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.
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FORT WASHINGTON, Pa.–Mike Meisenzahl’s opening qualifying round in the 111th Amateur Championship was moving comfortably along at Manufacturers G&CC – he was even par thru six holes on Tuesday – when it became that day. In a flash, the round went from mundane to extraordinary as Meisenzahl carded a spectacular 5-under 66. Pretty sensational considering it was his first-ever trip to Manufacturers G&CC. Difficult afternoon conditions, occasional rain, wind and the grind of a 36-hole qualifier, slowed the 23-year-old down at North Hills CC (1-over 72), but it didn’t stop Meisenzahl from earning medalist honors and the No. 1 match play seed. He finished the two rounds of the Amateur Championship Qualifier at 4-under-par 138, two shots clear of second-place finishers Robert Galbreath, Jr. of Huntingdon Valley CC and Matt Mattare of Saucon Valley CC.
Mike Meisenzahl of Little Mill CC (purple) walks off the 18th green at Manufacturers G&CC after carding a 5-under 66.
“I have nothing other to say than it feels great,” said Meisenzahl, a Medford, N.J. resident. “I talked a lot with my dad that I just wanted to get a good number in the house. My goal was even par. I made a couple good up-and-downs early and then the putter got hot. All of a sudden I started hitting it real close and giving myself opportunities for birdie. I left myself almost the easiest birdie putt on every green.”
The match play portion of the Amateur Championship begins Wednesday morning at 8 a.m. Meisenzahl will face the last survivor of an eight-player-for-seven-qualifying-positions playoff which begins at 7 a.m.
A recent James Madison University graduate, Meisenzahl opened his round at Manufacturers G&CC (par 71, 6,587 yards) with six successive pars before that happened and he registered four birdies and an eagle in the next six-hole stretch.
ROBERT GALBREATH, JR.
On No. 7 (par 5, 503 yards), he knocked his hydrid from 240 yards out on the green about 30 feet away and two putted for birdie; on No. 8 (par 3, 105 yards), the iconic drop hole, he stuffed a gap wedge to a foot; on No. 9 (par 5, 472 yards), he hit a 200-yard, 4-iron to 10 feet and drained the eagle try; on No. 11 (par 3, 175 yards), he ripped a 6-iron to 20 feet and holed the ensuing putt; and on No. 12 (par 5, 519 yards), he knocked a hybrid on from 225 yards to 20 feet and two putted.
Meisenzahl moved to 7 under after draining a smooth 18-foot left-to-right slider on No. 15 (par 5, 540 yards), but got in trouble on the final hole with a poor tee shot and ensuing three putt, his final two-foot bogey effort spinning around the entire hole.
At North Hills CC (par 71, 6,505 yards), Meisenzahl’s round wasn’t nearly as exciting.
Starting on the back nine, he registered one birdie and one bogey. One more bogey coming in, on No. 4 (par 5, 620 yards), resulted in a 1-over 72.
The Amateur Championship Qualifier also serves as the first two rounds of the Silver Cross Award. The Silver Cross is awarded to the player with the lowest aggregate score in the qualifying rounds of the Amateur Championship and the Patterson Cup.
Last year, Meisenzahl lost the Silver Cross to Jeff Osberg of Llanerch CC by a stroke.
“The Silver Cross means everything,” said Meisenzahl. “I think the Silver Cross means more to me than any single tournament. Winning the Silver Cross probably makes you the best golfer in the area. It proves you are the most consistent golfer over the course of the tournament schedule.”
MATT MATTARE
Galbreath, 20, of Huntingdon Valley, Pa., and Mattare, 25, of Bethlehem, Pa., both finished at 2 under. Galbreath opened with a 68 at Manufacturers and finished with a 72 at North Hills. Mattare started with a 69 at Manufacturers and ended with a 71 at North Hills.
“Coming out I figured if I could make a few birdies early, that makes your day that much easier,” said Galbreath. “I was lucky I was in that position.”
NOTES–James Kania, Jr. of Overbrook GC pulled a Fred Couples of yesteryear on Manufacturers G&CC’s fourth hole (par 3, 184 yards). Kania, the 2009 Amateur runner-up, shanked his 8-iron drive out of bounds but re-teed and jarred his next shot for an improbable 3. “Right after I hit it I said just go in,” said Kania, 22, of Haverford, Pa. “It jumped up right and past the hole and spun back in.” Kania is still in search of his first regulation ace. Kania finished his two rounds with a 148 total … Kyle Sterbinsky of Yardley CC, the youngest competitor in the field at age 14 advanced into match play. Sterbinsky posted a 74 at North Hills CC in the morning and a 1-over 72 at Manufacturers G&CC in the afternoon for a 146 total. A recent graduate of Greynun Academy in Yardley, Pa., this was Sterbinsky’s first Amateur experience. “I just wanted to make the cut,” said Sterbinsky, who noted he putted well all day. Sterbinsky will either attend Holy Ghost Prep or the Peddie School next fall ... Last year’s champion, Justin Martinson of Hartefeld National turned professional in late May and, therefore, is ineligible to defend his title.
