Denny McCarthy continued to cut a winning swath through the area's junior golf schedule, registering a 1-under-par 139, good for a two-stroke margin in the 86th Junior Amateur championship of the Maryland State Golf Association at Turf Valley Country Club in Ellicott City, June 30.

Earlier in the month, the Burtonsville resident, who plays from Argyle Country Club, had won his second straight Washington Metropolitan Schoolboy title and followed by winning a second successive medal in U.S. Junior Amateur qualifying at the U.S. Naval Academy Golf Club. Currently, he is ranked fifth nationally among juniors by Golfweek magazine.

McCarthy put himself in position with an opening-round 67 that included five birdies, but for his second round on a course that played much more difficult than its listed 6,660 yards, he was two over par on the front and ended with just one birdie on the back for 72.

"It was tougher because the greens were firm and it was windy," the champion said, adding that, "The pins were in some tough spots and you had to know where -- and where not -- to hit it." From 90+ degree heat for the first round, the weather improved to a more-comfortable 80 degrees for the second-day field of 24 who had opened 76 and lower.

Jordan Sweet, from Bowie, who won the Middle Atlantic Golf Association's Junior championship last week, was right back in the hunt this time, shooting 70-71--141 to claim second place. There was a tie for third between Alex Church, from Timonium, 70-72--142, and Keegan Boone, from Bethesda, the playoff loser last weeek, who fired a closing 69 -- low round of the day -- to complete a 73-69--142 run. Sweet, Church and Boone were pursuing McCarthy relentlessly throughout the day and caught him at various points only to fall back on the final holes.

Andrew Sovero, of Reisterstown, 15, won the 14-15 age group with a first-day 70, then shot 74 for 144, and fifth place. Christopher Navarro, from Crofton, was the 12-13 age-group winner with 77.

The 2010 edition of the Maryland Junior Amateur will be contested at Argyle Country Club on Monday and Tuesday, June 27-28.

- Reported by John Stewart from Turf Valley