2026 Boy's Junior Day 1 Recap

HERSHEY, Pa. – Reading Country Club’s Chase Yenser is trying to accomplish a feat that hasn’t happened since 1996 – winning back-to-back Pennsylvania Golf Association (PAGA) Junior Boys’ Championships. Yenser is tied for the 18-hole lead at the 83^rd edition of the tournament at Hershey Country Club’s East course along with Brad McDermott (Merion Golf Club), who finished 18^th at last year’s Championship. 

Both golfers are two strokes clear of the field after shooting six-under-par 65’s. McDermott started his round on the back nine and took a while to warm up. He was still even par after seven holes – but caught fire after that. He birdied holes No. 17, 18, 2, and 3 and eagled the first hole to soar up the leaderboard. 

Yenser found success on the front nine as well, birdieing four of the first six holes (1, 4, 5, and 6) and ended his round with nine total birdies. He also led last year’s Championship after the first round and is trying to become the first player to repeat as champion since Johnathon C. Rusk did so in 1995 and 1996 at Yardley Country Club. 

The group chasing Yenser and McDermott includes Carson Kittsley (Oakmont Country Club) in third place at -4 (67) and Michael Quallich (South Hills Country Club) at -3 (68). Kittsley, who totaled four birdies and no bogeys on Monday, finished eighth in last year’s tournament and has logged an incredibly successful year that included wins at the PIAA AAA high school championship (his second in a row) and WPGA Amateur Championship (the youngest known player to capture that title.) Quallich finished in third place last year, three strokes behind Yenser, and logged five birdies in today’s round to keep himself in the conversation heading into the final 36 holes.

Behind those leaders is a group of four competitors tied for fifth place at -2 (69) that includes Logan Cassidy (Union League GC at Torresdale), Dallas Inch (USGA/GAP GC), Benjamin Boyanoski (CC of Scranton), and Caleb Walsh (Saucon Valley CC).

 Also still in the hunt are six additional players under-par at -1 (70): Benjamin Allwein (Lebanon CC), Luke Ferry (The Country Club), Rocco Bautti (USGA/Western Pennsylvania GC), Carson Hummer (Hershey CC), Dane Mohap (FSGA Sun Coast), and Logan Turner (White Manor CC).

 The winner of this year’s Championship earns an exemption into the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship at Saucon Valley Country Club on July 20-25. In addition, they qualify for the prestigious 2027 Sunnehanna Amateur, one of the events in the country’s Elite Amateur Golf Series. 

Complete results for Monday can be found here: https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/12367905609671028648

 The 83^rd PAGA Junior Boys’ Championship continues on Tuesday, June 30 with rounds two and three. 

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