead of Ian Yoo of Wissahickon.

Toussaint, who played in the same foursome as Devos, finished his day with two bogies and two birdies on the front nine but slipped down on the back with three bogies and a double bogie.

“I had a bad stretch of holes,” Toussaint said, “but then I got it back together for the last holes, 17 through 1. I started on 2.

“But 12 through 15, I had a couple of three-putts and some bad shots. But overall, I feel good.

“I definitely had it (winning) in my mind through 10 holes. I was in first and I was thinking ‘Let’s win this thing’ but that didn’t end up happening but I’m still happy with where I’m at and moving on.

“I was going for the win but if you don’t win and are still near the top then you obviously get in (to districts). That’s what I was looking for.”

At the end of the round, 45 golfers will be advancing to the District One tournament. It will be held on Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 14 and 15, at Turtle Creek Golf Course in Limerick. Both boys’ rounds will be at Turtle Creek while the first round for the girls will be at Raven’s Claw Golf Club in Pottstown.

Of the 45 golfers, 43 of them will play in the AAA section of the tournament and two, both from New Hope-Solebury, will be in the AA section.

In total, Central Bucks West led the way with six golfers advancing. The Bucks are followed by CB South with five, Wissahickon, North Penn, Springfield, CB East and Pennsbury with three each, Hatboro-Horsham, Upper Dublin, Souderton, Council Rock North, Abington and Neshaminy with two each and one each for Bensalem, Harry S Truman, Quakertown and Plymouth Whitemarsh.

Central Bucks West captured the wild card team spot for districts. The Bucks team finished at 318, five shots better than Souderton.

SOL District qualifiers

* — AA qualifiers