PIKESVILLE, Md., (July 23, 2011) – Maryland team members delivered three rounds of 73 or better at to own an 18-stroke lead entering Sunday’s final day of the 3rd Mid- Atlantic Junior Invitational at the demanding Woodholme Country Club (6,923 yards, par 35- 36—71).

In the two-day stroke play event, eight- player junior teams representing Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia compete in team competition, with the best six scores counted toward each team’s aggregate to determine the event’s champion.

Maryland finished the first day with a 442 (16 over par) aggregate; Virginia is in second place (460, +34) and West Virginia is third (464, +38).  

For event host Maryland, two- time reigning Maryland Golf Association Junior Amateur champion and 2010 U.S. Junior Amateur semifinals Denny McCarthy of Burtonsville, Md., (pictured left) led the way, firing 3-under 68. Even par through 10 holes, McCarthy, bound for the University of Virginia on a golf scholarship in the fall, played a five hole stretch from Nos. 11-15 in three under par, starting the scoring surge at the par-5 11th, before adding consecutive birdies at Nos. 14 and 15. McCarthy posted an 11th place finish in the Northeast Amateur in early July, an amateur event that draws a highly- competitive national field

Also for Maryland, U.S. Junior Amateur competitor Jordan Sweet (Bowie, Md.), the 2010 Middle Atlantic Golf Association Junior Amateur champion, added 1-over 72, while reigning Bobby Gorin event winner Bart George (Arnold, Md.) added 2- over 73. Alex Church (Timonium, Md.) and Ryan Cole  (Linganore, Md.) each had 76, while  Brian McCormick  (Kensington, Md.) contributed Maryland’s other score of 77. Both Church and Boone competed in this week’s U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, conducted at Gold Mountain Golf Club’s Olympic Course in Bremerton, Wash.

Leesburg’s Brantley Kushner, 18, paced Virginia, firing 2- over 73, while the Blacksburg brother-brother combination of 17-year-old  Ryan Mondy (4-over 75) and 18-year-old Jake Mondy (5-over 76), the 2010 VSGA Junior Stroke Play champion, helped to supply scores for Virginia. Contributing Virginia’s three other scores were a trio of 17-year-olds: central Virginian  Christopher Kapsak of Richmond (77); Bassett’s  Blake Carter (79) and Conner Hayden of Chilhowie (80); Suffolk’s John David Sanderson, 18, also had 80.

For West Virginia, Evan Smith (Bluefield, W.Va.) and Chris Williams (Charleston, W.Va.) each carded team-best scores of 1-over 72. Also for West Virginia, Mark Pinti of Bridgeport, W.Va., (78) and Jess Ferrell of Fairmont, W.Va., (79) were the team’s next two low scorers. Davey Jude (Kermit, W.Va.) had 81, while  Grant Humphrey  (Poca, W.Va.) shot 82.