HAVERFORD, Pa. — Sean Curran of Merion Golf Club plays the West Course on a weekly basis. His game shows it.
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In a hard fought title tilt against friend, classmate and clubmate, Nicky Nemo Wednesday afternoon, Curran grinded to a victory in 19-holes to take the 111th Junior Boys’ Championship at Merion West (par 70, 6,049 yards).
“It feels really good to win,” Curran, 17, of Newtown Square, Pa., said. “I didn’t think I had my best game. I don’t think either of us did, but it was enough to get it done. I hit some good shots when it mattered.”
With Wednesday’s championship performance, Curran becomes the fifth Merion member to win the event. Fred Phillips was the last to do so in 1949. More history surrounds the victory. This year’s Final marks the first time since 2000 (Billy Stewart, Vince Covello of Llanerch Country Club) that clubmates opposed one another in the Junior Boys’ Final.
Throughout the week, both Curran, the No. 2 seed, and Nemo, the No. 4 seed, blitzed through the bracket by way of consistent pars. In the Final, the pair remained deadlocked with each player only holding the lead for a hole or two. The match quickly became a war of attrition. Even though there was movement in the later holes of the match, the Peg Burnett Trophy eluded a recipient in regulation.
The pair stood tied on No. 16 (par 5, 455 yards). Nemo hit the green on his second shot with a 6-iron from 198 yards and two-putted for birdie from 20 feet. Curran’s approach landed short of the green. He chipped up, but was unable to convert the 5-footer. Curran squared the match on No. 17 (par 3, 140 yards) after his pitching wedge landed 40 feet away, resulting in a two-putt par. A long left pitching wedge from Nemo dissolved his 1-up lead.
On No. 18 (par 4, 346 yards), the pair attacked the difficult front-center hole location with wedges. Unable to control the spin on the sloping green, the Finalists were faced with similar 10 yard chips from short of the green. Both shots settled five feet uphill from the hole. After the competitors marked their balls on the green, Curran proposed a good-good concession, and the pair headed to extra holes.
“I didn’t want 90 holes of really good golf this week to come down to a lip out or something like that,” Curran, a rising senior at the Haverford School, said. “I thought, ‘Let’s go to extra holes,’ and I think Nicky thought the same.”
On No. 1 (par 4, 314 yards), Curran, as he did in previous matches, hit his tee shot in the fairway 30 yards short of the green. Nemo hooked his tee ball onto nearby No. 11 (par 4, 390 yards) green. John Sly, an ardent GAP volunteer rules official and referee for the match, assisted Nemo with taking relief from the green. Subsequently, Nemo’s free drop settled on the upslope of the greenside bunker. A difficult stance prevented a clear shot into the green. He extricated himself from the aforementioned greenside area to a distance of 93 yards. He then lifted a 56-degree wedge to eight feet. Curran’s pitch shot settled nine feet away, resulting in a two-putt par. Nemo’s ensuing putt, and attempt to lengthen the title match, slid by.
“When I was checking for my nearest point of relief, I guess my footprint made a little dent in the rough,” Nemo, 17, of Bryn Mawr, Pa., said. “I dropped on the fringe and it rolled down into the bunker lip, but got caught up on the rough.”
Curran and Nemo play together regularly. They also play on Haverford’s golf team together. Their fellowship was tested during the Final.
“Me and Sean are friends,” Nemo, who’s also a rising senior at Haverford, said. “We talk if we’re just playing for fun, but today was definitely a little bit different. Not much talking.”
“It was a hard fought match which is what I was expecting. ” Curran said. “It was definitely different than most of our matches. Most of our matches, the energy is a little bit cooler. I think we both tried to keep it light, but at the end of the day we’re fighting for trophies.”
Curran’s fight continues. This evening, he has a four-hour drive to Corning, N.Y. in advance of a U.S. Junior Amateur Championship qualifier tomorrow.
“I’m feeling good. It’s a course of similar distance to here, rather short. I think I’m [well prepared],” Curran said.
His drive may be a bit smoother with a shining Junior Boys’ trophy in his passenger seat.
