Hendrix and Brown Lead the Metropolitan Junior Amateur
Edwardsville, IL - Eighty-six junior golfers gathered at Oak Brook Golf Club for the 26th Metropolitan Junior Amateur. There were four divisions of play: Boys 19U, Girls 19U, Boys 15U, and Boys 13U. It was a great day for golf with temperatures in the 80s and hazy skies.
The Boys 19 and under division kicked off the day first. With the reigning champion, Harper Ackermann unable to defend because he is competing in the U.S. Open Final Qualifying, 2024 runner-up Cole Packingham of WingHaven Country Club is looking to get his name on the trophy. Packingham experienced a roller coaster of a day and ended at even (E) par. This would put him in a tie for third and in good position to go for the title in the next two rounds. Cole Hendrix of Whitmoor Country Club had the round of the day. A bogey free front nine and three birdies on both sides brought Hendrix into the clubhouse as the leader at four-under (-4) par. Hudson Shy Bogey Hills Country Club finished his day strong with three birdies on the final three holes. Shy was able to get his score down to one-under (-1) par and secure a solo second place spot on the leaderboard. Trey Roessler of Annbriar Golf Course kept a level headed game today. Roessler finished at even (E) par and sits tied for third with Packingham. Rounding out the top five at one-over (+1) par are Will Kampwerth of Carlyle Lake Golf Club and Ben Gelven of Glen Echo Country Club.
Next out on the course were the girls. The defending champion was unable to defend this year, leaving the door wide open for this field. Eva Brown of Tapawingo National Golf Course fought hard today. Brown carded four birdies and minimized damage to end the day on top of the leaderboard at one-over (+1) par. Reese Kite of the Gateway PGA Jr Golf Club put up the second best score of the division today. Kite was able to reign in her game and finished with a birdie on eighteen to enter the clubhouse at two-over (+2) par to sit in second place. The top five following Round 1 are completed by Madison Keating of the Gateway PGA Jr Golf Club at nine-over (+9) par, Miley Kennard of the SIGA eClub at ten-over (+10) par, and Ally Suhr of the Gateway PGA Jr Golf Club at ten-over (+10) par.
In the Boys 15 and under division, things were tightly contested at the top throughout the day. John DeLuca of Forest Hills Country Club kept his game at bay and finished with two birdies in the last four holes. DeLuca ended Round 1 at the top of his division at even (E) par. Brian Cooper of the Gateway PGA Jr Golf Club finished one shot back of DeLuca at one-over (+1) par to go into the second round in second. The top five in this division are rounded out by Liam Weller of the Metropolitan eClub at two-over (+2) par, Cooper Klay of Carlyle Lake Golf Club at three-over (+3) par, and Henry Gorin of Forest Hills Country Club at four-over (+4) par.
Finishing out the day was the Boys 13 and under division. Anthony Moore of The Legends Country Club carded the only under par round of the day for this group. Moore had five birdies to climb to the top of the leaderboard at one-under (-1) par. Kayden Kueper of Carlyle Lake Golf Club didn’t give up the fight today, finishing his round at even (E) par to sit in solo second after the first round. The next players on the leaderboard are Alex Briggs of the Metropolitan eClub and Augie Blinn of Tapawingo National Golf Club at four-over (+4) par.
Tomorrow, the 15U and 13U divisions will play their final round. Both 19U divisions will play their second of three rounds. Round 2 will begin at 7:30am.