Jay Mulieri describes his golf game as “aggressive.” It’s safe to assume Ray Hyre agrees.
Playing Thursday for the Bobby Gorin Memorial title at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Mulieri made birdies on the first three holes and went on to easily defeat Hyre, 8 and 7, to claim his first Washington Metropolitan Golf Association title.
“I was even par after five holes and I was three down,” said Hyre, a recent graduate of Bowie High who will continue his career at Mount St. Mary’s. “I don’t think anybody in the field could have beaten him today. I never had a chance.”
Wearing a purple shirt, the school color at Gonzaga, where he is a rising junior, Mulieri trumped Hyre on the first hole, sinking a 15-foot putt for a birdie, moments after his opponent dropped a 20-footer for par. Mulieri added short birdie putts at Nos. 2 and 3 to go 3 up.
Mulieri’s start was typical of his play of late. In April he won a national event on the Plantations Tour. In May, he took medal honors in the Metro Private School Championship, leading Gonzaga to the team title.
“Just a lot of practice on the putting green,” said Mulieri, a Silver Spring native and member at Avenel whose brother plays golf at Towson. “It’s brought my scores down a lot.”
After shooting a 74 in the qualifying round Tuesday, Mulieri followed with four decisive match-play victories. His first came over Gonzaga classmate Ryan McCarthy, who carried Mulieri’s bag yesterday.
McCarthy had a stake in another match Thursday at Woodmont. His brother, Denny McCarthy, won the 13-and-under Division, besting Ben Warnquist, 4 and 3.
Chips and putts
» Jay Mulieri’s brother, Mike, plays on a golf scholarship at Loyola.
» Billy Peel, of Potomac, and Joseph Buttgereit, of Montclair, shot 72 to tie for medal honors Tuesday in the qualifying round.
» Buttgereit fell in the 14-15 Division final, 3 and 2, to Charlie Winegardner, of Lothian.
