The Kennedy family seems to have a winning formula in VSGA championships.
Andrew Kennedy (Richmond CC) posted the only under-par round of the tournament, a sizzling first-round 65, to build a dominating lead and coast to the boys title at the 2nd VSGA Junior Golf Circuit 36-hole Championship, held this past weekend at Lake Chesdin Golf Club in Chesterfield. Earlier this month, Kennedy’s younger brother Charlie won the 12-13 age group title at the VSGA Youth Championship at Elizabeth Manor G&CC in Portsmouth.
The girls championship went to Diana Domenech (VSGA Junior Golf Circuit), who was the runner up earlier this summer at the 47th VSGA Junior Girls Championship. Kennedy and Domenech are teammates at Mills Godwin High School in Richmond.
Kennedy shot 74 on Sunday for a two-day 139. Though he wasn’t able to replicate his first round, he still shot the low round of the day and finished 10 strokes clear of runner up Kyle Cardenas (Army Navy CC), who shot 72-77—149.
Kennedy made six birdies and an eagle in Saturday’s first round. He made the turn at 4 under after birdies on Nos. 2, 4, 6 and 9. He opened his back nine with an eagle on the par-5 10th hole and followed that with a birdie on the par-3 11th hole. Kennedy’s only blemish was a bogey on the par-4 13th, but he followed that up with a birdie on the par-5 15th.
Kennedy’s second round was more erratic, as he finished with four birdies, four bogeys and a double bogey. But it was still plenty enough to win, as no one else shot better than 75.
Aaron Liu (VSGA Junior Golf Circuit) finished third at 75-76—151, two shots behind Cardenas. Nicholas Taliaferro (Salisbury CC) was fourth at 77-75—152.
Like Kennedy, Domenech entered Sunday as the 18-hole leader after shooting a 5-over 77 on the first day. She tied for the low round on Sunday, shooting an 8-over 80 for a two-day 157 and a two-stroke victory over Jaden Harman (Spotswood CC). Rory Weinfurther (Salisbury CC) and Paris Fieldings (VSGA Junior Golf Circuit) tied for third after shooting two-day 161s. Jillian Drinkard (Falling River CC) rounded out the top five at 162.
Domenech made only one birdie during the tournament, but she avoided the big numbers that plagued her fellow competitors, making no worse than bogey.