NEWS
Nazareth senior Kevin Scherr wins 2016 Lehigh Valley Tournament of Champions
March 26, 2018
Nazareth senior Kevin Scherr wins 2016 Lehigh Valley Tournament of Champions
HELLERTOWN, Pa. — Nazareth senior Kevin Scherr has joined the regional “majors club”.
Scherr, 17, shot a steady final round of even-par 36-36–72 Saturday at Silver Creek Country Club to win the 27th annual Lehigh Valley Tournament of Champions.
Scherr finished with a 36-hole score of 1-over-par 73-72–145 to win his first regional major amateur title by five strokes over Ryan Orcutt of Bethlehem.
Orcutt, a golf standout at Freedom High School (Class of 1996), shot 76-74–150.
Former Becahi golfer J.T. Barker of Bethlehem finished third at 77-75-152. Barker, 20, is a two-time Lehigh Valley Sportsfest Junior Golf Classic champion.
Scherr, a key member of the Blue Eagles undefeated Lehigh Valley Conference golf champions, is the fourth high school golfer to win the event. Andrew Feldman of Parkland (2010), Evan Notaro of Northampton (2011), and Cole Miller of Northwestern (2012) won the tournament while in high school.
Coming off a semifinalist showing in the Lehigh Valley Amateur, Scherr continued his fine 2016 season. He earned his second consecutive Lehigh Valley Junior Golf Tour Player of the Year award, and won the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference title.
“My game is right where I want it to be,” said Scherr, who is being recruited by several NCAA Division 1 golf programs. “I played well at the Lehigh Valley Amateur. My wedges are good. Every time I had a number inside of 115 yards, I was inside of ten feet.”
Scherr entered the final round with a three stroke lead over Orcutt, and a four shot edge over Barker.
Paced by sinking a pair of short birdie putts on the fifth and seventh holes, Scherr shot even-par 36 on the front nine to extend his lead to four strokes over Orcutt, and six shots over Barker.
Barker birdied the par-5 14th and 15th holes to pull within four strokes of Scherr. However, Scherr birdied the par-3 16th hole while Barker made a double bogey to end the rally.
“I tried not to think about how many strokes I was ahead,” Scherr said. “I thought J.T (Barker) was getting close with three holes to play, but he made a double bogey on number 16. I tried to par out then.”
In the Senior Amateur Division, Bob Beck of Salisbury Township rallied with a final-round 2-under-par 70 to win the title by one stroke over Dave Blichar of Upper Macungie Township.
Beck, 56, shot a 36-hole score of even-par 74-70–144. Blichar shot 75-70–155.
Blichar, 53, won the 2013 and 2015 Lehigh Valley Tournament of Champions senior division.
With the victory, Beck clinched the 2016 Lehigh Valley Senior Player of the Year award. This season, Beck also won the Golf Association of Philadelphia Brewer Cup senior match play event, and was a semifinalist in the Pennsylvania Senior Match Play Championship.
Beck entered Saturday’s final round trailing first round leader Jim Boburka of Bethlehem by two strokes. On the front nine, Beck shot 1-under-par 35 and Blichar fired a 2-under-par 34 to tie for lead at 1-over-par for the tournament.
Blichar, who entered the tournament needing a victory to win senior player of the year honors, birdied the par-4 11th and 12th holes to take a two stroke lead over Beck.
Playing in the final group behind Blichar, Beck later grabbed a one stroke lead when he birdied the par-5 15th hole while Blichar made a bogey. After both players parred the 16th hole, Blichar birdied the par-4 17th hole to to Beck for the lead.
Blichar bogeyed the par-4 18th hole when he chipped 10 feet from the cup, and missed the par putt. Beck later two-putt for par on the hole to win the tournament.
A former Lehigh University golfer (Class of 1982), Beck is a nine-time Lehigh Country Club men’s club champion, and won the 1992 Lehigh Valley Tournament of Champions and 1993 Lehigh Valley Medal Play titles.
27th annual Lehigh Valley Tournament Of Champions
Silver Creek Country Club (par 72)
Final 36-hole scores:
AMATEUR DIVISION
1. Kevin Scherr 73-72-145 (1-over-par); 2. Ryan Orcutt 76-74-150; 3. J.T. Barker 77-75-152; 4-T. Zachary Juhasz 80-76-156, Will Marquette 78-78-156; 6-T. Nicholas Lukow 83-74-157, Mark Coassolo 82-75-157, Joe Minahan 79-78-157; 9-T. Michael Casella 83-75-158, Collin Seip 80-78-158; 11. Riley Hogan 82-77-159; 12-T. Nick Vecellio 86-75-161, Eric Ostrosky 79-82-161; 14. Jim Maru 81-83-164; 15. Jordan Barker 87-85-172.
SENIOR AMATEUR DIVISION:
1. Bob Beck 74-70-144 (even-par); 2. David Blichar 75-70-145; 3. Dylan Spadt 79-68-147; 4. John Olszewski 80-68-148; 5. Dominic Carr 76-73-149; 6-T. Joe Viechnicki 75-75-150, James Boburka 72-78-150; 8-T. Robin McCool 78-73-151, Joe Coulson 75-76-151; 10. Robert Schubach 78-76-154; 11. Andrew Lykon 78-81-159; 12-T. Fred Lening 82-79-161, Ben Spence Jr. 81-80-161; 14. Rich Thon 79-83-162; 15. Craig Scott 83-82-165; 16. Tom Mallouk 85-82-167; 17. Tom Egolf 89-81-170; 18. Terry Beck 94-82-176.
NOTE: With the victory, Bob Beck of Salisbury Township clinched the 2016 Lehigh Valley Senior Player of the Year award.
Back To News