Peyre-Ferry, Yost qualify for USGA Senior Open

  EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. – A seasoned professional and an unheralded baseball player turned amateur golfer earned the two open spots for the USGA Senior Open Championship in a qualifying round Wednesday at Hidden Creek GC (par 71, 6,808 yards).

  Ken Peyre-Ferry, a professional from Marlton, N.J., and Vince Yost, an amateur from Harleysville, Pa., each carded a 2-under-par 69 to lead a field of 65 players attempting to qualify for the Senior Open, which will be held July 29–August 1 at Bellerive CC, in St. Louis, Mo.

  Four players earned alternate status. Bob Hibschman, a professional from Hatboro, Pa., posted a 70 for the first alternate spot. Robin McCool, an amateur from Bethlehem, Pa. (71), Drew Panebianco, an amateur from Dresher, Pa (71), and Craig Kealey, a professional from Wallingford, Conn. (71), took second, third and fourth alternates in a four-man playoff for the three spots.

  Yost took the low amateur award.

  Peyre-Ferry characterized his 69 as "ho hum, boring." "I missed one fairway and one green, three-putted twice, bogeyed the last hole. Cut it well off the tee all day. Pulled it left into the trees on 18. Only bogey of the day.

  "I hit it really solid," he added. "Ever since I quit playing for a living, I’ve played better."

  Peyre-Ferry, 55, was the head professional at Little Mill CC for 23 years. He tried Senior Tour Qualifying School four times, made the finals twice, and missed qualifying one time by a stroke.

  At the end of last August, he said, "I hung up my clubs. "I just quit. I became a real estate appraiser. There’s a heck of a lot less stress and aggravation. I haven’t practiced since last August. Didn’t play all winter. Didn’t go to Florida, first time in 20 years."

  But this spring, the golf bug came back. He began playing a few holes in the evening in April and May, he said, and found "a desire to play by not being able to play." Now, he said, without practice, "I’m playing as well as I ever did.

  "I thought I’d really like to qualify for the Senior Open." So now that he has, does he have any thoughts of another shot at the Senior Tour? The answer was quick and emphatic. "Absolutely not! No way!"

  Yost, 51, a twice-a-week, 2-handicap golfer at Cedarbrook CC, who for 40 years concentrated on playing baseball rather than golf, said he was shocked to being headed for the Senior USGA Open.

  "I came here with very low expectations," he said, since his life, until three years ago, revolved around baseball rather than golf. He pitched in Little League, high school, college, the semi-professional PennDel league and a 30-and-over league in Montgomery County, "until I had to ice my arm for two days every time I pitched."

  Starting on the back nine on a course he’d never played before, he went out in 2-under 33 and came back in even-par 26. He had 4 birds and an eagle. "I putted really well," he said. "I’ve never seen so much putting acreage. This is a putter’s course."

  Still somewhat dazed, Yost, president of a small technology business, had to ask where the Senior Open was, and when. When told it was later this month in St. Louis," he blinked and said, "I hope my investors are understanding."

Name

City, State

Out

In

Total

Qualifiers

T1

Vincent Yost

Harleysville, PA

36

33

69

T1

Ken Peyre-Ferry

Marlton, NJ

35

34

69

 

Alternates (in order)

3

*Bob Hibschman

Hatboro, PA

33

37

70

T4

*Robin Mc Cool

Bethlehem, PA

33

38

71

T4

*Drew Panebianco

Dresher, PA

36

35

71

T4

*Craig Kealey

Wallingford, CT

38

33

71

 

