Sunnybrook’s Robertson defeats Wilmington’s Fasy in MacKenzie playoff

  ORELAND, Pa.–Robert Robertson of Sunnybrook GC made par on the first playoff hole to defeat J.R. Fasy of Wilmington CC for the 23rd Jock MacKenzie Memorial on Monday at Sandy Run CC (par 72, 6,447 yards). Both players posted 1-under-par 71s in regulation.

  The victory was Robertson’s second of the Golf Association of Philadelphia season and continued an already impressive campaign. Two weeks ago, he and partner Chip Culp captured the Francis X. Hussey Memorial, the Association’s Junior Better-Ball Championship. Since then, individually, Robertson has qualified for the prestigious Philadelphia Open Championship and captured a Philadelphia Section of the PGA Tour event.

  “I hopefully can keep it going,” said Robertson, who was also the runner-up in the Junior Boys’ Championship, earlier in the year. “I probably only hit about five fairways today but I got up-and-down from everywhere. I didn’t think 1 under would hold up but I was able to scramble and shoot that score. I am happy to win.”

  In the playoff, Robertson ripped a 4-iron center cut on No. 1 (par 4, 331 yards) and was left with an 85-yard lob wedge. Fasy pulled driver and landed behind the rightside tree short of the green. Fasy tried to punch up short of the bunker to leave himself with an up-and-down chance but watched his effort trickle into the sand. He would go on to make five.

  Robertson found the green about eight feet left of the hole and two putted for the victory.

 Bobby Arthur of Tavistock CC, J.D. Hall of Merion GC and Greg Verde of Spring Ford CC tied for third place at 1-over-par 73.

  Robertson’s scorecard consisted of 15 pars, two birdies and one bogey. He carded under-par scores on Nos. 3 (par 4, 411 yards) and 17 (par 4, 389 yards) and a lone bogey on No. 13 (par 4, 390 yards).

  Robertson got the feeling it was going to be a scramble type day right away. On the opening hole, his drive found a divot in the first cut but he managed to find the green and make par. On No. 2 (par 3, 193 yards), he made three after his tee ball found the greenside bunker.

  The Chestnut Hill Academy senior made his only birdie on the front nine when he dropped his pitching wedge from 130 yards to 15 feet on No. 3 (par 4, 411 yards). Robertson saved par after wayward drives on Nos. 7 (par 4, 307 yards), 8 (par 5, 562 yards) and 11 (par 5, 564 yards) but registered a three-putt bogey on No. 13 (par 4, 390 yards). A spectacular up-and-down on No. 16 (par 4, 378 yards) after he barely found his ball in the left trees, he made a seven-footer for par, preceded a birdie on No. 17 (par 4, 389 yards) when he lofted a lob wedge from 92 yards to eight feet.

  “I knew even par wasn’t going to do it,” said Robertson. “[On No. 17] Michael Kania was about 10 feet away on the same line and putted before me. His ball broke way right. That helped a lot.”

  Robertson, 17, of Philadelphia is a three-time, All-Inter-Ac League selection.

  Fasy, a left-hander, overcame an early error to force his way into the playoff. Fasy posted a double-bogey six on No. 5 (par 4, 386 yards) when his drive found the right tree line and his punch out ricocheted into the sixth fairway. His next shot then went long and he failed to get up-and-down. Fasy was unfazed, though, and answered with birdies on Nos. 6 (par 4, 366 yards) and 9 (par 4, 324 yards) to make the turn at even par.

  “I went over and looked at the board and saw 1 under was leading,” said Fasy, a senior at St. Marks High School. “I figured I had an opportunity.”

  Fasy continued to surge. He lipped out bunker shots on Nos. 11 (par 5, 564 yards) and 13 (par 4, 390 yards) before knocking a gap wedge from 115 yards to 10 feet on the 17^th hole (par 4, 389 yards) for a birdie.

  “I knew I needed a birdie coming in,” said Fasy.

  On the final hole, a 322-yard par 4, Fasy put his wedge to the middle of the green, about 20 feet away, before two putting to force a playoff.

  Fasy, 16, is a resident of West Grove, Pa.

  Kristina Lee Bolger of Tavistock CC carded an 89 to take the Junior Girls Division title (par 72, 5,716 yards). A strong 2-over finish in the last six holes cemented the win.

Junior-Junior Divisions (par 36, 2,878 yards)

  Bobby Wurtz of Philadelphia Cricket Club birdied the first extra hole, No. 10 (par 3, 114 yards), to defeat Connor Eichman of Llanerch CC for the Junior-Junior Boys’ division title. Wurtz knocked a pitching wedge to 10 feet on the short par 3 and eliminated any drama, after Eichman could manage only bogey, when he drained the right-to-left breaker for the victory and a two.

  Both players carded 1-over-par 37s in regulation.

  In the Junior-Junior Girls Division, Keenan Eichman of Llanerch CC, Connor’s sister, fired a 65 for the win.

  All Junior-Junior divisions competed over the back nine holes at Sandy Run CC.

  Founded in 1897, the Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) is the oldest regional golf association in the United States and serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. Its 135 Member Clubs and 60,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. The purpose of the Association is simple: To promote, protect and preserve the game of golf in the region.