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MALVERN, Pa. — Jackson Lane is starting to figure out this golf thing. Luca Kleinschmidt is appreciative of one final opportunity in the junior ranks. One of the two will earn the biggest victory of his young career.
Lane and Kleinschmidt advanced Wednesday to the championship match of the 112th Junior Boys’ Championship at Chester Valley Golf Club (par 70, 6,631 yards).
Lane ended Sean Curran’s bid to repeat as champion with a 2&1 victory over the Merion Golf Club member. Kleinschmidt grabbed control midway through his Semifinal contest with Liam Littleton of Sunnybrook Golf Club to win, 3&2.
The Final will be played at a date and time to be determined. The Junior Boys’ schedule was delayed due to inclement weather Monday during Stroke-Play Qualifying.
Lane would become Riverton’s third Junior Boys’ Champion, joining John F. Peterson (1975) and Rodman Zwirner Jr. (1955). Kleinschmidt is seeking to become Springhaven’s second winner, following Chris Fieger’s victory in 1980.
“It would mean the world. I mean I know there are so many people out there pulling for me. If I could finally put it all together on a huge stage like this it would be great,” said Lane, 16, of Cinnaminson, N.J. “I don’t think a runner-up finish is a failure either. I’m playing with house money. If the cards fall my way I’ll be enthralled. If I end up losing I know I’m losing to an excellent player.”
“It’s an honor to be in the championship match with such a strong field this year. This event is about as competitive as it gets in this area,” said Kleinschmidt, 18, of Wallingford, Pa. “I’ve played in all the GAP tournaments throughout the years. This championship means a lot to me. It would be such a great honor to have my name on the [Peg Burnett] trophy.”
Lane defeated Seiji Sako of McCall Golf Club, 6&4, in the quarterfinals to set up a Curran showdown. “Cardiac” Curran stopped clubmate Nicky Nemo, 1-up, in a rematch of last year’s Junior Boys’ Final. Curran was 5-up on Nemo thru 10 holes but needed an all-world up-and-down on the final hole to clinch the victory. Curran, on No. 18 (par 4, 440 yards) drove it into the left trees, punched out and skied a 9-iron from 160 yards to five feet. Nemo’s 15-foot look at birdie rolled bottom side. Curran jarred the par save.
The Lane-Curran match was the exact opposite. Lane was 4-up after 10 holes. Curran charged. He won four of the next five holes, highlighted by an eagle on No. 14 (par 5, 491 yards).
“Some simple mistakes hurt me out there. Some lip outs. I’m so proud of how I fought the adversity,” said Curran, 18, who is headed to the University of Pennsylvania, said. “I just kept playing, hung in there and never gave up.”
Lane retook the lead on No. 16 (par 4, 430 yards) with a fairway splitting drive and 52-degree wedge from 120 yards that stopped at eight feet. Curran found the left trees and made bogey. Lane made par to move 1-up.
On No. 17 (par 4, 387 yards), Curran appeared to hold the advantage when Lane’s tee shot clipped the trees left of the hole. Forced to lay up, Lane then hit his third shot, a sand wedge from 75 yards, to 20 feet.
Curran’s approach trickled off the back, right. The hole was middle left. A subpar chip, and ensuing putt left him with four feet. The bogey putt caught the left edge of the cup and stayed out. Lane sunk a three-footer for the triumph.
“I was more nervous when he was putting than when I was putting,” said Lane of his clinching putt. “One of my biggest golf advantages is my brain and navigating my way around the course. I see a pin tucked on the left, I think last year or two years ago it’s dead aim all day. Having the acceptance of taking what you can get and move on. Confidence is the other one. I know I can do it. I’ve won before.”
Yes, he has. Lane, a junior at Cinnaminson High School, is on a bit of a heater. He won his last two Hurricane Junior Golf Tour events – College Prep Series (May 30) at Penn State Golf Club and Northern New Jersey Spring Open (May 16) at Mountain View Golf Course. At Penn State, there was drama. Lane holed out for eagle on his final hole from 50 yards to force his way into a playoff before winning. On May 7, Lane made Cinnaminson High history by becoming the first player to win the prestigious Carl Arena Memorial Golf Tournament at Blue Heron Pines Golf Club.
Kleinschmidt, who is heading to Millersville University in the fall, displayed the patience of a cagey veteran against Littleton. Kleinschmidt didn’t win his first hole of the semifinal contest until No. 10 (par 3, 217 yards). That tied the match. The two exchanged victories on the next two holes, before Kleinschmidt won Nos. 13 thru 15 with grinding pars.
“I hit the best shot I hit all week on No. 15,” said Kleinschmidt. “It was 185 yards straight into the wind. The pin was pretty tucked. I was able to put it to 15-18 feet with a 6-iron. Everything about it, ball flight, the contact was the way I drew it up.”
Kleinschmidt, and Lane, both competed in the BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship at Sunnybrook a week ago. Both missed the cut.
Post tournament, Kleinschmidt visited The Springhaven Club pro staff. He received a tip: forward press the putter. He’s been rolling the rock all week.
“I’m really grateful for this opportunity,” said Kleinschmidt. “I have a strong group of people that are supporting me and it feels really good to prove them right. It’s less about proving people wrong. I felt like that was my mentality originally. I had a tough time getting recruited. I felt I missing out on opportunities I was good enough for. Originally I was like, ‘Let’s go prove all these people wrong.’ Hindsight, it’s less about proving people wrong and more about proving to the people that supported you, right. And I think that’s what I’m doing this week.”
