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Matt Mattare of Saucon Valley Country Club made nine birdies in the first round of the
113th Open Championship on Monday at Philadelphia Country Club. |
SVCC’s Mattare sets PCC course record with 63, leads #GAPOpen
GLADWYNE, Pa.–Amateur Matt Mattare gave himself a stern talking to after a rough BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship showing last month. His game wasn’t the issue, but his mental state was.
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| Day 1 notebook
| Round 2 tee times
| Day 1 video |
“After the Philly Am., I took a week off and reset. My attitude was bad. I was putting too much pressure on myself,” said Mattare, 31, of Jersey City, N.J. “[Golf] is not a career. [I said to myself] come out here and relax. When you relax and swing smooth good things happen.”
In the first round of the 113th Open Championship on Monday at Philadelphia Country Club (par 71, 6,902 yards), there were many good things, as in birdies. Mattare made nine total and just one bogey en route to setting a new Philly Country competitive course record of 63. Mattare’s scintillating performance gave the Saucon Valley Country Club swatter a four-shot lead heading into Tuesday’s second and final round.
Tony Perla, an assistant professional at Philadelphia Cricket Club, is Mattare’s closest challenger after carding a 67. Amateurs Michael McDermott of Merion Golf Club and David Hicks of Stone Harbor Golf Club are 2 under and tied for third.
Eight of the 128 players to begin the tournament finished in red figures.
The cutline fell at 4-over 75. A total of 65 players made the cut – 38 amateurs and 27 professionals.
This is the first year of a revamped Open format, which included the expansion of the field to 130-plus players (up from 78) and administration of the tournament over two days instead of one.
“The biggest thing is there was a month where I really didn’t play well culminating with the Philly Am. So there comes a time when you either adjust your attitude or stop putting all this time and effort into it,” said Mattare. “That adjustment has a made a huge difference, obviously.”
The 63 was a personal competitive best as well, said Mattare.
The prior Philadelphia Country competitive course record was 64. That was set by Charlie Beljan in the 2005 U.S. Amateur Championship when Country was the second qualifying site. Merion Golf Club (East) was the main venue that year.
Mattare stated his intentions early and often under Monday’s sunny skies. He made six birdies on the first nine holes to turn in 6-under 30. Strong wedges and a red-hot putter set the Philadelphia Country grill room abuzz when word started getting out.
Mattare’s birdie sequence went as follows:
- No. 2 (par 4, 353 yards), lob wedge from 94 yards to 15 feet
- No. 3 (par 5, 580 yards), lob wedge from 72 yards to six feet
- No. 5 (par 3, 167 yards), 8-iron to eight feet
- No. 6 (par 5, 499 yards), in front of green in two and chip to five feet
- No. 7 (par 3, 211 yards), 4-iron to seven feet
- No. 8 (par 4, 390 yards), lob wedge from 104 yards to eight feet
“When I rolled in the birdie on 7 [is when I thought it could be a special day],” said Mattare. “I had a 10-footer that broke about a foot and a half. And I just buried it dead in the heart. Once you get to 5 under you start getting greedy.
“The way I play is nice and relaxed and in control. I try not to press the issue. Especially since this is the first round of a 36-hole tournament.”
Mattare had 11 putts on the front nine.
On the back side, Mattare chipped it to a foot on No. 12 (par 5, 579 yards); knocked a lob wedge from 104 yards to 15 feet on No. 13 (par 4, 378 yards) and rolled in a 20-footer on No. 17 (par 4, 444 yards) after finding the green with a pitching wedge from 155 yards away. He also made three up-and-down par saves on Nos. 14 thru 16.
Mattare’s lone blemish came on the final hole.
He found the fairway on No. 18 (par 4, 392 yards) but spun a 52-degree wedge from 124 yards off the left side of the green, approximately 30 feet to the left of the hole. The ball stopped between the collar and rough. Mattare’s chip left him with 20 feet for par and he missed to the low side.
He had 12 putts on the back side.
“The big question when you come here is putting,” said Mattare, a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley. “These greens have a lot of grain in them and it’s not something you are used to dealing with. I had a great caddie in [Ted Decker]. I got a couple rolling early.”
Mattare’s top prior Open finish was a tie for third in 2016 and 2011.
Mattare’s been on a bit of a roll since that low point early in the season. He tied for second in the Metropolitan Golf Association’s Ike Championship (three-rounds of stroke play) soon thereafter and captured Saucon Valley’s stroke play championship event recently.
Perla, 30, of East Norriton, Pa., put himself in contention for both the Open title and low pro honors with a stellar 30 on the back nine. He turned in 1-over par but birdied Nos. 12-16 to find a spot near the top of the leaderboard. Perla was in the first group to tee off in the morning.
In a case of good symmetry, Mattare was in the first group of the afternoon wave.
McDermott, a five-time William Hyndman, III Player of the Year and multiple Major Champion, is still in search of his first Open title.
He’s six shots back.
McDermott’s been close a number of times in the Open, including five Top 3 finishes in the last 13 years.
Defending champion Jeff Osberg of Huntingdon Valley Country Club is at 3 over.
