Country Club of St. Albans Assistant Golf Professional Brooks Morris led his team including John DeLuca, and brothers Noah and Nick Sackman through a strong back nine to grab the Pro-3 Junior Championship at Glen Echo Country Club on Tuesday, June 16. The St. Albans group broke away from a cluster of contenders after the turn to by going 5-under par down stretch to win going away.
The Junior event features a professional and three Juniors in a two best ball competition. It is open to both males and females, and eligible juniors must not have graduated high school.
Members of the Christian Brothers College High School golf team, 16-year-old Nick and 15-year-old Noah are the sons of former Saint Louis University men’s soccer goalkeeper Jeff Sackman. DeLuca has enjoyed a highly successful amateur career while playing at Chaminade College Preparatory School.
Nick Sackman thought they improved as the day wore on. “We got a better feel for the course as we played and the occasional rain didn’t bother us,” he said. “It was fun, because I’m used to playing with him (nodding toward Noah), and we’ve known John for a long time.”
Morris credited the youthful group. “The Sackmans are newer members, and I’ve known John for some time, but they’re all talented players and that showed,” he said.
St. Louis Country Club Golf Professional Grant Masson, Henry Millman, William Carmichael and Drew Mills finished at three-under when Masson and Millman each birdied the 411-yard, par 4 18th hole. They went to the clubhouse tied for the lead, but there were still too many holes to play for the eventual champions.
In third, Dalhousie Golf Club Professional Connor Thrower, along with Tate Shively, Cole Adams and Lawson Brown were the only other team under par at 1-under.
In the 13-and-Under Scramble event, Glen Echo Country Club Golf Professional Joe Hof led the Bauer brothers, 10-year-old Crawford and 7-year-old Everett, and 9-year-old Richie Conners to a 7-under-par 64 for a one-stroke triumph.
Crawford Bauer simply stated why they won, “We all played good.” Playing through rain on three holes didn’t hamper them as Bauer thought the team adjusted well to the changing conditions.
Crawford also liked playing with the club pro. “It was good,” he said. “On one of his drives, it was on 12 ( 406-yard par 4) I think, that he hit it 15-feet from the hole. He helped us with approach shots and reading putts.”
Hof was impressed by his young companions. “Every time we needed to hit a golf shot, one of them seemed to come through and hit a golf shot, if not two of them,” he said. “Hit a green, hit it over the the water, put it in the fairway … I don’t hit a lot of fairways, so having kids who can put it in the fairway was pretty good.”
Hof tried to be supportive. “On the golf course, there’s not a lot of teaching going on, but kept them trying, keep them calm, even through Crawford said I didn’t, give them insight on putts,” he quipped. “Just boost them up. Hit a bad shot, doesn’t really matter, we got a team, hit the next one good.”
Finishing as runner-up, Westborough Country Club Golf Professional Brad Petlz, Lottie Kretchmar, Jack Loeffler and Oliver Dolan were one stroke back at 6-under 65. Their only bogey of the round at the 434-yard, par-4 16th hole proved costly.
Another stroke back in third at 5-under 66, Whitmoor Country Club Golf Professional Dan Barry, Leona Hubbard, Sterling Udy and Emily Marschell were third at five-under.
Opening in 1901 as the first eighteen-hole course in St. Louis, Glen Echo has always demanded strategic thought, precise execution, and respect for the land. Over the decades, its fairways have tested Olympic competitors, British Open champions, and the most accomplished amateurs of their eras. While the landscape has matured, the soul of the course remains unchanged—a living expression of Scottish lineage, offering a pure and principled game that continues to reward patience, creativity and craft.