Chase Yenser Win PA Junior Boy?s Championship

Scores

HERSHEY, Pa. – What a difference a year makes. Chase Yenser (Reading Country Club), who finished 57^th at the Pennsylvania Golf Association (PAGA) Junior Boys’ Championship last year, flipped the script and made it a wire-to-wire win this week at the 82^nd edition of the tournament at Hershey Country Club. Leading the field after firing a six-under 65 on Monday, he played steady in the final round to the tune of a one-under 70 to claim medalist honors at seven-under for the week.

“I got off to a pretty steady start and throughout the tournament avoided any big numbers,” said Yenser. “No double bogeys, no triples, so that really keeps you in it. The course is in great shape. The fairways are firm and the greens are super receptive, so really good scoring conditions.”

Yenser played mistake-free on the front nine, including birdies on holes No. 5 and 6. A lone bogey on 14 and eight pars on the back nine was enough finish on top of the leaderboard for the rising Daniel Boone High School senior. With the victory, he earns an exemption to compete in the 2026 Sunnehanna Amateur, played June 17-20, 2026, at Sunnehanna Country Club in Johnstown, Pa.

“This winter I was in the weight room five or six days a week and I’m hitting the ball farther, so that made a big difference out there,” said Yenser. “Last year my putting was just bad. I had never played the course before but this year I had more experience with the greens and it went well.”

The player chasing Yenser all day was Freddy Hartmann (Overbrook Golf Club), who was three back to begin the round. Hartmann bogeyed three of the first four holes but righted the ship quickly, with birdies on 5, 6, 9, and 11. After another birdie on 16, Hartmann only trailed Yenser by two strokes – but both players parred the last two holes to avoid any late dramatics. Hartmann finished at five-under for the tournament.

“I didn’t get off to a great start but kind of kept my cool and I knew that if I stayed in my rhythm, good things would happen – and they did,” said Hartmann. “It just wasn’t enough today, but congratulations to Chase.”

Other notable finishers included Michael Quallich (South Hills Country Club) in third place at four-under for the tournament. Quallich eagled the first hole of the day, birdied No. 2, and only had one bogey on Tuesday, but could not catch the duo of Yenser and Hartmann.

Behind Quallich were a pair tied for fourth place at one-under: Nicky Nemo (Merion Golf Club) and Wes Lorish (Edgewood Country Club). The top seven finishers included another two players tied for sixth in William Hilton (Treesdale Golf & Country Club) and Luca Kleinschmidt (Oakmont Country Club), who both shot even-par for the week.

The Pennsylvania Golf Association would like to thank the staff and membership of Hershey Country Club for the hospitality shown during this week’s Championship. Additional thanks go to DICK’S Sporting Goods for sponsorship of the event as the title sponsor of the PAGA.