Total purse for the Open is $35,000. The low professional receives $7,000.
Golf Association of Philadelphia
Founded in 1897, the Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) is the oldest regional golf association in the United States and serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. Its 153 Member Clubs and 57,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. As Philadelphia’s Most Trusted Source of Golf Information, the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.
|
Name,
club
|
Rd. 1
|
|
(a)
Matthew Mattare, Saucon Valley Country Club
|
63
|
|
Tony
Perla, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
67
|
|
(a)
David Hicks, Stone Harbor Golf Club
|
69
|
|
(a)
Michael McDermott, Merion Golf Club
|
69
|
|
Stuart
Ingraham, MGolf Driving Range and Learning Center
|
70
|
|
(a)
Jack Melville, Lu Lu Country Club
|
70
|
|
(a)
Marty McGuckin, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
|
70
|
|
Mark Sheftic, Merion Golf Club
|
70
|
|
David
Quinn, Philmont Country Club
|
71
|
|
Brian Bergstol, Shawnee Country Club
|
71
|
|
John
Pillar, Sr., CC at Woodloch Springs
|
71
|
|
Alexander
Knoll, Bethlehem Golf Club
|
71
|
|
(a)
Scott McLaughlin, Lu Lu Country Club
|
71
|
|
(a)
Cole Berman, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
71
|
|
(a)
Michael Davis, Aronimink Golf Club
|
71
|
|
(a)
Ross Pilliod, Gilbertsville Golf Club
|
71
|
|
Chris
Krueger, Kings Creek
|
72
|
|
Rich
Steinmetz, Spring Ford Country Club
|
72
|
|
Trevor Bensel, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
|
72
|
|
Michael
Little, Lookaway Golf Club
|
72
|
|
(a)
Matt Bierer, RiverCrest
Golf Club & Preserve
|
72
|
|
Billy
Stewart, The ACE Club
|
72
|
|
(a)
Clark Holle, Mercer Oaks Golf Course
|
73
|
|
(a) Ron
Robinson, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
73
|
|
(a)
Michael Brown, Jr., Lu Lu Country Club
|
73
|
|
(a)
Michael Carr, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
73
|
|
Andrew
Turner, Sunnybrook Golf Club
|
73
|
|
(a)
P.J. Acierno, Lu Lu
Country Club
|
73
|
|
(a)
Troy Vannucci, Little Mill Country Club
|
73
|
|
David
McNabb, Applebrook Golf Club
|
73
|
|
Eric
Kennedy, Overbrook Golf Club
|
73
|
|
Ryan Lagergren, Stonewall
|
73
|
|
(a)
Michael Cook, Applebrook Golf Club
|
73
|
|
(a) Yoseph Dance, Union League Golf Club at Torresdale
|
73
|
|
George
Forster, Radnor Valley Country Club
|
73
|
|
David
Pagett, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
|
74
|
|
(a) P.
Chet Walsh, Philadelphia Country Club
|
74
|
|
(a)
Andrew Mason, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
|
74
|
|
Greg
Matthias, Tavistock Country Club
|
74
|
|
(a)
Blaine Lafferty, Little Mill Country Club
|
74
|
|
(a)
Jeff Osberg, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
|
74
|
|
William
Sautter, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
74
|
|
(a)
Ryan Cass, Merchantville Country Club
|
75
|
|
Matthew
Episcopo, Pine Valley Golf Club
|
75
|
|
(a)
Alexander Kim, Blue Bell Country Club
|
75
|
|
(a)
Dominic Digiacomo, Greate
Bay Country Club
|
75
|
|
Corey McAlarney, Squires Golf Club
|
75
|
|
(a)
Andrew Wallace, Green Valley Country Club
|
75
|
|
(a)
Brett Brenner, Green Valley Country Club
|
75
|
|
Brendon
Post, University of Delaware
|
75
|
|
(a)
Peter Barron, III, Stone Harbor Golf Club
|
75
|
|
(a)
Connor McNicholas, Lu Lu
Country Club
|
75
|
|
(a)
Peter Bradbeer, Merion Golf Club
|
75
|
|
(a)
Carey Bina, Radnor Valley Country Club
|
75
|
|
(a)
Glenn Smeraglio, Lu Lu
Country Club
|
75
|
|
(a)
Chris Lange, Jr., Overbrook Golf Club
|
75
|
|
(a)
Ryan Gelrod, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
75
|
|
(a)
Christopher Ault, Yardley Country Club
|
75
|
|
Bill
Walker, Riverton Country Club
|
75
|
|
(a)
Gary McCabe, Jr., RiverCrest Golf Club &
Preserve
|
75
|
|
(a)
Erik Reisner, The ACE Club
|
75
|
|
(a) Max
Siegfried, Aronimink Golf Club
