By Dalton Balthaser

 

LINCOLN, R.I. - In the spring, Brendan Fay ran track for Barrington High School.

 

As a result, golf wasn’t on his mind.

 

“My last track event wrapped up on June 16,” said Fay, 18, of Barrington, R.I. “Golf was on the back burner for a lot of the spring. In late June, I started to practice golf every day. I haven’t shot many good scores this year. 76 is my best competitive round.”

 

Not anymore.

 

Fay sprinted out of the gates to claim medalist honors and the top seed in the Boys’ Division of the 98th Rhode Island Golf Association Junior Amateur at Kirkbrae Country Club Monday (par 71, 5,954 yards).

 

The incoming freshman at the College of Holy Cross carded a total of eight birdies against two bogeys for an opening round of 65, a shot clear of Wannamoisett Country Club’s Will Giguere.

 

Defending champion, Nicholas Petracca, carded an even-par 71. He will be the No. 4 seed.

 

“Being the stroke play medalist carries a burden for the week,” said Fay. “I am really happy I shot the score I did but I don’t expect myself to win this tournament so it puts a little more pressure on me that I didn’t want.

 

“I felt like I have been playing well so far this summer but I haven’t been able to make any putts.”

 

If you watched the Metacomet Golf Club member roll the rock on Monday you would have thought he was putting into the nearby Blackstone River.

 

The hole widened for Fay with a 25-footer for birdie on No. 4 (par 3, 129 yards). A tidy 56-degree wedge from 70 yards to 12 feet on No. 13 (par 4, 354 yards) kept the momentum going.

 

After going for the green on No. 16 (par 4, 300 yards) he had 35 yards remaining. Fay hit a poor pitch and left it 20 feet short.

 

Not to worry. Fay rolled in the birdie putt no problem. He added a closing birdie on No. 18 (par 4, 392 yards) after stuffing an 8-iron from 150 yards to 10 feet.

 

“I thought I played about the same as I had been all year,” said Fay. “The difference was I left myself in good spots and I made a lot of putts.  I wasn’t thinking at all over the putts. It was just point and shoot.”

 

Fay, in his sixth and final appearance in the #RIGAJunior, proceeded with caution around Kirkbrae’s bowling-alley like tee shots.

 

In only his second round ever at Kirkbrae, that’s to be expected. That passive aggressiveness worked well. But now the match play format waits.

 

Fay will play No. 16 seed Peter Alofsin of Wanumetonomy Golf and Country Club at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the first match of the day.

 

“I could be a little more aggressive in the match play portion of this tournament,” said Fay. “I felt like I was a little nervous coming in because of how tight it is off the tee. I was able to keep the ball in play so I won’t be as nervous.”

 

Junior Girls’ Division

 

The Papa sisters (Gianna and Vinny) shared medalist honors in the Junior Girls’ Division of the 98th #RIGAJunior at Kirkbrae (par 71, 5,326 yards).

 

The Connecticut National Golf Club members both carded rounds of 76 to lead the pack.

 

“My short game was working well today,” said Vinny, 10 and an incoming sixth grader at Ponaganset Middle School in North Scituate. “That part of golf is my favorite and I love to chip and putt.”

 

A 20-footer for par on No. 17 (par 3, 166 yards) for Vinny kept her momentum going. She will be the No. 1 seed since she posted her 76 before Gianna.

 

“My driver was really bad today,” said Gianna, 12 and an incoming 7th grader at Ponaganset. “But my putter saved me. I wasn’t putting well at all on the practice green at all and on No. 10 (par 4, 274 yards), my first hole, I made a six-footer for par. That gave me a lot of confidence.”

 

Vinny and Gianna (No. 2 seed), both of Foster, R.I., will each have a bye in the Round of 16 matches on Tuesday. They will return to action on Wednesday.