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Nazareth graduate Kevin Scherr wins 2017 Lehigh Valley Junior Tournament of Champions title
March 26, 2018
Nazareth graduate Kevin Scherr wins 2017 Lehigh Valley Junior Tournament of Champions title
MOORE TWP. — It was a contest between the present and future of regional junior golf.
Kevin Scherr, a recent graduate of Nazareth High School, shot a 36-hole score of 7-under-par 70-65–135 at Southmoore Golf Course on Thursday to win the 24th annual Lehigh Valley Junior Tournament of Champions title.
Scheer, who is headed to Youngstown State University on a partial golf scholarship, won by four strokes over 14-year-old Jordan Barker of Bethlehem, who shot 3-under-par 70-69–139.
With the victory, Scherr earned an exemption into the 2018 Lehigh Valley Open.
Scherr, who celebrated his 18th birthday Thursday along with the victory, dominated regional junior golf the past year.
He won the 2016 PIAA, District 11, and Eastern Pennsylvania Conference titles; and earned the 2016 Lehigh Valley Junior Golf Tour Player of the Year award. Scherr also won the 2016 Lehigh Valley Tournament of Champions, and was a semifinalist in the Lehigh Valley Amateur.
However Barker, an incoming Liberty High School freshman, has served notice that he is ready to contend for league and district titles.
Last fall as a 13 year-old, Barker became the youngest golfer to ever advance to the quarterfinals of the Lehigh Valley Amateur. Barker has also registered two top-20 finishes in American Junior Golf Association tournaments this summer.
“I saw that he shot the same score as me yesterday from the same tees, so I was impressed,” Scherr said. “Jordan is a good player. He hits it straight all the time.”
Scherr and Barker both shot an opening rounds of 1-under-par 70 on Wednesday to grab a one-stroke lead over 2016 Moravian Academy graduate Cory Haldeman, recent Pen Argyl graduate Sam Martini, and Nazareth rising senior Collin Seip.
Scherr charged out of the gate on Thursday’s front nine with a 3-under-par 33 to build a four-stroke lead over Barker. Scherr birdied the first, second, fourth, and fifth holes. He sank a 20-footer for birdie on the par-3 fifth hole, and saved par on the eighth hole after hitting a brilliant bunker shot from the back trap just one foot from the cup.
On the back nine, Barker birdied the 10th, 11th, and 12th holes to cut Scherr’s lead to two strokes. However, Scherr birdied the 13th and 14th holes with short birdie putts to regain a four-stroke lead. Both golfers parred the last four holes.
Although he was a bit disappointed with the outcome, Barker gained confidence by giving Scherr a good battle for the title.
“I saw we were tied for the lead, so I knew he was going to shoot low, and that gave me a goal,” Barker said. “It definitely gave me confidence, because he is such a good player. He shot 65. He didn’t miss a shot.”
The win continues Scherr’s recent streak of good play over the past two months. He shot 2-under-par at Northampton Country Club to be the second lowest amateur in the Lehigh Valley Open, finished second at the Bethlehem Golf Club Amateur Stroke Play Championship, and was third in the Lehigh Valley Medal Play Championship.
“My putting has really improved from last year,” said Scherr, who won the Lehigh Valley Sportsfest Junior Golf Classic. “I’m starting to get five plus birdies a round. I’m letting bad shots go. My short game is getting a lot better.”
Owen Fahs, an Nazareth eighth grader, won the 12-13 years-old division. Fahs shot 8-over-par 72-78–150 to win by 13 strokes over Nicholas Blunt, who shot 81-82–163.
24th annual Lehigh Valley Junior Tournament of Champions
Southmoore Golf Course (par 71)
Final 36-hole scores:
Overall 14-19 years-old boys — 1. Kevin Scherr 70-65-135 (7-under-par); 2. Jordan Barker 70-69-139; 3-T. Sam Martini 71-75-146, Cory Haldeman 71-75-146; 5-T. Max Harrington 74-73-147, Drew Warner 72-75-147; 7. Jacob Siegfried 73-76-149; 8. Collin Seip 71-79-150; 9-T. Ian Arnold 76-75-151, Thomas Lakata 73-78-151; 11-T. Joseph Altemose 81-71-152, Jax Buist 72-80-152; 13-T. Matthew Pulcini 80-73-153, Alec Cwienkala 79-74-153; 15. Thomas Smith 80-75-155, Mark Lusk 78-77-155, Andrew Benner 77-78-155; 18-T. Roman Lisicky 80-79-159, Kevin Caverly 77-82-159; 20-T. Sean Costello 80-81-161, Thomas Coakley 76-85-161; 22. Ben Tetzlaff 80-82-162, Jake Caverly 79-83-162; 24. AJ Olszewski 82-88-170; 25. Colin Wong 88-83-171; 26. Dylan Keopraseut 85-87-172; 27-T. Sean Jaeger 88-86-174, Tristan Keopraseut 85-89-174; 29. Thomas Wagner 85-91-176; 30. Trey Kelly 87-90-177; 31. Owen Slimm 100-95-195; 32. Isaac Nunez 103-96-199.
14-15 years-old boys — 1. Jordan Barker 70-69-139 (3-under-par); 2. Joseph Altemose 81-71-152; 3. Thomas Smith 80-75-155; 4. Roman Lisicky 80-79-159; 5. Colin Wong 88-83-171; 6. Dylan Keopraseut 85-87-172; 7. Sean Jaeger 88-86-174; 8. Thomas Wagner 85-91-176; 9. Trey Kelly 87-90-177; 10. Owen Slimm 100-95-195; 11. Isaac Nunez 103-96-199.
12-13 years-old boys —1. Owen Fahs 72-78-150 (8-over-par); 2. Nicholas Blunt 81-82-163; 3. Tyler Hager 88-78-166; 4. Thomas Wen 92-91-183; 5. Case Kelly 93-95-188; 6. Ethan Honsel 95-100-195; 7. Joe Smith 102-101-203.
9-11 years-old boys (18 holes) —1. Jayden Bleiler 42-41-83 (12-over-par); 2. Hannah Puc 48-45-93.
Girls — 1. Evelyn Wong 75-80-155 (13-over-par); 2. Sophia Israel 82-82-164; 3. Emilie Wright 98-89-187, Jessica Bretzik 92-95-187; 5. Mary Scully 106-106-212.
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