Hidden Creek GC's Meisenzahl tops Open Qualifier
Hidden Creek, N.J.–Hidden Creek GC’s own Mike Meisenzahl sunk an eagle on No. 2, a par 4, to start his morning off right in the Open Championship Qualifier on Tuesday at Hidden Creek Golf Club (par 71, 6,562 yards). And that’s where he would finish. Meisenzahl carded a 2-under-par 69 for medalist honors. And he did it right before the wind started to pick up.
“I came to win. I wanted to represent my club right and in a good light,” Meisenzahl, 22, said. “I’ve been on the leaderboard, but unfortunately never saw my name at the top.
“It was a definite advantage for me today playing at my home club. The course was in immaculate shape as well.”
Meisenzahl, a senior at James Madison University led a field of 90 players; all attempting to earn one of the 20 qualifying spots. The cutline fell at 77.
Starting on the front nine, on No. 2 (par4, 374 yards), Meisenzahl smashed his tee ball and set it sailing to come up 126 yards short of the green. He clinched his gap wedge, hit it 10 feet short and watched it roll in for an eagle.
“It just dropped in,” Meisenzahl said.
He did hit a small bump on No. 4 (par 3, 202 yards), carding a double bogey, but he quickly recovered making pars on the rest of the front nine before sinking a birdie putt on No. 9 (par 5, 551 yards).
“I drove the ball, then used my 3-wood, had a simple chip and ended up three-and-a-half feet from the hole (No.9).”
Finishing with the breezy back nine, he carded a bogey, six pars and two birdies. On No. 15 (par 4, 391 yards), Meisenzahl, who placed third in the 2009 Patterson Cup, tore his drive, and ended with 142 yards to the green. He had faith in his 9-iron and landed on the green, again only about four feet from hole, ensuring another birdie putt.
“I got lucky and didn’t have to work too hard, pretty simple putts day for me today,” Meisenzahl stated.
Meisenzahl along with 71 other players will be playing at the Open Championship set for July 21 at Philmont Country Club (North).
“I’m just excited to play with the best [players] in the area. Winning means hanging with the best of the best, and competing with the best, it doesn’t get any better than that,” Meisenzahl said.
Qualifiers
|
Name
|
Club
|
Out
|
In
|
Total
|
(a)
Mike Meisenzahl
|
Hidden
Creek Golf Club
|
35
|
34
|
69
|
Mark
Parson
|
Hidden
Creek Golf Club
|
36
|
35
|
71
|
Rick Hughart
|
Tavistock Country Club
|
37
|
34
|
71
|
(a)
James Gillespie
|
Wedgwood
Country Club
|
38
|
35
|
73
|
(a)
Rick Hendrickson
|
Hidden
Creek Golf Club
|
36
|
37
|
73
|
(a)
Sean Leonard
|
Tavistock Country Club
|
37
|
37
|
74
|
(a)
Ryan McCarty
|
Little
Mill Country Club
|
38
|
36
|
74
|
(a)
Rich Thon
|
The Springhaven Club
|
38
|
37
|
75
|
Joey Pohle
|
Philadelphia
Cricket Club
|
35
|
40
|
75
|
(a)
Matt Raudenbush
|
Pine
Valley Golf Club
|
37
|
38
|
75
|
Sean
Driscoll
|
Hidden
Creek Golf Club
|
39
|
36
|
75
|
Barry
Dear
|
Garrisons
Lake Golf Club
|
37
|
38
|
75
|
(a)
Brian Herman
|
Merchantville
Country Club
|
36
|
39
|
75
|
(a)
John Langlas
|
Hidden
Creek Golf Club
|
39
|
37
|
76
|
George
Frake, II
|
Little
Mill Country Club
|
41
|
35
|
76
|
Andy
Watters
|
Lu Lu Country Club
|
38
|
38
|
76
|
(a)
William Bello
|
Metedeconk National Golf Club
|
36
|
40
|
76
|
(a)
Peter Barron, III
|
Stone
Harbor Golf Club
|
37
|
39
|
76
|
(a)
Robert Galbreath, Jr.