Qualifiers
Name,
club
Scores
Mike
Meisenzahl, Little Mill Country Club
66M-72N–138
Matthew
Mattare, Saucon Valley Country Club
69M-71N–140
Robert
Galbreath, Jr., Huntingdon Valley Country Club
68M-72N–140
Glenn
Smeraglio, Mercer Oaks Golf Course
70M-71N–141
Daniel
Charen, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
70N-71M–141
Matthew
Burkhart, Meadia Heights Golf Club
72N-70M–142
Christopher
Lange, Overbrook Golf Club
71M-72N–143
Douglas
Zelner, Coatesville Country Club
72N-71M–143
Ben
Feld, Blue Bell Country Club
74M-70N–144
Connor
McNicholas, Commonwealth National Golf Club
74M-70N–144
Thomas
Gramigna, Tavistock Country Club
72M-72N–144
Michael
Hyland, Little Mill Country Club
70M-75N–145
Patrick
Ross, Glenmaura National Golf Club
69M-76N–145
Kyle
Davis, Fieldstone Golf Club
73N-72M–145
*Andy
Achenbach, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
71M-74N–145
Gary
Daniels, Saucon Valley Country Club
71N-74M–145
David
Sanders, Laurel Creek Country Club
73N-72M–145
Sam
Pancoast, Radley Run Country Club
76N-69M–145
Stephen
Hudacek III, Glenmaura National Golf Club
72M-74N–146
Marc
Mandel, Philadelphia Cricket Club
76M-70N–146
Michael
McDermott, Merion Golf Club
74M-72N–146
Paul
Kovalcheck, Lu Lu Country Club
73N-73M–146
Michael
Kania, Overbrook Golf Club
75N-71M–146
Kyle
Sterbinsky, Yardley Country Club
74N-72M–146
Tucker
Koch, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
74M-73N–147
Scott
McNeil, Philadelphia Publinks GA
78N-69M–147
Playoff
(8 players, 7 positions)
Chip
Lutz, LedgeRock Golf Club
72M-76N–148
Andrew
Mason, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
74M-74N–148
Greg
Jarmas, Philadelphia Publinks GA
76M-72N–148
Robert
Bechtold, Loch Nairn Golf Club
73M-75N–148
Jamie
Slonis, Tavistock Country Club
74N-74M–148
James
Kania, Jr., Overbrook Golf Club
78N-70M–148
Christopher
Fuga, Phoenixville Country Club
72N-76M–148
Peter
Barron, III, Stone Harbor Golf Club
76N-72M–148
Failed
to qualify
John
Simone, Philmont Country Club
75M-74N–149
Scott
Klee, Indian Valley Country Club
75M-74N–149
Matthew
Finger, Wedgwood Country Club
74M-75N–149
Robert
Gill, Fox Hill Country Club
71M-78N–149
Ryan
MMarty, Little Mill Country Club
77N-72M–149
Jake
Murphy, Mercer Oaks Golf Course
73N-76M–149
Anthony
Martire, Seaview Resort & Spa
77N-72M–149
Oliver
White, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
75M-75N–150
Doug
Marcincin, Northampton Country Club
75M-75N–150
Blayze
DiPasquale, Commonwealth National Golf Club
74M-76N–150
*John
Brennan, Spring Ford Country Club
73M-77N–150
Ross
Brown, Huntsville Golf Club
76M-74N–150
David
West, Whitford Country Club
76N-74M–150
Daniel
Feeney, Philadelphia Cricket Club
78N-72M–150
Sean
Fahey, Overbrook Golf Club
77N-73M–150
Rodney
James, Five Ponds Golf Club
76N-74M–150
Greg
Wolfe, Cavaliers Country Club
76N-74M–150
Mike
Amole, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
76M-75N–151
Christopher
Storck, Moselem Springs Golf Club
74N-77M–151
James
Bea, Spring Mill Country Club
74N-77M–151
Greg
O'Connor, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
76N-75M–151
Edward
Kelly, Jr., Applecross Country Club
75N-76M–151
Jeffrey
Griest, Waynesborough Country Club
72N-79M–151
Arthur
Kania, Jr., Merion Golf Club
74N-77M–151
Ryan
Gelrod, Commonwealth National Golf Club
74M-78N–152
Stephen
Seiden, Llanerch Country Club
75M-77N–152
Chris
Lange, Jr., Overbrook Golf Club
73M-79N–152
P.
Chet Walsh, Philadelphia Country Club
72M-80N–152
Benjamin
Cooley, Lu Lu Country Club
76M-76N–152
Michael
Carr, Plymouth Country Club
70N-82M–152
William
Jeremiah, Bidermann Golf Club
76N-76M–152
Tom
Shin, Laurel Creek Country Club
79N-73M–152
James
Sullivan, Jr., Mercer Oaks Golf Course
77N-75M–152
Tom
Spano, Llanerch Country Club
74M-79N–153
Cole
Berman, Philadelphia Cricket Club
78M-75N–153
Thomas
Hyland, Little Mill Country Club
73M-80N–153
Aaron
Burton, Hartefeld National
77M-76N–153
Russell
Hartung, Doylestown Country Club
77N-76M–153
Rand
Mendez, Fieldstone Golf Club
77N-76M–153
Michael
Moffat, Five Ponds Golf Club
75N-78M–153
Bobby
Arthur, Jr., Tavistock Country Club
78N-75M–153
Brian
Rothaus, Five Ponds Golf Club
76N-77M–153
Brandon
Dalinka, The Ridge at Back Brook
73M-81N–154
Benjamin
Smith, Little Mill Country Club
81M-73N–154
Bobby
Svigals, Radnor Valley Country Club
76M-78N–154
Maximillian
Muller, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
