Under the blistering sun at the illustrious Congressional Country Club, Avery McCrery and Baylor Larrabee emerged victorious in the 48th Junior PGA Championships.
McCrery clinched the Girls Division title by two strokes, while Larrabee seized a three-stroke triumph in the Boys Division, leaving golf enthusiasts buzzing with excitement.
McCrery’s Steady Climb to Victory
Starting the day two strokes off the lead, Avery McCrery faced a tough challenge.
But the Wilmington, Delaware native showcased resilience and skill, finishing with a 6-under 281. Her final round was a composed 1-under 71, demonstrating the poise of a seasoned competitor.
Reflecting on her win, McCrery said, “I don’t think it’s fully sunk in yet, to be honest. It’s just a testament to hard work.
Testament to my coaches, everyone that supported me. It just kind of came together, it really just shows how much work you’ve put in and it means a lot.”
Despite a shaky start, with two bogeys and a birdie in the first four holes, McCrery found her rhythm and held steady.
“I started off pretty rocky,” she admitted. “From [the 4th hole on], I was pretty steady all day, lots of pars.
Keep the ball close enough where you could make pars and that’s what ended up winning it today.”
A critical moment came on the par-5 16th hole. After a wayward drive landed her in a bunker, McCrery managed to scramble and miraculously birdie the hole, thanks to a fortuitous bounce off a cooling fan.
“I guess I should dedicate my win to the fan on the left side of the 16th green because that’s really the shot that won me the event,” she joked.
The Road Ahead for McCrery
With her senior year of high school on the horizon, McCrery is optimistic about her future in golf.
“[The win] shows me that I have grown from where I sort of started a couple of years ago,” she said.
“I can play, I can compete with the top players, I can win against the top players.
So it’s definitely a good confidence booster and it just gives me a lot of hope for the future.”
Tight Competition in the Girls Division
Elizabeth Rudisill and Alice Zhao tied for second place at 4-under 283, each experiencing highs and lows throughout the final day.
Rudisill, with an even-par 72, and Zhao, with a 3-over 75, both had moments in the lead but couldn’t hold on.
Other notable performances included Elise Lee, Ryleigh Knaub, Asterisk Talley, and Madison Messimer, all tying for fourth at 1-under 286.
Larrabee’s Dominant Display
In the Boys Division, Baylor Larrabee’s stellar play saw him rise from a fifth-place tie to clinch the title with a 10-under 277.
His back-to-back rounds of 5-under 67 were a testament to his talent and determination.
“This is definitely the biggest thing in my career up to this point,” Larrabee remarked.
“Definitely the biggest win, best performance I’ve had. It means a lot to come out on this stage and prove I can play with the best.”
A decisive stretch from holes 7 through 10 cemented his lead. After birdieing the 7th, he eagled the 8th, then added birdies on the 9th and 10th, pulling ahead by three strokes.
“The eagle was like a 300-yard pin,” Larrabee recounted. “It set up perfect for like a low cut because I could get it running down the slope and get it to kick right to the pin.”
The Journey to Victory
Qualifying through the Pacific Northwest PGA Section event, Larrabee had a slow start but found his groove in the final rounds.
“I didn’t follow the leaderboard at all because my gameplan was going to be the same either way,” he said.
“And then on hole 16, I noticed that the cameras were following me more and I knew I was in a good spot.”
Boys Division Contenders
Lev Grinberg, Asher Vargas, and Jake Albert tied for second at 7-under 280, with commendable performances that highlighted the depth of talent in the field.
Michael Riebe, Ronin Banerjee, Will Hartman, and Jake Birdwell all finished tied for fifth at 6-under 281, showcasing the competitive spirit of the championship.
Middle Atlantic PGA Standings
Among the local talent from the Middle Atlantic PGA Section, several juniors made impressive showings. In the Girls Division, Zoe Cusack, Helen Yeung, Macie Rasmussen, and Kathryn Ha put in strong performances.
In the Boys Division, Jake Albert, Xander Goboy, Talon Dingledine, and Logan Reilly were standouts.
For detailed standings and more information on the Junior PGA Championships, visit JuniorPGAChampionship.com and follow the event on social media.