|
Huntingdon
Valley Country Club
|
40
|
36
|
76
|
*(a)
Todd Vonderheid
|
Huntsville
Golf Club
|
37
|
40
|
77
|
|
Alternates
(in order)
|
*Ben Debski
|
Hidden
Creek Golf Club
|
39
|
38
|
77
|
*Tom
Gilbert
|
Gulph Mills Golf Club
|
36
|
41
|
77
|
*(a)
Tom DiCinti
|
Links
Golf Club
|
37
|
40
|
77
|
*(a)
Travis Gahman
|
Philadelphia
Publinks GA
|
39
|
38
|
77
|
|
Failed
to qualify
|
*Ryan
Owens
|
Greate Bay Country Club
|
37
|
40
|
77
|
*Jakob Gerney
|
DuPont
Country Club
|
38
|
39
|
77
|
(a)
Geoffrey Cooper
|
Laurel
Creek Country Club
|
39
|
39
|
78
|
J.R. Delich
|
Applebrook Golf Club
|
38
|
40
|
78
|
Christopher
Fintus
|
Little
Mill Country Club
|
38
|
40
|
78
|
(a)
Andrew Harmer
|
The Springhaven Club
|
41
|
37
|
78
|
(a)
Jeff Klagholz
|
Rolling
Green Golf Club
|
40
|
38
|
78
|
Michael
Little
|
Rolling
Green Golf Club
|
39
|
39
|
78
|
(a)
Shawn Lavin
|
Philadelphia
Publinks GA
|
40
|
38
|
78
|
(a) P.
Chet Walsh
|
Philadelphia
Country Club
|
41
|
37
|
78
|
(a)
Edward Woehlcke
|
Cedarbrook Country Club
|
37
|
41
|
78
|
Matthew
Moroz
|
Torresdale-Frankford Country Club
|
36
|
42
|
78
|
(a)
Fran Begley
|
Wedgwood
Country Club
|
40
|
39
|
79
|
Eric
Figueroa
|
McCall
Golf & Country Club
|
39
|
40
|
79
|
Dennis Strigh
|
Frog
Rock Country Club
|
42
|
37
|
79
|
(a)
Jamie Slonis
|
Tavistock Country Club
|
40
|
39
|
79
|
(a)
Brad McFadden
|
Overbrook
Golf Club
|
41
|
38
|
79
|
(a) Tom
Shin
|
Laurel
Creek Country Club
|
39
|
40
|
79
|
Scott
Kirkwood
|
Metedeconk National Golf Club
|
39
|
40
|
79
|
(a) Tom
Borsello
|
White
Clay Creek Country Club
|
39
|
41
|
80
|
Tyler
Johnson
|
Talamore Country Club
|
42
|
38
|
80
|
(a)
Gerry Baldachino
|
Old
York CC at Chesterfield
|
39
|
41
|
80
|
(a)
Chris Hunger
|
Wedgwood
Country Club
|
40
|
41
|
81
|
(a)
Jeffrey Angelucci
|
Torresdale-Frankford Country Club
|
42
|
39
|
81
|
(a)
Brian Dobisch
|
Talamore Country Club
|
40
|
41
|
81
|
(a)
Chris Strasinski
|
Concord
Country Club
|
39
|
42
|
81
|
(a)
Phillip Villari, Jr.
