NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa.-Age is only a number for Kyle Sterbinsky of Yardley Country Club.
The 16 year old became the youngest medalist in the 113-year history of the Amateur Championship on Wednesday when stroke play qualifying was completed at Aronimink Golf Club (par 70, 6,842 yards) and St. Davids Golf Club (par 70, 6,597 yards). Two lengthy weather delays forced the finish into Wednesday.
“It means a lot. To be at the top of this kind of field is great,” said the junior at the Peddie School. “I feel pretty comfortable playing with the older guys. I play with them all the time at the club.”
Sterbinsky carded a 68 at St. Davids yesterday before completing the final 10 holes of his second round today at Aronimink and posting a 71. He matched three birdies and three bogeys in that span to finish 1 over. His 1-under 139 total was one better than Conrad Von Borsig of White Manor Country Club.
Sterbinsky primarily competes in the national AJGA junior events. Last June, he won the AJGA Quad Cities Junior at Shore Hills Country Club in East Moline, Ill. This year, his top finish was a tie for 12th in the HP Boys Championship at The Club at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, Texas.
This is Sterbinsky’s second Amateur Championship. He qualified for match play in 2010 as a 14 year old at Manufacturers Golf & Country Club but fell in the quarterfinals.
Sterbinsky can’t officially be contacted by college coaches until Sept. 1 of this year. However, he has already taken a number of visits. He said his next batch will include Duke University, the University of Florida, the University of Texas and Wake Forest University.
The cutline for the low 32 players landed at 147. There was a playoff with five players competing for two spots. Ben Cooley of Huntingdon Valley Country Club and Glenn Smeraglio of Mercer Oaks Golf Course parred No. 1 (par 4, 412 yards) to advance. Smeraglio finished the hole first was seeded No. 31.
Jarmas cards an ace
Princeton University rising senior Greg Jarmas of Overbrook Golf Club made his first career hole in one at Aronimink’s par 3 fifth hole. Playing 171 yards, Jarmas struck a solid choke-down eight iron that started just right of the flag before falling into the cup. He followed up the hole in one by rolling in a 25-foot birdie putt on the 384 yard par 4 sixth hole.
Jarmas was the 112th Amateur Championship runner-up to Brian Colbert after falling in the 36 hole final match, 6 & 4. Jarmas noted that he feels like a much better player this year, but also felt a little bit of pressure to back up last year’s performance.
Jarmas gained confidence after winning the 2013 Ivy League Championship, and plans to play in multiple events throughout the summer. Those events include: the North and South Amateur Championship in Pinehurst, N.C.; the Open Championship Qualifier at Penn Oaks Golf Club; and the Joseph H. Patterson Cup at Cedarbrook Country Club, which he is exempt for in 2013.
Philadelphia Cricket Club surge continues
Philadelphia Cricket Club’s strong play this season continued at the Amateur.
A total of five Philadelphia Cricket Club players advanced into the match play bracket.
Leading that charge was Brendan Borst, who qualified as the No. 6 seed with a score of 2-over-par 142. Cole Berman is seeded No. 20; John Brennan No. 21; P.J. Bartholomew No. 25 and Joe April No. 27.
Earlier this season, Philadelphia Cricket Club captured the GAP Team Matches for the first time in the event’s 113-year history.
Match play draw
If this year’s bracket appears to be filled with a bunch of new names, that’s because it is. In comparison to the 2012 match play draw, there are 22 of 32 new qualifiers this year. Of that group, three are former Amateur Champions, P.J. Bartholomew (2007), Michael McDermott (2008) and Conrad Von Borsig (2009). Michael Hyland, the 2000 and 2011 Amateur Champion, also made match play for a fourth consecutive year.
