Metuchen's Kim wins MGA junior tourney
Metuchen's Peter Kim didn't let the No. 1 seed be a jinx. The 13-year-old captured the 40th Metropolitan Golf Association/MetLife Boys Championship on Friday at the Rumson Country Club, defeating Benjamin DeForest from Cottekill, N.Y., 2&1 (up two holes with one hole to play).

It was the first MGA victory for Kim, who was the top seed for the match-play tournament, based on carding the lowest score in sectional qualifying (73 at the New Paltz Country Club).

Kim won the match on the 17th hole when he holed a short par putt to halve the hole.

It was only fitting that Kim won the match with a par, because it was par golf that got him the lead. He was two down to DeForest after five holes, but followed with 11 consecutive pars on the par-71, 6,617-yard Rumson Country Club course, to go two-up. His 12th straight par won it on the 17th hole.

"I knew it was going to be a really tough match, so I had to make sure I was really consistent and made a lot of pars," Kim said of his path to victory.

The MGA/Met Life Boys Championships was held over two days in Rumson. It started with a field of 16 on Thursday and was narrowed to four by the end of the day.

Kim won his first-round match against the 16th seed, Thomas Kim from Saddle River, 7&6. DeForest, the No. 7 seed, took out Alex Hayes from Easton, Conn., the 10th seed, 1-up.

In the quarterfinals, Kim beat John Realie from Albertson, N.Y., 3&1, while DeForest, took out the No. 2 seed, Mark Reilly of Babylon, N.Y., 3&2.

Also advancing to Friday's semi-finals were Kirk Massie of Westport, Conn., and Stephen Pastore of Greenwich, Conn.

In the semifinals, Kim beat Massie, 3&2, while DeForest topped Pastore, 4&3, setting the stage for the Kim-DeForest final in the afternoon.

Among the under-16 golfers in the field last week were Rumson's Charlie Edler and Holmdel's Richie Bohny. Edler won the Rumson Country Club's junior championship while Bohny was the medalist (low round) at the New Jersey qualifier at the Newton Country Club.

Both lost in the Round of 16. Edler and Massie were even after 18 holes, with Massie winning it on the 19th, while Brian Tohir, New Canaan, Conn., beat Bohny, 2- up.

With the victory, Kim received exemptions to both the Met Junior Championship and Carter Cup-MGA Junior Stroke Play Championship for as long as he is eligible. DeForest earned an exemption into next year's Carter Cup.

This year marked the ninth time that the Rumson Country Club has hosted the MGA/Met Life Boys Championship.