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| Geoffrey Cooper of Links Golf Club follows his birdie putt on No. 12 (par 4, 416 yards). |
*Scorecards
*Photo Gallery
Links GC’s Cooper caps Amateur Qualifier at Tavistock
HADDONFIELD, N.J. — Two fundamental changes may lead to a competitive golf transformation for Geoffrey Cooper of Links Golf Club. He adopted the stack and tilt approach nearly three years ago and switched putters after a tough outing in the New Jersey State Golf Association’s Middle-Amateur Championship last week.
Cooper now feels more confident in his game. It showed Tuesday as the Philadelphia, Pa. resident earned medalist honors in an Amateur Championship Qualifier at Tavistock Country Club (par 72, 6,789 yards). Challenging greens and high winds made scoring difficult, but Cooper didn’t seem to mind. He carded a 1-under-par 71, the day’s lone subpar score, to lead a field of 135 players attempting to grab one of 30 qualifying positions and ties available for the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s 112th Amateur Championship, set for June 12-14 & 16 at Huntingdon Valley Country Club.
“My work with Steve Sieracki [who operates the Stack and Tilt Golf Academy at Burlington Country Club] is getting better and better,” Cooper, 35, said. “Using the long putter has helped my short and long putting. For competitive golf, I’m just going to need to commit to it.”
Cooper hit 16 greens in regulation. The two that he missed resulted in bogeys. Cooper flew the No. 1 (par 4, 355 yards) green with a 140-yard 9-iron shot, guided a chip to six feet and missed the par putt. Cooper nuked his 6-iron into the back bunker on No. 4 (par 3, 157 yards) and failed to get-up-and-down.
Cooper, who works in sales, fired three birdies on his outward tour. He nearly holed an 80-yard wedge shot on No. 2 (par 5, 546 yards) for eagle. Cooper drilled an 8-iron 140 yards to 15 feet on No. 5 (par 5, 554 yards) and converted the right-to-left breaker. He hit a 56-degree wedge 55 yards to five feet on No. 7 (par 4, 340 yards). Cooper stayed steady on the back, adding a fourth birdie to the scorecard on No. 17 (par 5, 489 yards). He powered a 3-iron 210 yards to 20 feet and nearly executed the eagle try. A three-putt on the par 4, 430-yard 18th hole prevented a score in the 60s.
The Amateur Championship is the only competitive tournament left on Cooper’s schedule. He and his wife Betsy are expecting their second child this summer.
“We have a baby coming July 20, so I’m going to shut it down after this [the Championship proper],” Cooper said. “That’ll be my competitive outlet. I want to make match play. I’ve never made match play the last couple of years. I’ve played Huntingdon Valley a lot, and I’ve played it well, so I think I have a good chance.”
Patrick Knott of Merion Golf Club carded a 1-over-par 72 to place second.
“My short game saved me today, which you’d like to have out there,” he said. “I made a lot of 10 foot putts today. On greens this fast, it can be quite scary. It was really gut-it-out type round.”
Starting on the back nine, Knott, 26, of Bryn Mawr, Pa., converted five straight pars before running into trouble on the dogleg left No. 15 (par 5, 542 yards). He attempted to hook a 6-iron around the corner, but beamed his golf ball directly into a row of trees. A punch 7-iron shot hit a tree, forcing Knott to exhaust a fourth stroke just to return to the fairway.
“I compounded the mistake by trying to get too aggressive with my second and third shots,” he said.
Knott, who works in investment management, recovered a stroke on No. 17 (par 5, 489 yards) by knocking a 9-iron 130 yards to six feet. He also birdied the par 5, 546-yard No. 2 after sending a sand wedge 106 yards to 10 feet left of the flagstick. Knott stuffed a 9-iron 130 yards to a foot on No. 5 (par 5, 554 yards) to move into subpar territory.
A bogey on the following hole (No. 6, par 4, 424 yards) didn’t allow Knott to stay there long. He steered an 8-iron 155 yards into the left greenside bunker and failed to get up-and-down. Knott also bogeyed the par 3, 210-yard No. 8. His 4-iron hit the upslope and retracted to the front of the green. Knott hit a bump-and-run to 15 feet and didn’t save par.
“I decided to play more competitive golf this summer,” Knott said. “I just want to keep working on my game and see what happens next.”
At the end of the day, the cut line fell to 78.
Tuesday’s qualifier was the first of two used to determine who will play in the Championship Proper next month. The second will take place May 17 at Penn Oaks Golf Club.
