Kern reaches PNGA Junior Amateur semifinal

The Mercer Island High School boys golf star, Charlie Kern, turned in a stellar performance at the 55th annual PNGA Junior Boys’ Amateur Championship on Thursday, Aug. 13, in Moscow, Idaho, but it wasn’t enough to defeat No. 2 seed James Feutz of University Place.

In what observers called “the most exciting match of the championship thus far” at the University of Idaho Golf Course, Kern fell behind Feutz’s blazing hot start in an afternoon semifinal match — firing a 7-under-par-30 on the front nine to hold a three-up advantage through nine holes. Feutz was able to hold that three-up lead through 14 holes, but then Kern caught fire birding three of the final four holes, including a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole to extend the match into extra holes.

The pair exchanged pars over the first five playoff holes, until Kern was unable to get up-and-down out of the greenside bunker on the sixth playoff hole, leaving Feutz with a five-foot par putt for the victory. He calmly drained it to win the match on the 24th hole. Kern finished 5-over-par for a total of 149 and 17th on the leader board.

Stroke-play medalist Zach Wanderscheid of Goldendale went on to win the PNGA Junior Amateur the following day by one stroke after playing a 36-hole final match.

The Pacific Northwest Junior Boys Amateur (PNGA) Championship contestants must not have reached their 18th birthday by the final day of the competition and must also carry a handicap index of 24.4 or less to compete for the title.