Final Round

The way Rij Patel has been playing this summer, one doesn’t want to give him a second chance.

Patel, from Hayfields Country Club in Hunt Valley, and Jordan Weitz, Lakewood CC, each missed a short putt on the first playoff hole after tying with 36-hole totals of 137 at Northwest Golf Course in Silver Spring in the 91st Junior Championship of the Maryland State Golf Association, Aug. 18. With the 409-yard ninth hole as the second in the playoff, both reached the green in two. Weitz, from 20 feet, rolled his first putt past the cup and Patel promptly duplicated the feat, missing from seven feet. He secured his par which was enough for the win when Weitz missed his par bid to extend the contest.

Prior to this climactic ending, there had been two dramatic turns of events.

Weitz, who held a one-stroke lead after the opening round, used front-nine birdies to open a four-shot margin through eight holes. Patel, who had birdied the first hole, birdied the ninth and after Weitz bogeyed, his lead was down to two.

When both players birdied the 532-yard 17th, it left Weitz, who had led throughout the round, with a three-stroke advantage going to 18. That all came undone when Patel managed to coax home a 25-foot putt with three feet of break for a birdie 3 and Weitz struggled to a double-bogey 6.

“I’m just really confident in my game right now,” said Patel, a 17-year-old McDonogh School senior, whose “game” features a driving distance average of about 290 yards. It was one of the key factors in his winning of an AJGA event at Cattail Creek CC two weeks ago.

The 137 was one shot shy of what is believed to be the record, set by Denny McCarthy at what he considers his second home — Argyle CC — in 2011.

Ryan Kelly, from the Naval Academy Golf Club, began the round tied with Patel, but could not keep pace, as he turned in 36, four shots off the lead. A double-bogey and a bogey led to a 75 and part of a four-way tie for fourth at 143. Chris Lane, of Congressional CC, moved into third place with 71-70–141.

Graham Hutchinson, 15, a Walt Whitman High School junior from Bethesda, shot 72-72–144 to win the 14-15 age division.

Round 1

Jordan Weitz, the last player to post a score in the morning wave, returned a 5-under-par 67 and took a one-stroke lead halfway through the 91st Junior Championship of the Maryland State Golf Association at Northwest Golf Course in Silver Spring, August 17.

Rij Patel, from Hayfields CC, and Ryan Kelly, Naval Academy GC, each posted 68 and had the only other 60’s on the board. They were three shots clear of a group of five at 71.

With the cut at 24 and ties, plus those within eight shots of the lead, 31 players at 75 and better will play the final round, August 18.

Weitz, who qualified for match play in the MSGA Amateur earlier this summer, was + 1 before two birdies sent him to the turn in 1-under-par 35. Coming home, he produced five birds for a 4-under 32. Par is set at 36-36–72 for the 6,848-yard public facility in Montgomery County.

Patel, a qualifier for the recent U.S. Junior Championship and winner of last week’s AJGA event at Cattail Creek CC, shot 34-34, also with seven birdies. Kelly, 17, a Archbishop Spalding High School senior from Annapolis, had six birdies, starting with four in his first five holes on the back, and finished with birdies on his last two holes, Nos. 8 (5 feet) and 9 (30 feet).

Jackson Courtney, a 16-year-old Marriott’s Ridge High School junior, scored his first hole-in-one, when he hit a 185-yard 6-iron shot at No. 7. The ball hit in front of the hole, smacked the flagstick and dropped into the cup. He also had three front-nine birdies and ended 34-38–72.

With the 14-15 division also playing 36 holes, Baltimore CC clubmates, Lou Baker, IV, and Liam Powderly shared the first-round lead with 71’s.

Connor McGarrity, Kenwood CC, included three birdies in shooting a superb 37-38–75, to win the 12-13 division, which played only the 18 hole-round. Brian Feinstein, Congressional CC, placed second with 38-39–77.