McDermott survives a scare from Lange for Mid-Am title
Day One results
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.-Chris Lange of Overbrook GC has already secured his status as one of the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s greats. Over the past five years, Michael McDermott of Llanerch CC has clearly been the dominant force in Delaware Valley golf.
On Thursday at Gulph Mills GC, old and new went head-to-head in the final round of the Middle-Amateur Championship, the Association’s first Major of the season, for the title.
Taking advantage of his scary length, McDermott registered a birdie on the uphill par 5, 18th hole (430 yards) for a closing round 70 and the 21st Middle-Amateur Championship crown. McDermott finished at 3-under-par for the 36 holes. Lange, who carded a magnificent 5-under-par 66 in the second round, ended up a stroke back.
William McGuinness of Tavistock CC, Rich Pruchnik of West Chester G&CC and Glenn Smeraglio of Yardley CC tied for third at even par.
It was McDermott’s second Middle-Amateur Championship. Lange, a three-time Amateur Champion and Patterson Cup Champion, was searching for his first.
"With no disrespect to anyone, Chris [Lange’s] tournament record speaks for itself. You would be hard pressed to find someone who’s done better that last [three decades]," said McDermott of dueling with Lange. "Guys like him and Jay Sigel are and were great players for a long time. Hopefully I can keep going as long as they have [and did]."
Over the last five years, McDermott has earned three William Hyndman, III Player of the Year trophies, a Silver Cross, and, now, two Middle-Amateur titles.
On Thursday, McDermott just kept his round going. He carded a 1-under-par 34 on the front side with two birdies - on No. 3 (par 4, 422 yards) and No. 5 (par 4, 397 yards) – and a bogey (on No. 9, par 4, 351 yards). His birdie on the third hole calmed his nerves. McDermott’s car failed to start this morning and he arrived at the golf course only 15 minutes prior to his tee time.
Solid play tee to green, and a consistent putter, something that eluded him at last year’s Middle-Amateur, helped McDermott stride along.
One bogey (No. 14, par 3, 188 yards) and a final birdie on No. 18 sealed the victory.
McDermott’s two bogeys came on the only two holes in which he missed the green in regulation.
Lange, who started 1½ hours ahead of McDermott, applied the pressure, via the scoreboard, from the get go.
The 50-year-old resident of Bryn Mawr, Pa., carded front-side birdies on No. 4 (par 3, 116 yards), No. 6 (par 3, 176 yards) and No. 7 (par par 5, 470 yards). More red figures on No. 12 (par 5, 519 yards), No 13 (par 4, 403 yards) and No. 18 (par 5, 430 yards) - following his lone bogey on the par 3, 17th (211 yards) - resulted in a sterling 66. Lange said it was all about the putter. Three of his six birdies were from 15 feet and out. He recorded just 31 putts on the day.
"In a two-day tournament the better player has a better chance to win," said Lange. "I’m happy with the way I played. It was all about my putter."
The Middle-Amateur Championship is open to players 25 or older who have a handicap index of 7.0 or less.
This is the third year the event is 36 holes. From its inception in 1984 through 2000, it had been just a one-day, 18-hole test.
A total of 71 players made the cut from the initial field of 132.
|
Pos |
Name, club |
1 |
2 |
Score |
|
|
1 |
Michael P. McDermott, Llanerch Country Club |
69 |
70 |
139 |
-3 |
|
2 |
Christopher J. Lange, Overbrook Golf Club |
74 |
66 |
140 |
-2 |
|
T3 |
Glenn Smeraglio, Yardley Country Club |
72 |
70 |
142 |
Even |
|
T3 |
Rich Pruchnik, West Chester Golf & Country Club |
74 |
68 |
142 |
Even |
|
T3 |
William J. McGuinness, Tavistock Country Club |
71 |
71 |
142 |
Even |
|
T6 |
Douglas G. Zelner, Coatesville Country Club |
71 |
72 |
143 |
+1 |
|
T6 |
Gui Costin, Merion Golf Club |
70 |
73 |
143 |
+1 |
|
T8 |
Kevin P. Kelly, Philadelphia Cricket Club |
72 |
72 |
144 |
+2 |
|
T8 |
Roc Irey, Cedarbrook Country Club |
74 |
70 |
144 |
+2 |
|
T10 |
Gerard F. Ascolese, North Hills Country Club |
74 |
71 |
145 |
+3 |
|
T10 |
Paul J. Rogowicz, Yardley Country Club |
73 |
72 |
145 |
+3 |
|
T10 |
Oscar L. Mestre, Jr., Overbrook Golf Club |
72 |
73 |
145 |
+3 |
|
T13 |
David West, Whitford Country Club |
72 |
74 |
