Patrick Welsh takes Junior-Junior Championship medal

  CHERRY HILL, N.J. – Patrick Welsh of Huntingdon Valley CC fired a 1-over-par 37 to take the qualifying medal in the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s 56^th Junior-Junior Boys’ Championship Monday at Merchantville Country Club (par 36, 2,814 yards).   

Welsh, 13, carded four birdies in a row, from No. 2 through No. 5, to lead 26 players in the championship’s 9-hole qualifier, despite a four-putt double-bogey six, from 60 feet, on the par 4, 380-yard 9^th hole.   

The low eight players qualified for the Championship Flight.   Nine-hole match play in four flights begins Tuesday morning, with 18-hole match play in flight finals scheduled for Wednesday.   

Welsh was 4-under-par after five holes, his birds coming on a 30-foot chip and putts of 15, one and two feet.   But he double-bogeyed the par 3, 146-yard 6^th hole after taking two shots to get out of a greenside bunker, and bogeyed the 320-yard, par 4 8th after driving into a hazard off the tee.   

Welsh, a five handicapper, said he’s been playing well lately, including a 1-under-par 69 at Huntingdon Valley in junior team matches last week, where he carded a 31 on the back nine.   

“I’ve been driving well,” he said, “and hitting my utility wedges close.”   John Inman of Cherry Valley CC and James Tallent of Merion GC, were second low qualifiers, each shooting a 4-over-par 40.