With both players making their first appearance in the Junior Boys’ finals, Kania, who already has a 2003 Junior-Junior Boys’ Championship under his belt, took the lead early after he birdied No. 2 (par 4, 344 yards) to go 1-up on Raudenbush.
However his lead would be short-lived.
One the third hole (par 5, 561 yards) Raudenbush, who hails from Pine Valley, N.J., answered back with a birdie of his own making the pair All Square after three holes.
Kania, 15, of Haverford, Pa., would never see the lead again as Raudenbush rattled off birdies on holes Nos. 5 (par 3, 156, yards), 6 (par 4, 498 yards) and 8 (par 4, 377 yards) to go to 3-up at the turn.
Added Raudenbush, referring to his birdie putt on No. 5, “That was just one of those putts. You just kind of see the line, I got lucky and it went in.”
Heading to the back nine, Raudenbush picked up where he left off as the17-year-old won No. 10 (par 4, 437 yards) to move to 4-up over Kania.
Raudenbush’s handy work with the flat stick coupled with an accurate game off the tee’s helped him keep the lead from that point on.
“I hit it pretty straight off the tee,” he said. “I didn’t hit a lot of fairways but I kept it in play. There wasn’t one tee shot where I was out of play. Most of [my tee shots] were pretty solid.”
But despite a comfortable lead, Raudenbush would not win another hole, leaving Kania a glimmer of hope to get back in the game.
With Raudenbush now dormie on No. 16 (par 4, 392 yards), 3-up with three to play, Kania extended the match by wining the hole after he got up and down for par again, this time from the rough.
“He played strong,” said Raudenbush of Kania. “He got up and down from everywhere. He’s a good golfer.”
In the match for the First Flight Championship, Jordan Wycoff of Hidden Creek GC defeated Samuel Ryder of Aronimink GC , 2&1.
Wycoff, who recently turned 18 years old, never trailed in his run to the title.
Wycoff held a 2-up advantage after the front nine, before Ryder evened the match with three holes to go.
Still Wycoff didn’t panic and went par-birdie to close out the match.
Championship Flight
8. Matt Raudenbush, Pine Valley GC, d. 6. Michael Kania, Overbrook GC,
2&1
First Flight
2. Jordan Wycoff, Hidden Creek GC, d. 1. Samuel Ryder, Aronimink GC,
2&1
