Ben Reese recaps day one of the District One golf tournament Monday that saw 19 SOL golfers advance.
By Ben Reese
LIMERICK -- The day was perfect for golf.
The sun was shining and there was a slight breeze blowing. It was an ideal day for the opening round of the District One Golf Championship at Turtle Creek Golf Course for the boys and Gilbertsville Golf Club for the girls.
And the scores at both venues showed how perfect the day was. Methacton's Kyle Vance turned in an 8-under 64 for the boys, and Maddie Sager of Owen J. Roberts topped the girls with a 5-under 66.
While those two scores are impressive, the Suburban One League golfers also recorded some excellent scores, led by the 3-under 69 of Souderton's Quinn Guzman and the 2-under 69 for Madelein Herr of Council Rock North.
In all, 17 SOL male golfers advanced to the second round to be held at Turtle Creek today, Oct. 13, and two female golfers moved into the second round. A total of 32 boys made the cut, which was at 77, and 15 girls, whose cut was at 78, advanced.
For Guzman, it was a good day to be playing golf.
"It didn't matter where I was on the green," he said, "I knew I was going to 2-putt. I had a lot of confidence with the flat stick. All I had to do was keep it in play and I could go for the pins."
All of that was done with a deep cough, which Guzman said didn't bother him.
"I'm at full strength," he said. "My head's clear; I just have a bad cough."
It obviously didn't hinder his game. He bogied the second hole but birdied the 5th, 7th, 8th and 12th holes.
"I was playing a cut all day and once I started to get more confidence, I started to play a power draw," Guzman explained about his drives. "I really wanted to go for 8 (a 516-yard, par 5) in two."
It must have worked because he got his birdie on the hole.
Matt Graeff of Wissahickon was one of seven players at even-par 72. Also shooting even par from the SOL were teammate Noah Harrington, CB East's Tommy Lewis and David Kim of Upper Dublin.
"I made four birdies, but I had a bunch of 3-putts early," Graeff said. "But I started to really get it going. I don't think I missed a fairway so I was really hitting my driver well."
This was Graeff's second trip to districts. Last year, he played in the first round, shooting an 84 and missing the cut.
As for the second round, he's ready.
"I'm looking forward to it," Graeff said. "It should be fun. I'm just hoping to keep doing what I did today and hopefully that will be enough."
North Penn's Ron Robinson led another contingent at 74. He was joined by Upper Dublin's Joe Kim, Lukas Clark of Council Rock South and Matt Shur of Abington.
"I felt I played really good," Robinson said. "I hit the ball one of the best (that I have) all season. It's just that the putts weren't dropping."
Robinson, like every competitor to make the cut, is looking forward to the second round.
"Tomorrow's just keeping it consistent, playing within myself,” he said. “Conditions aren't going to be great tomorrow, but if I hit the ball, I feel I can shoot the same as today. If I play within myself, I can shoot even, 2-over, make the cut and move on."
Jack Melville of Upper Dublin finished last year's district tournament with the second best score on the course. He struggled a bit in the first round this year, shooting a 76, as did John Hansel of Plymouth Whitemarsh and Council Rock South's Griffin Smith.
"I played pretty well," Melville said. "Besides my start – (I had) a couple double bogeys to start but after that I got it together.
"The back nine I really started striking it well. It felt good. Hopefully I can keep it up tomorrow."
Also qualifying for the second round from the Suburban One League were Jake Fitts of Central Bucks South, Connor Welles of Council Rock North, Dawson Anders of Souderton and Central Bucks West's Luca Jezzeny, all of whom shot 75.
On the girls' side, Herr currently sits in third place behind Sager and Samantha Staudt of Coatesville. Council Rock North teammate Lauren Muhlbauer is tied for seventh at 3-over 74.
That just leaves the weather. According to the weather services, there is a good chance that there will be precipitation at some point during the day.
That doesn't seem to bother Guzman at all.
"I love rain," he said. "Bring it on."
Qualifiers
1. Kyle Vance, Methacton (-8)
2. Quinn Guzman, Souderton (-3)
T3. Geoff Rice, Great Valley (E)
T3. Noah Harrington, Wissahickon (E)
T3. Nick Gianelos, Unionville (E)
T3. Tommy Lewis, Central Bucks East (E)
T3. David Kim, Upper Dublin (E)
T3. Matt Graeff, Wissahickon (E)
T3. Ben Pochet, Spring-Ford (E)
T10. Ron Robinson, North Penn (+2)
T10. Joe Kim, Upper Dublin (+2)
T10. Lukas Clark, Council Rock South (+2)
T10. Matt Shur, Abington (+2)
T14. Jake Fitts, Central Bucks South (+3)
T14. P. Wine, Unionville (+3)
T14. E. Brown, Kennett (+3)
T14. Connor Welles, Council Rock North (+3)
T14. Dawson Anders, Souderton (+3)
T14. D. Robbins, Holy Ghost Prep (+3)
T14. Luca Jezzeny, Central Bucks West (+3)
T14. W. Montgomery, Downingtown East (+3)
T22. S. Cerbara, Holy Ghost Prep (+4)
T22. J. Gillespie, Garnet Valley (+4)
T22. Jack Melville, Upper Dublin (+4)
T22. D. Rieger, Methacton (+4)
T22. A. Cook, Conestoga (+4)
T22. John Hansel, PW (+4)
T22. J. Hirsh, Harriton (+4)
T22. G. Smith, Council Rock South (+4)
T30. M. Sydnes, Radnor (+5)
T30. K. Smith, West Chester East (+5)
T30. C. Ryan, Methacton (+5)
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