|
75
|
|
Jordan
Gibbs, Gulph Mills Golf Club
|
75
|
|
David
Fields, Brookside CC of Allentown
|
75
|
|
Joey Pohle, Blue Bell Country Club
|
75
|
| |
|
Failed to qualify
|
|
Jason
Calhoun, Philadelphia Country Club
|
76
|
|
(a)
Aaron Fricke, Lancaster Country Club
|
76
|
|
(a)
Luca Jezzeny, The Bucks Club
|
76
|
|
(a)
Bryan Keeling, Spring Mill Country Club
|
76
|
|
Joseph Kogelman, GOLFTEC-Moorestown
|
76
|
|
(a)
Andrew Lombardo, Indian Valley Country Club
|
76
|
|
Brett
Melton, Radley Run Country Club
|
76
|
|
Tom
Michaels, Berkshire Country Club
|
76
|
|
Anthony
Napoletano, GOLFTEC-Malvern
|
76
|
|
John Bierkan, Aronimink Golf Club
|
76
|
|
Jakob Gerney, Trump National Golf Club - Philadelphia
|
76
|
|
Terry
Hatch, Hickory Valley Golf Club
|
76
|
|
Zac
Oakley, The Rookery
|
76
|
|
(a)
Richard Riva, Bent Creek Country Club
|
76
|
|
(a)
Ryan Rucinski, Fieldstone Golf Club
|
76
|
|
(a)
Dylan Stein, Mercer Oaks Golf Course
|
76
|
|
(a)
Mike Sydnes, Talamore
Country Club
|
76
|
|
(a)
Jarred Texter, Conestoga Country Club
|
76
|
|
(a)
James Gillespie, Little Mill Country Club
|
77
|
|
(a)
Connor Sheehan, Conestoga Country Club
|
77
|
|
(a)
Grant Skyllas, LedgeRock Golf Club
|
77
|
|
(a)
Robert Firth, Jr., Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
77
|
|
Robert Hennefer, Indian Spring Country Club
|
77
|
|
Terry
Hertzog, Country Club of York
|
77
|
|
(a)
Noah Schwartz, Woodcrest Country Club
|
77
|
|
(a)
John Barone, Glenmaura National Golf Club
|
78
|
|
(a)
Geoffrey Cooper, North Hills Country Club
|
78
|
|
(a)
Tyler McGarry, Fox Hill Country Club
|
78
|
|
(a)
Michael Rogers, Overbrook Golf Club
|
78
|
|
(a) Jon
Rudisill, Reading Country Club
|
78
|
|
(a)
Kevin Sarlo, Burlington Country Club
|
78
|
|
(a)
Chuck Briggs, Bala Golf Club
|
78
|
|
(a)
Matthew Davis, Aronimink Golf Club
|
78
|
|
(a)
Matthew Finger, DuPont Country Club
|
78
|
|
Steve
Swartz, Regents Glen
Country Club
|
78
|
|
(a)
Nicholas Biondi, Glenmaura National Golf Club
|
79
|
|
Nick
Gorman, Burlington Country Club
|
79
|
|
(a)
Keith Olinick, Skippack Golf Club at Evansburg State Park
|
79
|
|
(a)
David West, Whitford Country Club
|
79
|
|
Curtis
Kirkpatrick, Indian Spring Country Club
|
79
|
|
Rick LeBeau, Gulph Mills Golf Club
|
79
|
|
(a) Ben
Litt, Riverton Country Club
|
79
|
|
(a)
Frank Corrado, Jr., Lu Lu
Country Club
|
80
|
|
(a)
Wills Montgomery, Applecross Country Club
|
80
|
|
Eric
Schultz, Sunnybrook Golf Club
|
80
|
|
(a) Tom
DiCinti, Old York CC at Chesterfield
|
80
|
|
(a)
Thomas Lewis, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
80
|
|
(a) Jim
Maru, Northampton Country Club
|
80
|
|
(a)
Joel Hark, Woodcrest Country Club
|
81
|
|
(a)
Michael Quinn, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
81
|
|
Scott
Reilly, Philadelphia Country Club
|
81
|
|
Gregory
Farrow, Deerwood Country Club
|
81
|
|
Ryan
Jones, Lehigh Country Club
|
81
|
|
(a)
Liam McGrath, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
|
82
|
|
(a) Jon
Nolan Perry, Waynesborough Country Club
|
82
|
|
(a)
William Howard, V, Applebrook Golf Club
|
83
|
|
(a)
Joseph Hughes, Little Mill Country Club
|
83
|
|
(a)
Scott Kalan, Squires Golf Club
|
83
|
|
(a)
Joseph Markmann, Talamore
Country Club
|
83
|
|
John
Spina, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
83
|
|
(a)
Reed Winkler, Hartefeld National
|
84
|
|
(a)
Donald Burgess, Lancaster Country Club
|
87
|
|
(a)
Daniel Wu, Blue Bell Country Club
|
89
|
|
(a)
Ambrose Abbracciamento, Old York CC at Chesterfield
|
WD
|
|
(a)
Matthew Balcer, Bensalem Township Country Club
|
WD
|
|
Travis Deibert, The Ridge at Back Brook
|
WD
|
|
(a)
John Brennan, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
WD
|
|
(a) Joe
Visalli, Hartefeld
National
|
WD
|
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|
WD-withdrawal
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