EXTON, Pennsylvania – This past week, six Bay State junior golfers represented Mass Golf at the 2019 playing of the Junior Intercity Matches – an annual tradition that pits a team from Massachusetts against teams from both the Women’s Golf Association of Philadelphia and the Women’s Metropolitan Golf Association in both a sweepstakes team competition and a sweepstakes individual competition. Following Thursday’s second round of play at Whitford Country Club, the Massachusetts squad finished with 11 ½ total points, falling just shy of Team New York’s second place final score of 15 total points. With 18 ½ points, the Philadelphia team secured their first victory since 2015.
ONLINE: 2019 Results | Photos
Responsible for nearly half of her team’s total points, Westford native Morgan Smith swept her match against Philadelphia’s Ava O’Sullivan and collected another 2 ½ of a possible three points from New York’s Caitlyn Tully for 5 ½ total points – the second most points garnered by all competitors in this year’s individual match play tournament.
“I really enjoyed playing in this event,” said Morgan following her play Thursday. “I found it challenged other parts of my game. I have never played match play before and to be successful I had to make putts and some birdies.”
Morgan’s older sister Molly also collected 5 ½ points in Thursday’s individual matches, taking 2 ½ point from Philadelphia’s Lauren Jones and a maximum three points from New York’s Keena Yin. While her play greatly contributed to the team’s overall success, Molly too enjoyed the opportunity to compete in match play, something that she says she doesn’t get to do often enough.
“Match Play was a lot more fun because it was direct competition,” said the 15-year old Molly. “On 18, I was squared up for the back nine and if I had lost the hole, I would have dropped one point for the team. I live off of playing in pressure situations, so I enjoyed being in that position on the 18th hole here at this week’s Junior Intercity matches.”
Kristina Thimme, of Team Massachusetts, rounded out the scoring for Massachusetts as she took ½ point in her match against Philadelphia’s Sunshine Gu.
Morgan Smith, Kristina Thimme and Molly Smith finished 1-2-3 in the gross score totals after carding 3-over 75, 4-over 76, and 5-over 77, respectively, in their first round of individual competition.
In addition to the aforementioned competitors, Team Massachusetts was represented by Tate Hadges, Emily Hunt and Emma Abramson.
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