Philadelphia CC’s Willcox takes Christman Cup in playoff

  Willcox found the center of the fairway and the green on No. 2 (par 4, 341 yards) for par. Battaglini found the fairway bunker and then greenside bunker before failing to get up-and-down.

  The Christman Cup is a one-day, 36-hole stroke play event. It serves as the stroke play championship for Juniors.

  “This is awesome,” said Willcox, 16, of Wayne, Pa. “I was hitting the ball great and after the hole-in-one, I knew something good was going to happen. I’ve been hitting the ball well for awhile and it finally came together today.”

  James Kania, Jr. of Overbrook GC carded a 147 total to finish a shot back in third place.

  Willcox, a junior at Malvern Prep, registered a hole-in-one on No. 7 (par 3, 194 yards) in his initial 18 holes en route to a 73. He hit a 4-iron for his first ace.

  “I didn’t see it go in at first,” said Willcox. “One of my playing partners told me it was in.”

  His afternoon loop of 73 was highlighted with two round-saving pars on the final two holes.

  He made a 15-foot par save on No. 17 (par 4, 340 yards) and then go up-and-down on No. 18 (par 4, 410 yards) from the back bunker.

  Willcox finished fifth in the Inter-Ac League Championships this spring to earn All-League honors.

  Battaglini earned a berth in the playoff with rounds of 74 and 72.

  The 17-year-old St. Joseph’s Prep senior survived a triple-bogey on the par-3, 10^th hole in the first round when he misclubed and knocked a 7-iron long, left out of bounds.

  Still weighing on his mind, Battaglini bogeyed the ensuing hole (No. 11, par 4, 439 yards) but regrouped to par the remaining holes.

  In the second round, Battaglini netted four bogeys and two birdies for a 2-over-par 72.

  “I made the putts I had and got up and down when I had to,” said Battaglini, a resident of Wayne, Pa. “This was a little redemption for the Junior Boys’ Championship (he shot an 83 in qualifying and missed the Championship Flight).”

  Battaglini was an All-Philadelphia Catholic League selection this spring.

  Will Gallagher, III of Coatesville CC also recorded a hole-in-one on the day. In his second round he watched an 8-iron bounce on the front of green, go to the right and duck into the hole.

  It was Gallagher’s first ace.