Brendan Borst birdied four of his last six to medal.

Borst’s celebrations continue in #BMWPhillyAm Qual. at Makefield

  YARDLEY, Pa. — For one Cricketeer, the celebrations continued in a big way Monday at Makefield Highlands Golf Club (par 72, 6,720 yards).

    Brendan Borst, who earned 7.5 points at home for Philadelphia Cricket Club 1 in its successful defense of the BMW GAP Team Matches title on Saturday, took home medalist honors with a 5-under round of 67 in a BMW Philadelphia Amateur Qualifier. Borst birdied four of his last six holes to claim the top spot on a day where red numbers ran rampant.

  The day’s cut line for the field of 138 #BMWPhillyAm hopefuls stopped at 2-over 74.

  Today’s performance punched Borst’s ticket to the Championship proper, which is set for June 12-14 and 16 at Whitemarsh Valley Country Club. Players will compete in stroke-play qualifying on June 12 (one round each at Whitemarsh Valley and Green Valley Country Club) to determine the 32-player, match-play bracket.

   “It’s been a tough start to the year, so to have the last couple of days that I’ve had really were important for me,” said Borst, 28, of Philadelphia, Pa. “Saturday was just an unbelievable day that I’ll never forget. It gave me momentum heading into today for sure.”

  Borst’s front nine – Makefield’s back – produced its ups and downs. Two bogey blemishes on the card were sandwiched by a trio of birdies that resulted in a 1-under front score.

   “I started with a birdie on No. 10 (par 4, 434 yards) after making a five-foot putt but then my game was just really shaky on the next five holes. It started with a bogey on both No. 11 (par 4, 424 yards) and 15 (par 4, 405 yards). Luckily, I got two back there (on the par 5, 489-yard 16th and par 3, 170-yard 17th) before the turn which pointed me in the right direction.”

  Three pars helped steady Borst even further as he began his back nine. After that, the forecast called for 100 percent chance of a birdie storm.

  On No. 4 (par 4, 337 yards), Borst blasted a drive that left him with a wedge approach, resulting in a tap-in 3. He’d keep it going on the par 4, 330-yard 5th after driving the front of the green, leaving him with a standard two-putt birdie from 20 feet.

   “I was hitting my driver perfectly today. It really helped me out there, and I was able to take advantage because of it,” he said.

  His third birdie on the back came on No. 7 (par 5, 595 yards) after Borst’s 3-wood approach placed him just in front of the green, leading to a simple chip and putt for birdie. The final red number came on his finisher, No. 9 (par 5, 512 yards), where Borst’s beautiful drive and lay up left him with just a 50-yard flip wedge into the green, which he put to seven feet and drained it for the medal.

   “I played really well from No. 16 on. It was really fun out there, playing with [Burlington Country Club’s] Jack Wallace and [Rolling Green Golf Club’s] Nick Verrecchio, as we all know each other real well. It was pretty much care free and we were all just having fun together.”

  It was a casual-yet-competitive round that resembled the scene of Saturday, when Cricket 1 won its fourth title in six years.

   “With our other Cricket team [Cricket 2] being in the Playoff, as well as Llanerch Country Club and Huntingdon Valley Country Club with players we know so well, it was an incredible day. To take home the title again was special,” said Borst.

  After the #BMWGTM win, it had been rumored his title-winning teammates had predicted a medal honor in Borst’s favor for today’s event. He lived up to their lofty expectations – and then some.

   “I’ve been playing well at home lately and that worked out on Saturday. But I’ve been playing poorly away from Cricket, so to change that today was a good step in the right direction,” he said.

  Borst is now gearing up to make his first big “splash” in the #BMWPhillyAm, having only qualified for match play once, in 2013 at Aronimink, where he fell to clubmate Joe April, 4&3, in the Round of 32.

   “I didn’t make the qualifying cut last year and wasn’t able to play at home. I’m ready this go around because I really feel like Whitemarsh fits my eye and game,” said Borst.

  2015 runner-up and 2016 semifinalist Michael Davis of Aronmink fired a 4-under 68 to finish just one stroke back of the leader.

   “[Today’s performance] means a lot because the Philadelphia Amateur is always a big one for me,” said Davis, 22, of Newtown Square, Pa. “It’s circled on my calendar every single year. Having played so well in the event the past two out of three seasons, I look forward to it very much.”

  Like Borst, Davis missed the cut at Cricket in last year’s rendition. He’ll look to add to his impressive #BMWPhillyAm résumé when he tees it up at a familiar GAP Major venue.

   “It was definitely a disappointment for me last year, not making the cut [at Philadelphia Cricket], so I had to come back out here today in order to qualify,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to getting back to Whitemarsh Valley as I haven’t been there in a few years. It’s a great track.”

  The BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship is the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s premier event. Participants must first advance through a one day, 36-hole stroke play qualifier to gain one of 32 available match play positions. Those who qualify for match play must advance through four matches in two days to reach the Amateur Final, which is typically held on the Saturday of Father’s Day weekend. The winner receives the J. Wood Platt Trophy; its namesake holds a record-seven Amateur Championship titles.

Golf Association of Philadelphia
  Founded in 1897, the Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) is the oldest regional or state golf association in the United States. It serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. The Association’s 200 Full Member Clubs and 70,000 individual members are spread across Eastern Pennsylvania and parts of New Jersey and Delaware. 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.