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 145 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.
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Qualifiers
|
|
Name,
club
|
Score
|
|
Geoffrey
Cooper, Links Golf Club
|
71
|
|
Patrick
Knott, Merion Golf Club
|
73
|
|
Sean
Seese, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
|
74
|
|
Benjamin
Smith, Little Mill Country Club
|
74
|
|
Bryan
Ott, Silver Creek Country Club
|
74
|
|
Matthew
Finger, Woodcrest Country Club
|
74
|
|
Greg
O'Connor, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
|
74
|
|
Robert
Beck, Lehigh Country Club
|
74
|
|
Ryan
Felpel, Honeybrook Golf
Club
|
74
|
|
Joseph
Russo, Running Deer Golf Club
|
74
|
|
Daniel
Pinciotti, Jr., Huntingdon Valley Country Club
|
75
|
|
Dan
Bernard, Aronimink Golf Club
|
75
|
|
Brandon
Dalinka, The Ridge at Back Brook
|
76
|
|
Sean
Torpey, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
76
|
|
John
Fasy, Wilmington Country Club
|
76
|
|
Kevin
Kramarski, Riverton Country Club
|
76
|
|
Robert
Savarese, Jr., Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
76
|
|
Christopher
Ault, Yardley Country Club
|
77
|
|
Troy
Vannucci, Burlington Country Club
|
77
|
|
James
Braunsberg, Blue Bell Country Club
|
77
|
|
Michael
Carr, Plymouth Country Club
|
77
|
|
Tim
Westfall, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
|
77
|
|
Kyle
Martin, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
77
|
|
Thomas
Bartolacci, Jr., Saucon
Valley Country Club
|
77
|
|
Sean
Coyle, Llanerch Country Club
|
77
|
|
Jeffrey
Huntzinger, Philadelphia Publinks
GA
|
77
|
|
Matthew
Kreuter, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
78
|
|
Rand
Mendez, Fieldstone Golf Club
|
78
|
|
Scott
Storck, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
78
|
|
Gary
Schoeman, Stonewall
|
78
|
|
Joseph
Jasinski, Northampton Country Club
|
78
|
| |
|
Failed
to qualify
|
|
Pat
Pasquariello, Philadelphia Country Club
|
79
|
|
Peter
Barry, Medford Village Country Club
|
79
|
|
Mark
Kosko, Sea Oaks Golf Club
|
79
|
|
Michael
Moffat, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
79
|
|
Nicholas
Lukow, Woodstone Country
Club
|
79
|
|
Gregory
Markus, Little Mill Country Club
|
79
|
|
Brian
Kenny, Greate Bay Country Club
|
80
|
|
Daniel
Feeney, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
80
|
|
Chris
Lange, Jr., Overbrook Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Phillip
Villari, Jr., Riverton Country Club
|
80
|
|
Doug
Cusick, Tavistock Country Club
|
80
|
|
Michael
Casella, Northampton Country Club
|
80
|
|
John
Aloisio, Running Deer Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Bobby
Svigals, Radnor Valley Country Club
|
80
|
|
Brett
Cybulski, Merchantville Country Club
|
81
|
|
Bradley
Roberts, Wedgwood Country Club
|
81
|
|
Nicholas
Stoyer, Bent Creek Country Club
|
81
|
|
Gerald
Bowes, Jr., Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
|
81
|
|
Steve
Oh, Llanerch Country Club
|
81
|
|
Matthew
Bastian, Jr., Rolling Green Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Anthony
Apostolico, Back Creek Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Ryan
Worthy, Merion Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Christopher
Reedman, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Bill
Boyle, Metedeconk National Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Erik
Meyer, Glen Oak Country Club
|
81
|
|
Dylan
Shollenberger, Schuylkill Country Club
|
81
|
|
Philip
Potter, Radley Run Country Club
|
81
|
|
Johan
van Schalkwyk, Burlington Country Club
|
82
|
|
Michael
Olson, Riverton Country Club
|
82
|
|
Paul
Bickford, Little Mill Country Club
|
82
|
|
Russell
Hill, Old York CC at Chesterfield
|
82
|
|
Ryan
Jordan, Tavistock Country Club