Semifinals
Curran defeated No. 6 seed Jake Hollerback, 7&6.
“I thought it was pretty good,” Curran said. “I struggled a little bit with the driver but nothing crazy. I played solid golf and got it done.”
After a cruising start, manifested by a 4-up lead through five holes, Curran lost No. 6 (par 3, 133 yards) with a bogey after his tee shot missed the green left.
On No. 7 (par 4, 234 yards), the match’s turning point according to both competitors, Curran’s 3-iron landed right of the green and bounced into the penalty area. He decided to take a drop and landed his chip seven feet from the hole resulting in a par.
Hollerback failed to match him after hitting the green in regulation.
“I was able to get up and down for par, [and] he three putted,” Curran said. “Back against the wall there, I could’ve been two up and [he] could’ve flipped the script.”
“I struggled out there. I just couldn’t hit the driver well. I was a little late on my swing and then it was a struggle all day,” Hollerback, 16, of Millsboro, Del., said. “Sean is a great player. He was fairways and greens and two putt all around.”
Nemo defeated No. 9 seed Luke McGraw of USGA/GAP GC, 1-up.
The pair contended in a thrilling Semifinal match that lasted until No. 18 (par 4, 346 yards).
“Great match. Probably the best match of my life,” Nemo said. “I think I was all over the place. Good amount of tree trouble today. Putting was pretty average, but I managed to pull out the win.”
Nemo was 1-up at the turn and held steady on Merion West’s back nine. McGraw missed short putts on Nos. 10 (par 4, 420 yards) and 12 (par 4, 337 yards). On No. 17 (par 3, 140 yards), McGraw made a two putt par to win the hole after a Nemo three putt.
McGraw, 1-down on No. 18, made birdie after his 60-degree wedge stopped eight feet away. Nemo matched McGraw with his 56-degree from 100 yards to six feet for a birdie to earn a 1-up victory and a spot in the Final.
“Nicky is a good player. You definitely don’t want him in match play,” McGraw, 16, of State College, Pa., said. “He’s probably the best scrambler I’ve ever seen.”
First Flight
In the First Flight Final, Junior Boys’ Championship freshman Brendan Bell, Jr. of the Country Club of Scranton defeated Christopher Sung of Waynesborough Country Club in come-from-behind fashion, 1-up.
“[Winning] means a lot,” Bell, 16, of Dickson City, Pa., said. “Just knowing that some of the hard work is paying off and that I’m playing good golf.”
Bell trailed during most of the Final against Sung. On No. 15 (par 3, 224 yards) his 3-wood landed 10 yards over the green. He nestled the chip to 3 feet resulting in a par. On No. 16, his 6-iron approach came up 20 yards short of the green. He put the pitch shot to 2 feet for a conceded birdie. Pars on Nos. 17 (par 3, 140 yards) and 18 (par 4, 346 yards) proved prudent against an out-of-position Sung.
“I putted very well this week and that saved me in all of my matches,” Bell, a rising sophomore at Scranton Preparatory School, said.
“I think in the qualifier I played OK until the last couple of holes again, and then I played well in the first two matches,” Sung, 17, of Paoli, Pa., said. “This one, I was steady the whole day until the last few holes.”
Sung is a rising senior at Conestoga High School.
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 130,000 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.
Championship Flight
Final
2. Sean Curran, Merion GC d. 4. Nicky Nemo, Merion GC, 19-holes.
Semifinals
4. Nicky Nemo, Merion GC d. 9. Luke McGraw, USGA/GAP GC, 1-up.
2. Sean Curran, Merion GC d. 6. Jake Hollerback, Baywood Greens, 7&6.
First Flight
Final
13. Brendan Bell, Jr., CC of Scranton d. 11. Christopher Sung, Waynesborough CC, 1-up.
Semifinals
13. Brendan Bell, Jr., CC of Scranton d. 1. Nathan Radwanski, LedgeRock GC, 1-up.
11. Christopher Sung, Waynesborough CC d. Nick Belgrade, GAP Youth on Course, 3&2.
