Philadelphia Cricket Club takes 1st Team ChampionshipThe year of firsts continues for Philadelphia Cricket Club. More than a month after winning its first GAP Team Matches title, the famed Flourtown, Pa. venue captured the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s 94th Team Championship June 25 at Lehigh Country Club. It (27 points) bested Huntingdon Valley Country Club (18), Commonwealth National Golf Club (14) and Llanerch Country Club (13). “It’s been an awesome year. To get [the GAP Team Matches and Team Championship] is very exciting,” Robert Savarese, Jr., Philadelphia Cricket’s captain, said. “The group is ecstatic,” team member Scott Storck added. “We’ve been trying to just reach the Championship itself for the last 10 years, and this was only the second time we made it through. It kind of reinforces the GAP Team Matches win. It lets everyone know that wasn’t a fluke.” Far from a fluke it seems. Philadelphia Cricket posted 10 points in the morning foursomes portion at Lehigh and accelerated into the winner’s circle with a 17-point effort in the afternoon. “Everything about the day couldn’t be better,” Storck said. “If you look at Lehigh, they have such a great compliment of par 3s. You’re really forced to bear down and hit good shots.” Prior to its triumph, Philadelphia Cricket, one of the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s founding Member Clubs, only had six Team Championship appearances — five of which occurred within a decade (1949-58). It erased a 54-year drought by advancing into the Championship proper a year ago, when it finished as runner-up to hosts Overbrook Golf Club. Now that Philadelphia Cricket’s shed the team monkey off its back, the club appears poised to build upon its 2013 gold. “There is such good chemistry with people at the club now. We really feel like this is the start of something special,” Storck said. “There’s a tight camaraderie away from the course as well. Not only do you know them as a fellow competitor, but you know them on a much deeper personal level.” “The future is bright for us,” Savarese added. “We are very deep. We’re going to be competitive. I think we may go on a run here. I wouldn’t be surprised.” The last club to pull a double and win the GAP Team Matches and Team Championship in the same year was Commonwealth National in 2009.
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A Walk Through Time
GAP is the oldest state or regional golf association in the country. It started courtesy of a friendly competition – the Team Matches – and has grown into the preeminent golf association in the country. Along the way, golf history has been made.
