Erhardt earns medalist honors at 97th Junior Boys’ Championship

PITTSGROVE TOWNSHIP, N.J.–A confident and composed Reilly Erhardt of Trenton CC carded a 2-under-par 70 to earn medalist honors in the 97th Junior Boys’ Championship Qualifier on Monday at Running Deer GC (par 72, 6,368 yards). Erhardt, 14, of Newtown, Pa., cited his experience in this event a year ago as a key factor.

  “The main thing I learned was that I could make match play and compete with the bigger kids who were outdriving me by 40 or 50 yards,” said Erhardt.

  Now a big kid himself – he stands 6-foot – Erhardt navigated his way around the challenging Pittsgrove Township, N.J. track with a veteran’s poise. He made the turn in even-par 36 on the strength of two birdies and two bogeys before finding a back-nine groove. Taking what was in front of him, Erhardt registered seven pars and two birdies, both on the par 5s, to close with one of two under-par scores. He lofted a wedge from 85 yards to three feet on No. 14 (par 5, 510 yards) and then knocked a pitching wedge from 110 yards to 10 feet on No. 17 (par 5, 506 yards).

  “This feels amazing,” said Erhardt, a soon-to-be freshman at The Hun School of Princeton in Princeton, N.J. “I won a Philadelphia Section of the PGA Junior Tour (PJT) in Avalon (N.J.) and that’s given me a lot of confidence.”

  That PGA Junior Tour event took place on June 23.

  The only other player to post a red number was Sam Soeth of White Manor CC.

  Soeth, 15, was competing in his first-ever GAP tournament.

  “I’m trying to play in bigger tournaments this summer,” said Soeth, a sophomore at Marple Newtown High School. “I wanted to come out and play a good round and see what happened.”

  Soeth competes primarily in PJT events and has experienced some success. This spring/summer he has already won two of those.

  Starting on the back nine today, Soeth went double-bogey, bogey on his fifth and sixth hole, respectively, before answering in spectacular fashion with three straight birdies to turn at even par. Soeth hit a 7-iron to 10 feet on No. 16 (par 3, 161 yards); lofted a wedge on No. 17 (par 5, 506 yards) to three feet and closed on No. 18 (par 4, 425 yards) with a 5-iron to 10 feet.

  He bogeyed No. 2 (par 4, 390 yards) when his approach came up short, but birdied No. 3 (par 4, 340 yards) on a little downhill six footer and No. 6 (par 4, 375 yards) with a 130-yard 9-iron to five feet.

  “I just feel great that in my first big tournament I came out and played well,” said Soeth of Newtown Square, Pa. “I love match play, so I’m hopeful to come out and play pretty well.”

  The cut line for the Championship Flight of 16 fell at 78.

  Erhardt faces Francis Worthington of Manufacturers G&CC, the 16th seed, at 8 a.m. in his first-round match.

  The second 16 finishers in the field of 61 qualified for the First Flight.

  The quarterfinals will immediately follow tomorrow’s first round in each flight.*****
  The Junior Team Championship, which runs concurrently with the Junior Boys’ qualifier, was won for the first time by Hopewell Valley GC.

  Teams consist of three or four players with the low three scores counting toward the final total.

  Jack Fowler, Will Young and brothers Daniel and Steven Altieri finished with a team total of 237 to win the title by one stroke over Commonwealth National GC. Young carded a 73, Steven Altieri posted a 79 and Fowler finished with an 85.