Youth, led by 16-year old Ford Bennett, from Owings Mills and Green Spring Valley Hunt Club, soared to the top of the leaderboard in a Maryland State Golf Association Amateur/Open qualifying tournament at Worthington Manor Golf Club, May 8.
Bennett, a McDonogh High School junior making his first appearance in the event, carded a 2-under-par 36-34-70 to lead both divisions. Among other amateurs, Jon Moles, 21, from Frederick, who plays from Worthington Manor, shot 72, where he was joined by Matthew Malits, 17, a DeMatha High School junior from Silver Spring. Bennett Buch, 19, from West Friendship and the University of Maryland, posted a 73.
Among those headed to the Open are Bennett, Moles, and Buch. Ryan Cole, 21, a James Madison senior who will play in the NCAA Regionals next week, also put up a 72.
The cutoff numbers were 24 for the amateurs (32 at 78 and better advanced) and 18 for the Open (20 at 76 and better advanced). The Amateur championship will be played June 8-11 at Columbia CC and the Open will be July 10-12 at Woodholme CC in Pikesville.
Bennett offset two birdies with two bogeys on the front nine, then was 2-under on the back, as he played his last 13 holes at 4-under par. For the round, he reached 16 greens in regulation. Last year, he shot a two-round total of 139 to be first alternate in qualifying for the U.S. Juniors, missing a playoff by a stroke. Later, he played for Baltimore in the annual Baltimore-Washington Junior Team Match.
Moles, winner of last year’s Bubby Worsham Memorial, had three birdies, three bogeys in matching par-72 for the 6,870-yard Frederick County course. Malits, from Argyle CC, had six birdies in his round, with the highlight a 40-foot putt on the ninth green. It capped a round that saw him mar it with a triple-bogey six on the 17th, as he had hazard woes.
Cole, from Mt. Airy, matched par with two birdies, two bogeys on each nine. It has been quite a spring for the bespectacled young man, as he led James Madison with five top-5 tournament finishes; shot his low round (66) twice, and topped the squad with a 70.56 scoring average, breaking his own record. He was honored as a four-time all-Colonial Athletic Association selection, including first team the last three years.
Two years ago, he shot 69 in a U.S. Open Local Qualifier at Worthington Manor and later that summer tied for sixth in the Maryland Open at Columbia CC. Last year, he was second at NCAA Regionals with a 14-under-par score. Next week, he will be in Austin, Texas for this year’s Regionals, looking for a repeat trip to Nationals.
The third (of four) Amateur/Open qualifiers will be held May 18, at CC Woodmore, followed by the windup May 24 at Queenstown Harbor Golf Links.
The James Madison University athletic web site contributed to this article.
Reported by John Stewart
