Whitemarsh Valley CC’s McCrossen wins Jock MacKenzie Memorial, Harry Hammond Award

ORELAND, Pa.-Edward McCrossen, Jr. of Whitemarsh Valley CC can finally exhale.

   The Ambler, Pa., resident won the 25th Jock MacKenzie Memorial Monday at Sandy Run CC (par 72, 6,507 yards) by shooting a 3-under-par 69. Prior to his triumph, McCrossen’s 2009 season on the GAP Junior circuit had been a case of “close, but no cigar.” He reached the quarterfinals of the Junior Boys’ Championship as the No. 1 seed, and fell to Vince Boyle of Torresdale-Frankford CC in a sudden-death playoff to finish second in last week’s Christman Cup.

   “This is really a great feeling,” McCrossen said. “Considering that I’ve been so close all year, to finally win is very rewarding.”

   The venue made the win even more special to McCrossen.

   “I play here a lot. We know a lot of people at Sandy Run, and I’m very familiar with the course,” McCrossen, a soon-to-be senior at Chestnut Hill Academy, said. “To win it here is pretty cool.”

   Course familiarity contributed to McCrossen’s triumph Monday. So did his putting, as the 17-year-old registered six birdies on the day – four of which came on his final nine holes. On No. 10 (par 3, 122 yards), he knocked his pitching wedge over the flagstick, but it spun backwards and settled about five feet from the hole. McCrossen stuck his 7-iron to about 17-feet on No. 12 (par 3, 167 yards) and drained the ensuing birdie putt.

   From that point, he continued to handle the flatstick well. On 13, a dog-leg par 4, McCrossen’s tee shot curled around the trees and found the fairway. With about 128 yards left, he drilled his pitching wedge to about seven feet and converted the birdie putt. McCrossen closed out his round with a birdie on No. 18 (par 4, 324 yards), when he dialed in a sand wedge from 85 yards out to about 14-feet to the right of the flagstick.

   “I really wanted to get below 70. I felt that would be a good score coming into the clubhouse,” McCrossen said.

   Mike Amole of Huntingdon Valley CC finished second by carding a 1-under-par 71. Amole, who is entering his junior year at Abington Friends School, felt that he excelled on the greens.

   “I made a lot of 15-footers,” he said. “I played smart. I hit driver and tried to keep it in play. I wasn’t hitting too well off the tee, but through my irons, I’d usually put it on the green and make the putt. I just didn’t make too many mistakes.”

   One of those 15-footers came on No. 10 as a result of a strong, pitching wedge tee shot. Amole, of Huntingdon Valley, Pa., also fired birdies on Nos. 14 (par 4, 404 yards) and 16 (par 4, 378 yards) after sticking his approach 7-iron to 30 and five feet, respectively. This marks the second year that Amole, 16, participated in the Jock MacKenzie.

   “I think it helped playing the course before,” he said.

   Michael Johnson of Talamore CC was one of three players who registered an even-par 72. The Ambler, Pa., resident shot 2 under on his final nine holes.

   “I hit every green on the back nine. My irons were really solid,” Johnson, 17, said. “On the front nine, I couldn’t find the fairway, and that caused a lot of trouble.”

   After his drive on No. 7 (par 4, 321 yards) soared deep into the left-side trees, Johnson benched his driver and relied on his hybrid. He fired birdies on Nos. 10 (par 3, 122 yards) and 18 (par 4, 324 yards). He drained a 20-footer on No. 10 after finding the green with his pitching wedge. Johnson experienced a similar story on No. 18 after punching his GAP wedge to 20-feet. Ultimately, Johnson’s hybrid switch proved vital.

   “It definitely helped me,” he said.

   Emily Gimpel of Whitemarsh Valley CC carded a 6-over-par 78 to win the Junior Girls’ Division.

   Junior-Junior Divisions (par 35, 2,850 yards)

   Drew Guarino of Little Mill CC edged Eric Stafford of Philadelphia Publinks GA and Cole Berman of Philadelphia Cricket Club in a sudden-death playoff. He converted a four-footer for par on No. 11, the second playoff hole, to top the 32-player field.

   In the Junior-Junior Girls Division, Madelein Herr of Jericho National GC carded a 13-over-par 48 to win her flight. All Junior-Junior divisions competed over the back nine holes at Sandy Run CC.

   Harry Hammond Award

   With his score of 69, McCrossen earned his first Harry Hammond Award Monday.

   “That was something that I had my eye on in the beginning of the year because I knew that I was going to play all of the tournaments that make you eligible for it,” he said. “All four rounds, I played really solid golf. That’s a big accomplishment for me. The biggest thing is the fields. We have so many strong players in the area, and to win this tournament and the Harry Hammond feels really great.”

   McCrossen shot 68 in the qualifying round of the Junior Boys’ Championship. He carded a 75 and 73, respectively, at the Christman Cup.

   The Harry Hammond Award is given to the player with the lowest aggregate score in the qualifying round of the Junior Boys’ Championship, the Christman Cup and the Jock MacKenzie Memorial.