South Brunswick Teen Wins International Junior Golf Tour Open

Monmouth Junction teen Curren Mody took first place in the 15-19 Division at the International Junior Golf Tour’s (IJGT) Northeast Tour was in Cologne, N.J., on Oct. 12 and 13, at the South Jersey Open at Blue Heron Pines.

The field consisted of 61 players, ages 10-19, representing five Mid-Atlantic states.

Blue Heron Pines Golf Club opened in 1993 and has been recognized as one of the best golf courses on the Jersey Shore. The first round was played mostly in the rain with wind gusts of 30 mph. While the rain cleared out for the final round, the swirling wind remained, making no hole an easy hole. Adding to the difficulty the weather presented, Stephen Kay’s course design featured multiple bunkers on every hole and four ponds.

Mody needed more than 36 holes to claim his first IJGT victory, defeating Quinn Dolan of Broomall, Pa., on the first hole of a playoff.

Mody paced the leaderboard in the first round, firing a 1-over-par 73, highlighted by a birdie on the par-5 18th hole. Even with the inclement weather, Mody only bogeyed two holes, to go along with his birdie. He started his round with pars on the first five holes before bogeying the tough sixth hole.

Dolan also was able to succeed in the wind and rain, shooting a 74. Like Mody, he started with five consecutive pars, only to drop a stroke at the sixth hole. Dolan birdied holes Nos. 11 and 14 on his way to an even-par back nine and finish second after the first round.

Joshua Goldenberg of Scarsdale, N.Y., went 1-under-par on his opening nine and was even-par until a quadruple-bogey on hole No. 14 set him back. Goldenberg recovered to birdie the 18th hole for a first-round total of 75, putting himself right in contention.

While Mody and Dolan were matching scores from holes Nos.14-17, Matthew Bastian of Media, Pa., was making his move a group ahead of them. Bastian birdied the 17th hole to get within two strokes with only the par-5 18th hole remaining. But Bastian could not keep up the momentum, double-bogeying the hole to finish his day at 78 and 154 for the tournament, hoping that both Mody and Dolan would also find trouble on the last hole.

They did not. Both players found the fairway off the tee and then laid up with their second shots. With each having the opportunity to win the tournament right in front of them, Dolan hit his third shot to 25 feet while Mody was 50 feet away.

Mody’s long-distance putt came up short and he was left with a tough par putt. Dolan was also off with his birdie putt but he was able to tap in for his par. With the pressure on, Mody sank his par putt to send it to a playoff.

Playing the 10th hole, Mody found the middle of the fairway and Dolan’s ball rolled to the edge of the rough. Mody then hit the green with his approach, as the ball came to rest within 12 feet of the cup. Dolan also found the green but left himself a downhill putt from 15 feet for birdie.

International Junior Golf Tour

Blue Heron Pines

Cologne, N.J.

October 12-13, 2013

Boys 15-19 Division - Gold Tees, 6,708 yards, Par 72

1. x-Curren Mody, Monmouth Junction, NJ, *73-79--152

2. Quinn Dolan, Broomall, PA, *74-78--152

3. Matthew Bastian, Media, PA, *76-78--154

4. Jack Faraci, Port Jefferson Station, NY, *77-78--155

5. Eric Terminello, White Plains, NY, *77-79--156

5. Joshua Goldenberg, Scarsdale, NY, *75-81--156

7. Michael McIntosh, Chittenango, NY, *81-77--158

7. Mark Benevento, Somers Pt., NJ, *79-79--158

7. Sam Sawyers, New York, NY, *78-80--158

7. Trey Croney, Bryn Mawr, PA, *77-81--158

7. Brian LeBlanc, Newtown, CT, *77-81--158

12. Blake Vodges, Wildwood Crest, NJ, *79-81--160

13. Justin Murray, Burlington, NJ, *80-81--161

14. Jonny Emmerman, Scarsdale, NY, *84-78--162

14. Thomas Urciuoli, Short Hills, NJ, *81-81--162

14. Jake Mayer, Scotch Plains, NJ, *81-81--162

14. Vince Palazzolo, Colts Neck, NJ, *81-81--162

18. Reid Bedell, Fair Haven, NJ, *82-82--164

19. Thomas Dzwonczyk, North Abington Township, PA, *83-82--165

19. Andrew DeMarco, Huntington, NY, *82-83--165

19. Jonathan Solimano, Montvale, NJ, *79-86--165

22. Brandan Bree, Kennett Square, PA, *87-80--167

23. Chris Binet, Oreland, PA, *77-92--169

24. Jb Bradbeer, Rosemont, PA, *89-81--170

24. Mike Hanrahan, Ossining, NY, *86-84--170

24. Gregory Szrom, Egg Harbor Township, NJ, *81-89--170

27. Harry Jin, Palisades Park, NJ, *90-81--171

28. Michael Barychewsky, Richboro, PA, *85-87--172

28. Ethan Means, Landenberg, PA, *83-89--172

30. Perry Litwin, Rumson, NJ, *89-84--173

30. Cristian Cerza, Greenwich, CT, *88-85--173

30. Evan Santa, Edgewater, MD, *82-91--173

33. Ben Litt, Moorestown, NJ, *88-87--175

34. Ryan Bree, Kennett Square, PA, *89-87--176

35. Benjamin Kotler, Penn Valley, PA, *85-94--179

36. Bobby Moriarty, Summit, NJ, *93-93--186

37. Peter Bradbeer, Philidelphia, PA, *98-89--187

38. Jesse Bevilacqua, Rumson, NJ, *97-93--190

39. Ryan Conway, Bryn Mawr, PA, *104-89--193