Kleinschmidt defeated Paul Reilly of Galloway National Golf Club, 6&5, in his quarterfinal match.
First Flight
Despite the disappointment of not being in the Championship Flight, Luke McGraw of Mountain View Country Club and Logan Cassidy of Union League Golf Club at Torresdale displayed their skills to advance to the First Flight Final.
Cassidy, the 16-seed and last man to qualify for the match-play bracket, defeated Lannon Boyd of Overbrook Golf Club (No. 4 seed), 3&2. McGraw, seeded No. 3, closed out second-seeded Grant Burkhart of Kennett Square Golf & Country Club, 2&1.
“I was definitely upset after the qualifier, shooting 7 over,” Cassidy, 17, of Bensalem, Pa., said. “I was surprised to even get into the First Flight, but once I did, I just tried to make the most of it.”
Cassidy, a senior at Holy Ghost Preparatory School, reached the Final by way of upsets. He defeated Michael O’Kane of USGA/GAP GC, 3&2; Brady Wager of Mountain View Country Club, 6&4; and then Boyd.
In the Semifinal, Cassidy turned a trio of birdies into hole victories. On No. 9 (par 4, 380 yards), he flighted a wedge to six feet and rolled it in. He added birdies on Nos. 11 (par 4, 386 yards) and 12 (par 4, 422 yards) by sinking back-to-back 10-foot plus putts. He survived a late push from Boyd, who won two straight holes before Cassidy steadied himself with a clutch par save on No. 16 (par 4, 430). Cassidy made sure to take advantage of the last spot in match play.
“I felt good being the last guy in after not having a great qualifier,” Cassidy said. “I just made a lot of pars and a couple of birdies, and I was able to finish the match off after a couple of bad holes.”
McGraw, a senior at State College Area High School, used the First Flight to reset and play with a calmer mindset.
“I thought there was no chance I wouldn’t be in the Championship Flight, so that definitely stung,” McGraw, 17, of State College, Pa., said. “But once I was here, I tried to reset and make the most of it.”
He played a lot of holes to find his way into the Final. He advanced by beating Landon Finsen of Burlington Country Club in 19 holes, then Ian Larsen of Honeybrook Golf Club, 1-up, before taking down Burkhart in the Semifinal.
McGraw, a member of USNDP Pennsylvania, had his biggest moments come late in the match. On No. 14 (par 5, 491 yards), he reached the front of the green in two, chipped to six feet, and buried a tricky double-breaker for birdie. After back-to-back wins from Burkhart, McGraw was in trouble, that was until he put his approach shot within 10 feet of the pin for a guaranteed two-putt par on No. 17 (par 4, 387). “Overall, I hit it great off the tee, and my chipping and putting were really good,” McGraw said. “I just tried to stay confident even when a couple of holes didn’t go my way.”
The Final will be played at a date and time to be determined. The Junior Boys’ schedule was delayed due to inclement weather on Monday during Stroke Play Qualifying.
Championship Flight
Semifinals
4. Jackson Lane, Riverton Country Club, d. 1. Sean Curran, Merion Golf Club, 2&1; 3. Luca Kleinschmidt, The Springhaven Club, d. 10. Liam Littleton, Sunnybrook Golf Club, 3&2.
Quarterfinals
1. Curran d. 8. Nicky Nemo, Merion Golf Club, 1-up; 4. Lane d. 12. Seiji Sako, McCall Golf Club, 6&4; 10. Littleton d. 15. Brad McDermott, Merion Golf Club, 3&1; 3. Kleinschmidt d. 11. Paul Reilly, Galloway National Golf Club, 6&5.
First Flight
Semifinals
16. Logan Cassidy, Union League Golf Club at Torresdale, d. 4. Lannon Boyd, Overbrook Golf Club, 3&2; 3. Luke McGraw, USGA/GAP GC, d. 2. Grant Burkhart, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club, 2&1.
Quarterfinals
16. Logan Cassidy, Union League Golf Club at Torresdale, 8. Brady Wager, Mountain View Country Club, 7&6; 4. Lannon Boyd, Overbrook Golf Club, d. 5. Connor Smolenski, Wilmington Country Club, 5&4; 2. Grant Burkhart, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club, d. 10. Quinn Marshall, DuPont Country Club, 6&5; 3. Luke McGraw, USGA/GAP GC, d. 11. Ian Larsen, Honeybrook Golf Club, 1-up.
Junior Boys’ Championship
The Junior Boys’ Championship is the premier Major in the GAP Junior Division. Originally known as the Junior Golf Championship of Philadelphia, the event was conceived by Robert Lesley, the longest tenured president in GAP history (1906-24). It is open to members of a GAP Member Club 14-18 years of age who have not started their college education and who hold a handicap index of 14.4 or lower. Sixteen players qualify for match play; an additional 16 advance into the event’s First Flight.
The Junior Boys’ Champion is awarded the Peg Burnett Trophy, named in honor of the organization’s beloved Executive Secretary from 1951-76. Burnett was an ardent junior golf supporter who emphasized sportsmanship and respect for the game. “I was very strict about checking the rule book. I didn’t make the rules, but since they are there, you have to abide by them.” Dalton Balthaser profiled Burnett in the Summer 2024 edition of GAP Magazine.
GAP
Celebrating Amateur Golf since 1897, GAP, also known as the Golf Association of Philadelphia, is the oldest regional or state golf association in the United States. It serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. The organization’s 345 Member Clubs and 140,000 individual members are spread across Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland. The GAP’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.
