GILBERTVILLE >> Even on a perfect weather day like Monday morning and afternoon at Gilbertsville Golf Club, players occasionally struggle.
But it’s their reaction to the tough tracks that will determine their end, as was the case with Spring-Ford’s Luke Fazio and Jon Seifarth at the Pioneer Athletic Conference Boys Individual Golf Championship.
Fazio bounced back from two consecutive double bogies to the second nine and won the title with a 2-over score of 73.Seifarth shook off a row of five straight bogies and finished second with a score of 74 on the red and white courses.
The top 20 players reached the District 1 tournament from October 4th to 5th at the Turtle Creek Golf Course in Limerick.
“After a double bogie, a birdie brought me back to my feet,” said Fazio, who shot four birdies that day. “Exactly, basically that. Don’t let it repeat itself.”
Seifarth had a devastating stretch of bogies. But he also recorded six birdies for the 18-hole round, four of them on his first six holes.
“The most important stroke in golf is the next,” he said, referring to a quote from the legendary Ben Hogan that he wrote in a notebook he carries with him. “Every shot counts. A three-foot putt is just as important as a 300-yard drive. “
Spring-Ford sends seven golfers into the district game, including Jake Blackmore (78), Jaden Minter (79), Robbie McNelly (79), Garrett Wible (81) and Noah Kim (82). The Rams, who went undefeated at the four-team PAC Team Championships later this week and fought their way to the top seed, don’t have a traditional # 1 to # 8 line-up for their games.
“I wasn’t surprised if it was the first or the eighth player to win,” said Spring Ford senior coach Gerry Hollingsworth. “They all shoot 37 to 39 (over eight holes). Everyone worked hard. “
Alex White (Pope John Paul II), Jarred Berish (Owen J. Roberts), Mike Liu (Methacton) and Ryan Horenci (Perkiomen Valley) took third place with 77 points, seventh along with Blackmore with 78 points. Minter, McNelly and Andrew Cowgill (Perkiomen Valley) followed with 79 points.
Erik Harken (Owen J. Roberts), JR Mcmenamin (Pottsgrove) and Jack Colyer (Perkiomen Valley) moved on with 80 points, followed by Wible and Nick Parr (Owen J. Roberts) with 81 points. Paul Brady (Pope John Paul II), Ayush Patek (Perkiomen Valley) and Kim won the last three places in a four-way playoff.
Fazio said he warmed up for a possible playoff for the first, which turned out to be unnecessary.
“I did par-putts and good chip strokes,” he said.
“Fairways, then I hit the green and then did the putts,” said Seifarth.
Fazio finished eleventh in last year’s PACs with a score of 80.
Colyer, Berish, Cowgill and Kim are also returning to the District 3A game. Brady qualified in Class 2A in 2019.
“I’ve played a lot of tournaments,” said Fazio. “I’ve gotten a little stronger and hit the ball longer.”
“My self-confidence is much better,” said Seifarth. “I just spend a lot of time working on my short game.”
Pioneer Athletic Conference Boys Golf Individual Championship
At Gilbertsville GC (par 71)
1. Luke Fazio, Spring-Ford, 73
2. Jon Seifarth, Spring-Ford, 74
3. Alex White, Pope John Paul II, 77
3. Jarred Berish, Owen J. Roberts, 77
3. Mike Liu, Methactone, 77
3. Ryan Horenci, Perkiomen Valley, 77
7. Michael Fenton, Boyertown, 78
7. Peyton Moyer, Boyertown, 78
7. Jake Blackmore, Spring-Ford, 78
10. Jaden Minter, Spring-Ford, 79
10. Robbie McNelly, Spring-Ford, 79
10. Andrew Cowgill, Perkiomen Valley, 79
13. Erik Harken, Owen J. Roberts, 80
13. JR McMenamin, Pottsgrove, 80,
13. Jack Colyer, Perkiomen Valley, 80
16. Garrett Wible, Spring-Ford, 81
16. Nick Parr, Owen J. Roberts, 81
* 18. Paul Brady, Pope John Paul II, 82
* 18. Ayush Patel, Perkiomen Valley, 82
* 18. Noah Kim, Spring-Ford, 82
* Moved up to the district tournament due to the participation of four players for three places