146 |
+4 |
|
T13 |
John W. Robinson, Commonwealth National Golf Club |
71 |
75 |
146 |
+4 |
|
T13 |
Chip Lutz, Berkshire Country Club |
74 |
72 |
146 |
+4 |
|
T16 |
Thomas J. Gramigna, Tavistock Country Club |
73 |
74 |
147 |
+5 |
|
T16 |
Michael Rose, Ashbourne Country Club |
73 |
74 |
147 |
+5 |
|
T16 |
Robert P. Billings, Rolling Green Golf Club |
73 |
74 |
147 |
+5 |
|
T16 |
David T. Smith, Doylestown Country Club |
75 |
72 |
147 |
+5 |
|
T20 |
Douglas Schroer, St. Davids Golf Club |
77 |
71 |
148 |
+6 |
|
T20 |
Steven P. Walczak, Wilmington Country Club |
72 |
76 |
148 |
+6 |
|
T20 |
Keith A. Matt, Lu Lu Country Club |
76 |
72 |
148 |
+6 |
|
T20 |
Brian R. Owens, Gulph Mills Golf Club |
74 |
74 |
148 |
+6 |
|
T24 |
Dan J. Pinciotti Jr., Huntingdon Valley Country Club |
74 |
75 |
149 |
+7 |
|
T24 |
Gary E. Daniels, Aronimink Golf Club |
75 |
74 |
149 |
+7 |
|
T24 |
Tom Borsello, Fieldstone Golf Club |
71 |
78 |
149 |
+7 |
|
T24 |
Drew Panebianco, Talamore at Oak Terrace Country Club |
76 |
73 |
149 |
+7 |
|
T24 |
P. Chet Walsh, Philadelphia Country Club |
70 |
79 |
149 |
+7 |
|
T24 |
Thomas Finn, Christiana Country Club |
75 |
74 |
149 |
+7 |
|
T30 |
Frank S. Polizzi, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club |
77 |
73 |
150 |
+8 |
|
T30 |
Burton McHugh, Sunnybrook Golf Club |
75 |
75 |
150 |
+8 |
|
T30 |
Steve J. Owens, Wildwood Golf & Country Club |
75 |
75 |
150 |
+8 |
|
T30 |
Brian Corbett, Huntsville Golf Club |
75 |
75 |
150 |
+8 |
|
T30 |
James M. Winner, Talamore at Oak Terrace Country Club |
76 |
74 |
150 |
+8 |
|
T35 |
Brian P. Gillespie, St. Davids Golf Club |
74 |
77 |
151 |
+9 |
|
T35 |
Raymond B. Slawecki, Spring Ford Country Club |
76 |
75 |
151 |
+9 |
|
T35 |
Michael Domenick, Phoenixville Country Club |
74 |
77 |
151 |
+9 |
|
T35 |
Lynn T. Kilduff, Huntsville Golf Club |
75 |
76 |
151 |
+9 |
|
T35 |
Michael Moffat, Commonwealth National Golf Club |
75 |
76 |
151 |
+9 |
|
T35 |
Robert G. Dziak, Spring Ford Country Club |
75 |
76 |
151 |
+9 |
|
T41 |
James R. White, Philadelphia Cricket Club |
75 |
77 |
152 |
+10 |
|
T41 |
Tom DiCinti, Little Mill Country Club |
76 |
76 |
152 |
+10 |
|
T41 |
Greg M. O'Connor, Huntingdon Valley Country Club |
73 |
79 |
152 |
+10 |
|
T44 |
D. Drew Siok, Tavistock Country Club |
74 |
79 |
153 |
+11 |
|
T44 |
Frank S. Corrado Jr, Jericho National Golf Club |
76 |
77 |
153 |
+11 |
|
T44 |
Bryan McClaskey, Merchantville Country Club |
73 |
80 |
153 |
+11 |
|
T44 |
Warren Smith, Fieldstone Golf Club |
76 |
77 |
153 |
+11 |
|
T44 |
Bill Boyle, Metedeconk National Golf Club |
72 |
81 |
153 |
+11 |
|
T44 |
Sean Coyle, Llanerch Country Club |
72 |
81 |
153 |
+11 |
|
T50 |
Miguel Biamon, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club |
76 |
78 |
154 |
+12 |
|
T50 |
Wayne Bartolacci, Jericho National Golf Club |
76 |
78 |
154 |
+12 |
|
T52 |
Mark Kosko, Seaview Marriott Resort & Spa |
77 |
78 |
155 |
+13 |
|
T52 |
Christopher M. Missett, Philadelphia Country Club |
77 |
78 |
155 |
+13 |
|
T52 |
Patrick G. Dougherty, Talamore at Oak Terrace Country Club |
73 |
82 |
155 |
+13 |
|
T52 |
Robert Gill, Fox Hill Country Club |
76 |
79 |
155 |
+13 |
|
T52 |
Richard E. Umani, Philadelphia Pub Links Golf Assoc |
74 |
81 |
155 |
+13 |
|
T57 |
Byron Whitman, Philadelphia Pub Links Golf Assoc |
74 |
82 |
156 |
+14 |
|
T57 |
Douglas E. Gregor, Huntingdon Valley Country Club |
77 |
79 |
156 |
+14 |
|
T57 |
Mark Douglas, Spring Ford Country Club |
77 |
79 |
156 |
+14 |
|
T57 |
Santo Lafoca, Huntsville Golf Club |
75 |
81 |
156 |
+14 |
|
T61 |
Andrew Achenbach, Lu Lu Country Club |
76 |
81 |
157 |
+15 |
|
T61 |
Chris Esbenshade, Stone Harbor Golf Club |
75 |
82 |
157 |
+15 |
|
T61 |
John Y. Howson, Jr., St. Davids Golf Club |
77 |
80 |
157 |
+15 |
|
T61 |
Kevin M. Scanlon, Stonewall |
77 |
80 |
157 |
+15 |
|
65 |
Robert Savarese, Jr., Philadelphia Cricket Club |
76 |
82 |
158 |
+16 |
|
T66 |
Edmund C. Chylinski, Chester Valley Golf Club |
76 |
83 |
159 |
+17 |
|
T66 |
Michael Dougherty, Huntingdon Valley Country Club |
77 |
82 |
159 |
+17 |
|
T68 |
Tom Piersanti, Radley Run Country Club |
77 |
83 |
160 |
+18 |
|
T68 |
Robert E. Lodovici, Little Mill Country Club |
77 |
83 |
160 |
+18 |
|
T68 |
Kevin DeHaven, Hopewell Valley Golf Club |
75 |
85 |
160 |
+18 |
|
71 |
Jamie Slonis, Tavistock Country Club |
70 |
DQ |
DQ |
|
|