Failed to qualify

T4

Billy Ziobro

Brigantine, NJ

35

36

71

8

Jim Booros

Allentown, PA

37

35

72

T9

Larry Silk

Atlantic City, NJ

36

38

74

T9

Roc Irey

Doylestown, PA

36

38

74

T9

Charles Dowds

Glenside, PA

37

37

74

T9

Don Brigham

Rumson, NJ

38

36

74

T13

Charles Mc Claskey

Elkton, MD

39

36

75

T13

David Brookreson

Huntingdon Valley, PA

37

38

75

T13

Dan Wood

Orlando, FL

36

39

75

T13

Thomas Borsello

Wilmington, DE

37

38

75

T17

Gary Hardin

Bethlehem, PA

36

40

76

T17

Rick Osberg

Chester Springs, PA

35

41

76

T17

Donald Larcher

Dorothy, NJ

37

39

76

T17

Steve Smyers

Lakeland, FL

37

39

76

T17

Lawrence Harrison

Margate, NJ

38

38

76

T17

Andy Thompson

Newtown Square, PA

34

42

76

T23

Michael Thompson

Exton, PA

39

38

77

T23

Michael Rose

Huntingdon Valley, PA

37

40

77

T23

Ronald Cusick

Marlton, NJ

42

35

77

T23

Fred Robinson

North Wales, PA

38

39

77

T23

Spike Smith

Pinehurst, NC

39

38

77

T23

Nick Paolucci

Pottstown, PA

38

39

77

T23

Michael Nilon

Wallingford, PA

40

37

77

T30

William B Johnson

Baltimore, MD

40

38

78

T30

Gary Daniels

Berwyn, PA

36

42

78

T30

Joe Viechnicki

Bethlehem, PA

40

38

78

T30

Pete Widdoes

Landenberg, PA

40

38

78

T30

Dan Haskell

Medford, NJ

38

40

78

T30

Michael Dougherty

Warrington, PA

37

41

78

T36

John Kulhamer

Bethlehem, PA

37

42

79

T36

Jeffrey Osberg

Elkton, MD

40

39

79

T36

Rick Woulfe

Ft Lauderdale, FL

39

40

79

T36

Don Deangelis

Skippack, PA

38

41

79

T36

Thomas Dicinti

Voorhees, NJ

39

40

79

T41

Charles Ebner

Baltimore, MD

38

42

80

T41

Larry Wise

Center Valley, PA

40

40

80

T41

Ronald Vannelli

Edison, NJ

38

42

80

T41

James Castagna

Sandy Spring, MD

42

38

80

T41

Raymond Thompson

Springfield, PA

38

42

80

T46

Clark Hargrove

Haverford, PA

41

40

81

T46

Francis Mc Fadden

Newtown Square, PA

39

42

81

T46

Bruce Hovis

Smyrna, DE

41

40

81

T49

Robert Dietrich

Colts Neck, NJ

42

40

82

T49

Thomas Kersch

Lutherville, MD

41

41

82

T49

Jay Howson

Malvern, PA

42

40

82

T49

Jarrett Kling

Radnor, PA

41

41

82

T49

Terrence J. Sawyer

Yardley, PA

43

39

82

T54

Roger Simpkins

Bethlehem, PA

44

39

83

T54

Frank Polizzi

Bryn Mawr, PA

40

43

83

T54

Richard Custer

Royersford, PA

44

39

83

57

Richard Kovacs

Bethlehem, PA

42

42

84

T58

Alvin Medlin

Baltimore, MD

41

44

85

T58

John Tyrell

Mt Laurel, NJ

43

42

85

T60

Charlie Naspinski

Frackville, PA

45

41

86

T60

Bob Majczan

Richboro, PA

40

46

86

62

Greg Ruark

Cockeysville, MD

43

44

87

T63

Michael Hayes

Mays Landing, NJ

44

44

88

T63

John Piotrowski

Robbinsville, NJ

42

46

88

T65

James Matthias

Bear, DE

WD

WD

WD

T65

Robert Currey

Boston, MA

WD

WD

WD

T65

Thomas Mallouk

Doylestown, PA

WD

WD

WD

T65

Lee Cook

Moorestown, NJ

WD

WD

WD

T65

Monte Roe

North Brunswick, NJ

WD

WD

WD

T65

Francis Doroba

Philadelphia, PA

WD

WD

WD

T65

Larry Hall

Wayne, NJ

NC

NC

NC

 
 

WD-withdrawal; NC-no card

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