2024 Delaware Junior Championships: Round One

McAskin, Burkhart share Boys’ lead, Laverty leads Girls’ Division

MIDDLETOWN, Del. – Saucon Valley Country Club’s Colin McAskin and Kennett Square Golf & Country Club’s Grant Burkhart share the lead of the 73rd Delaware Junior Boys’ Championship after rounds of 70 Tuesday at St. Anne’s Golf Links (par 71, 6,428 yards).

| Scoring | Junior Boys’ History | Junior Girls’ History |

McAskin’s round started with little promise. He was 2-over-par after two holes. He kicked it into gear with birdies on Nos. 4 (par 3, 187 yards), 6 (par 4, 363 yards), 9 (par 5, 537 yards) and 12 (par 4, 330 yards).

He striped a 5-iron to eight feet on No. 4, rolled in a 12-footer on No. 6, canned a 35-footer on No. 9 and feathered a 9-iron from 140 yards to four feet on No. 12.

“My game has been improving, especially my ball striking,” McAskin, 14, of Doylestown, Pa., said. “I feel like a lot of my hard work I have been putting into shaping my shots has worked. Changing over to blades has been helpful.”

McAskin, a Saucon Valley Country Club member who will be entering his freshman year at Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J., has the COVID-19 pandemic to thank for his involvement in golf.

A three-sport athlete in baseball, soccer and basketball, McAskin was desperate for an outdoor activity during the pandemic. His father Matthew used to caddie in Michigan and got him started in the game.

“I really want to play Division I golf,” McAskin said. “What motivates me is my lack of success in tournaments like this. I want to keep working hard to give myself a chance to win. I know I am capable of better play. Playing worse motivates me to push harder to improve.”

McAskin said he hasn’t been getting much out of his game. He said he’s been playing well but the results haven’t been showing on the leaderboard. A good round tomorrow and his mindset could flip completely.

“For me, I need to scramble well if I want to win,” McAskin said. “I hit about 15 greens in regulation today. There’s a chance I don’t hit as many tomorrow. Saving par is important. I want to put pressure on my opponents by hitting a ton of greens.”

Burkhart recently made history. He became the youngest player ever to win a men’s club championship at Kennett Square.

“Winning the club championship at Kennett Square was awesome,” Burkhart, a rising sophomore at Salesianum School in Wilmington, Del., said. “I was shocked to win honestly. But it is a cool honor.”

Burkhart made the turn in 1 over but ignited a back nine charge with an eagle on No. 11 (par 5, 508 yards). He rocketed a 6-iron from 230 yards to 20 feet. He’d play the rest of the holes in even par with a bogey and a birdie on No. 17 (par 5, 487 yards) after a beautiful bunker blast to two feet.

“This golf course fits my eye pretty well,” Burkhart, 15, of Kennett Square, Pa., said. “I don’t have to hit too many drivers. I tried to play conservative and not try to be too aggressive. The green speeds were perfect to make putts.”

Burkhart stepped up this season when he needed to. In the GAP Junior Boys’ Championship at The Ridge at Back Brook, he birdied the first playoff hole to make the Championship Flight and then beat No. 3 seed Charlie Barrickman of Radley Run Country Club in the first round.

“For me to win this tomorrow, I have to stick to my game plan,” Burkhart said. “I’m going to stay conservative and try to make 18 pars. If I slip in a birdie, that would be great. I just don’t want to make too many mistakes.”

Girls’ Division

GAP Youth on Course member Savannah Laverty leads the way at the halfway point of the 41st Delaware Junior Girls’ Championship after a first round of 73 at St. Anne’s (par 71, 5,407 yards).

Meredith Finger of DuPont Country Club sits one back after a 74. Defending champion Reagan Garnsey of Wild Quail Golf & Country Club is third after a 79.

“I’ve been playing pretty well this summer,” Laverty, 15, of Moorestown, N.J., said. “I have been working hard on my game. I am happy with how things are going so far.”

Laverty got off to a strong start and was 2 under through six holes. She had a classy up and down on No. 5 (par 5, 480 yards) and converted a 5-footer. On No. 6 (par 4, 282 yards) she stopped a gap wedge from 80 yards to tap-in range for another birdie.

“I’ve worked hard on my course management,” Laverty said. “That has been helpful because it has allowed me to hit the ball closer to the hole and give me more birdie opportunities.”

Her next nine holes were played in 4 over, but Laverty found another red figure on No. 16 (par 4, 321 yards) where she canned a 30-footer. A bogey on the next (par 5, 427 yards) got her to her final number but she said she was happy with how she played.

“I’ve been close to winning other tournaments before,” Laverty, a rising sophomore at Moorestown High School said. “For me, being able to win this tournament will be about staying relaxed and taking deep breaths. If I can focus on each shot and stay calm, I feel good about my game.”

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 110,000 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.