By J.P. BUTLER
Special to the Olean Star
SALAMANCA — A year ago, Owen Wright fared quite impressively.
In his first year in the oldest age group, the long-time Penn-Yorker recorded the third-highest point total and placed in the top-five in scoring average with a mark just north of 79. He also logged two individual second-place finishes.
Still, the Cattaraugus-Little Valley Central Schooler felt he could do better. So, like any aspiring competitive golfer, he spent the offseason trying to improve. Wright worked ceaselessly on his short game “because that’s where scoring comes into play big if you can knock down putts or put chips close.”
“I also, mentally, just stopped worrying about my score as much,” he said, “and I just go out there just to have fun and play loose and be confident with every shot and not worry about if I put myself in, say, a hazard or in some trouble.
“I just worry about the good things, not the bad.”
Wright had plenty of good things to consider on Monday morning at Elkdale Country Club, where 85 youth players (of the 100 registered) convened for the first leg of the Penn York Junior Golf League’ 56th season.
IN PERHAPS the latest indication of his personal growth, Wright fired an even-par 70 to claim his first Division I boys (16-18) title. The Cardinal Hills member edged Louie Nedzinski (Bavarian Hills) by three strokes for the top spot.
“It felt good,” said Wright, who recently completed his junior year at C-LV. “It showed that my (improving skills could translate) not just in playing by myself, but by actually shooting low in a tournament.”
Though he’s generally scored well in multiple age groups in Penn-York play, he acknowledged that those instances were “nothing (compared to) how I’m playing now.”
On a beautiful, 75-degree summer day that made scoring a bit more feasible, eight total players recorded a 78 or better. That list included Dominik Myers, who carded an impressive 5-over par 75 at the Division II level (14-15) to earn his first-ever Penn-York title, and L. Howard and Phinn Chamberlain, who each notched a 76 to share third-place honors in Division I.
But the standout on Opening Day was Wright.
THE C-LV student posted back-to-back birdies on holes 2 and 3, then had all pars until 18. His only blemish came there, where he hit his drive under a tree, then found himself in bunker trouble around the green before double-bogeying to save a still-splendid even par.
His performance continued a strong 2025 for Wright, who medaled at the CCAA sectional qualifier back on May 7 by firing a 75 at Bartlett Country Club.
“I was keeping myself out of trouble, for sure,” Wright said of what fueled Monday’s round at Elkdale. “Putting myself in the fairway off the tee. I was getting up and down very well, my chipping was very good and I was making those four- and five-foot putts all day, which helped me out.”
Myers (Bartlett), an eighth-grader who started for the Olean varsity baseball team this spring, topped Liam McCardle (Caledonia) by five shots for the Division II crown. In Division III, Kayd Caskey (Bavarian Hills) captured his first Penn-York title by posting a 39 for nine holes and besting Keegan McCardle (Caledonia) by two strokes.
Elsewhere on the boys’ side, Kaysen Beaver (Cardinal Hills) picked up where he left off following a glittering 2024 season, shooting a 39 (over nine holes from the modified tees) and topping Gavin Blocher (Bartlett) by three strokes for the Division IV title. Both players turned in especially strong performances, however, by breaking 40 in the 11-and-under age group.
On the girls’ side, Penn-York newcomer Elise Kartesz (South Hills) registered a 45 over nine holes to collect the Division I (14-18) championship. Molly Leslie (Bartlett) shot a 53 to take the Division III (12-13) title while Emma Lyons (Bartlett) won the Division IV (11-and-under) championship with an 88 from the modified tees.
AFTER A THIRD-place finish following his sophomore year last summer, Wright has taken the initial lead in this year’s Penn-York standings. He’s excited to see what he can do over the final four legs.
“I’m gonna keep practicing, keep working,” said Wright, who also participated in last year’s SWNY-NWPA Men’s Amateur. “I play in some other leagues in Buffalo too. I’ll keep working for all the tournaments, and I just want to shoot as well as I can.”
Penn-York will resume next Monday at Pennhills Club in Bradford, Pa. Following are the top 10 finishers in each age group from this Monday’s opening round at Elkdale CC:
BOYS
DIVISION I (16-18)
1. O. Wright (Cardinal Hills) 70 10
2. L. Nedzinski (Bav. Hills) 73 9
3. L. Howard (Pennhills) 76 7.5
3. P. Chamberlain (Kane) 76 7.5
5. M. Muccio (Bav Hills) 77 5.5
5. J. Walter (Bav Hills) 77 5.5
7. J. Day (Spruce Ridge) 78 4
8. Z Deck (Allegheny Hills) 80 3
9. T. Salvaggio (Cardinal Hills) 81 2
10. C. Carls (Bartlette) 83 1
DIVISION II (14-15)
1. D. Myers (Bartlett) 75 10
2. L. McArdle (Caledonia) 80 9
3. K. Riekofsky (Smethport) 84 8
4. C. Backus (Caledonia) 86 7
5. D. Palumbo (Emporium) 89 4
5. E. Sarvaiya (South Hills) 89 4
5. C. Wahlers (Coudersport) 89 4
5. C. Kahm (Moonbrook) 89 4
5. S. Lundeen (Kane) 89 4
10. J. Bell (Pine Acres) 90 1
DIVISION III (12-13)
(9 holes)
1. Kayd Caskey (Bav. Hills) 39 10
2. K. McArdle (Caledonia) 41 9
3. C. Crabtree (Chautauqua) 43 8
4. A. Kuhn (Pine Acres) 45 7
5. Kalon Caskey (Bav. Hills) 50 6
6. L. Vecchio (Bartlett) 51 5
7. A. Rupp (Rolling Hills) 55 4
8. A. Wade (Elkdale) 57 3
9. C. Lundgren (Pennhills) 59 1.5
9. C. Jackson (Bartlett) 59 1.5
DIVISION IV (11-UNDER)
(9 holes modified)
1. K. Beaver (Cardinal Hills) 36 10
2. G. Blocher (Bartlett) 39 9
3. H. Honeck (St. Bonaventure) 41 8
4. C. Giles (Chautauqua) 44 7
5. C. Beaver (Cardinal Hills) 47 5.5
5. A. Wade (Elkdale) 47 5.5
7. G. Beaver (Cardinal Hills) 48 4
8. L. Pellegrino (C. Valley) 50 3
9. B. Myers (Bartlett) 52 2
10. S. Smith (Bartlett) 53 1
GIRLS
DIVISION I (14-18)
(9 holes)
1. E. Kartesz (SouthHills) 45 10
2. A. Ricker (Cardinal Hills) 63 9
DIVISION III
(9 Holes)
1. M. Leslie (Bartlett) 53 10
2. A. Sikora (Orchard Park) 61 9
DIVISION IV (11-UNDER)
(9 holes modified)
1. E. Lyons (Bartlett) 88 10