|
Riverton
Country Club
|
38
|
43
|
81
|
(a) Tim
McNerney
|
Philadelphia
Publinks GA
|
42
|
39
|
81
|
(a)
Beau Guarino
|
Little
Mill Country Club
|
40
|
41
|
81
|
Daniel
Malley
|
Paxon Hollow Country Club
|
38
|
43
|
81
|
(a)
Kevin Genuardi
|
Cedarbrook Country Club
|
41
|
41
|
82
|
John Shapcott
|
Meadowlands
Country Club
|
39
|
43
|
82
|
(a)
Zachary Davis
|
Makefield Highlands Golf Club
|
40
|
42
|
82
|
(a)
Jeffrey Romines
|
Philadelphia
Publinks GA
|
38
|
44
|
82
|
(a)
Matthew Gaffney
|
Little
Mill Country Club
|
40
|
42
|
82
|
(a)
Bill Turner
|
Philadelphia
Publinks GA
|
43
|
40
|
83
|
Casey
O'Reilly
|
West
Chester Golf & Country Club
|
41
|
42
|
83
|
(a)
John McNiff
|
Sunnybrook
Golf Club
|
42
|
41
|
83
|
(a)
Dino Stathis
|
Metedeconk National Golf Club
|
41
|
42
|
83
|
(a)
Jonathan Hoffman
|
Philmont Country Club
|
39
|
44
|
83
|
Jim
Baer
|
Bidermann Golf Club
|
42
|
41
|
83
|
(a) Dan
Drazen
|
Little
Mill Country Club
|
41
|
42
|
83
|
(a)
Harry Lore
|
Little
Mill Country Club
|
41
|
43
|
84
|
(a)
Brian Kreamer
|
Bala Golf Club
|
40
|
44
|
84
|
Jim
Smith, Jr.
|
Philadelphia
Cricket Club
|
43
|
41
|
84
|
(a)
John Simone
|
Philmont Country Club
|
44
|
40
|
84
|
(a)
Mike Emory
|
Wildwood
Golf & Country Club
|
43
|
41
|
84
|
(a)
Michael Shenkman
|
The ACE
Club
|
44
|
41
|
85
|
(a)
Fred Hartwell, Jr.
|
Torresdale-Frankford Country Club
|
44
|
41
|
85
|
(a)
Michael O'Keefe
|
Little
Mill Country Club
|
44
|
42
|
86
|
(a)
Eric Chipin
|
Philmont Country Club
|
42
|
44
|
86
|
(a)
Peter Eiler
|
Commonwealth
National Golf Club
|
42
|
44
|
86
|
James Shukdinas
|
Riverton
Country Club
|
46
|
40
|
86
|
(a)
Andrew Lombard
|
The Springhaven Club
|
43
|
45
|
88
|
(a)
Grant Thorell
|
Philadelphia
Cricket Club
|
45
|
43
|
88
|
(a) Pat
Pasquariello
|
Philadelphia
Country Club
|
43
|
45
|
88
|
(a) Max
Hirsh
|
Plymouth
Country Club
|
45
|
43
|
88
|
(a)
Edward Goldstein
|
The ACE
Club
|
46
|
42
|
88
|
(a)
Douglas Rodio
|
Laurel
Creek Country Club
|
47
|
42
|
89
|
(a)
Bradley Roberts
|
Wedgwood
Country Club
|
47
|
42
|
89
|
(a)
James Denon, Jr.
|
The Springhaven Club
|
43
|
47
|
90
|
(a)
William Hoese
|
Links
Golf Club
|
44
|
46
|
90
|
(a)
Steve Levine
|
Greate Bay Country Club
|
46
|
45
|
91
|
(a)
Jack Rosenberg
|
Waynesborough Country Club
|
49
|
43
|
92
|
(a)
John Patton
|
Little
Mill Country Club
|
46
|
48
|
94
|
(a)
Phillip DiGiacinto
|
Sand
Barrens Golf Club
|
50
|
47
|
97
|
(a)
Andrew Dietz
|
Laurel
Creek Country Club
|
WD
|
WD
|
WD
|
(a)
James Arsenault
|
Little
Mill Country Club
|
WD
|
WD
|
WD
|
(a)
Patrick O'Brien
|
North
Hills Country Club
|
WD
|
WD
|
WD
|
Ted
Robinson
|
Hersheys Mill Golf Club
|
WD
|
WD
|
WD
|
(a)
Arthur Kania, Jr.
|
Merion
Golf Club
|
WD
|
WD
|
WD
|
|
*-determined
in playoff
|
(a)-denotes
amateur
|
WD-withdrawal
|
|