|
82
|
|
Matt
Grubb, Overbrook Golf Club
|
82
|
|
James
Gillespie, Wedgwood Country Club
|
82
|
|
Arthur
Kania, Jr., Merion Golf Club
|
82
|
|
Ryan
Brown, Country Club of Scranton
|
82
|
|
Mac
Selverian, Aronimink Golf
Club
|
82
|
|
Ryan
Gelrod, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
83
|
|
Daniel
Rexon, Tavistock Country
Club
|
83
|
|
Patrick
Hennigan, Tavistock
Country Club
|
83
|
|
Santo
Lafoca, Huntsville Golf Club
|
83
|
|
Patrick
Welsh, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
|
83
|
|
Alec
Kissell, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
|
83
|
|
Jack
Wallace, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
83
|
|
Andrew
Bauer, Laurel Creek Country Club
|
83
|
|
Bill
Murray, Wedgwood Country Club
|
84
|
|
Dino
Stathis, Metedeconk
National Golf Club
|
84
|
|
Sean
Leonard, Tavistock Country Club
|
84
|
|
Fran
Begley, Wedgwood Country Club
|
84
|
|
Matt
Raudenbush, Pine Valley Golf Club
|
84
|
|
Anthony
List, Jr., Llanerch Country Club
|
84
|
|
Chuck
Lynch, Jr., Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
|
84
|
|
Drew
Garis, North Hills Country Club
|
84
|
|
Alex
Acciani, Talamore Country
Club
|
84
|
|
Bradley
Cusick, Tavistock Country Club
|
84
|
|
Brian
Dempster, Mercer Oaks Golf Course
|
84
|
|
Mark
Hodgson, Burlington Country Club
|
84
|
|
Brian
Powell, Burlington Country Club
|
84
|
|
Michael
Hodges, The Springhaven Club
|
85
|
|
Mark
Quigley, Lu Lu Country Club
|
85
|
|
Andrew
Dietz, Laurel Creek Country Club
|
85
|
|
Steve
Mroozian, Middletown Country Club
|
85
|
|
Alex
Dupre, Rolling Green Golf Club
|
85
|
|
Tom
Lane, Riverton Country Club
|
85
|
|
Jack
Knowles, Country Club of Scranton
|
85
|
|
Christopher
Parmer, Metedeconk National Golf Club
|
86
|
|
Michael
Rogers, Llanerch Country Club
|
86
|
|
Daniel
Kilpatrick, Running Deer Golf Club
|
86
|
|
Matt
Brady, Penn Oaks Golf Club
|
86
|
|
James
Lewis, Little Mill Country Club
|
86
|
|
Michael
Fagan, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
|
86
|
|
Timothy
Chow, Indian Valley Country Club
|
87
|
|
Chris
Meares, Sakima Country
Club
|
87
|
|
Chris
Hunger, Wedgwood Country Club
|
87
|
|
Jonathan
Shevlin, North Hills Country Club
|
87
|
|
Brian
Sokolowski, Mercer Oaks Golf Course
|
87
|
|
Bill
Shotzbarger, Torresdale-Frankford
Country Club
|
88
|
|
Bob
Britton, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
88
|
|
David
Ripa, Running Deer Golf Club
|
88
|
|
Jack
Clough, Wilmington Country Club
|
89
|
|
Rick
Lynd, Running Deer Golf Club
|
89
|
|
Garrett
Conway, Burlington Country Club
|
89
|
|
James
Denon, Jr., The Springhaven
Club
|
89
|
|
Peter
Landreth, Jr., Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
90
|
|
Bill
Lippman, The Bucks Club
|
90
|
|
Andrew
Pierson, Merchantville Country Club
|
92
|
|
Jeffrey
Angelucci, Torresdale-Frankford
Country Club
|
93
|
|
Michael
Cole, Torresdale-Frankford Country Club
|
93
|
|
Liam
Fahey, Overbrook Golf Club
|
97
|
|
Schuyler
Wickes, Phoenixville Country Club
|
102
|
|
Drew
O'Neill, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
|
WD
|
|
Joe
Frey, Edgmont Country Club
|
WD
|
|
Gary
Daniels, Aronimink Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
Oscar
Mestre, Overbrook Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
Todd
Vonderheid, Huntsville Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
James
Bell, III, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
Robert
Galbreath, Sr., Huntingdon Valley Country Club
|
WD
|
|
Zachary
Rothaus, Philmont Country
Club
|
WD
|
|
Ken
Sayers, Rancocas Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
Mike
Dunn, Little Mill Country Club
|
WD
|
|
Mark
Mulvihill, Fieldstone Golf Club
|
WD
|
| |
|
WD-withdrawal
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