Bill Murray of Merchantville CC.

Merchantville’s Murray earns May POM honors

By Gian Rodriguez
Assistant Director of Communications

  Fresh off his third-place finish in the 2006 Middle-Amateur Championship at a difficult Commonwealth National Golf Club (par 71, 6,977 yards), Bill Murray of Merchantville County Club rides his best season start to GAP Player of the Month honors for the month of May.

  The 16-year veteran of the Camden Police Department is in the midst of his best stretch of golf in his five-year history of participating in GAP events.

  "Our Association has some of the best players around and to be named Player of the Month with those kinds of guys is a great honor," said the 38-year-old from Haddon Twp. N.J.

  Murray’s 10-over-par, two-round total of 152 (75, 77) at the Middle-Amateur Championship marks his first top five finish in a GAP Major Tournament, earning him an automatic exemption to every Major in 2007 with exception of the Philadelphia Open.

  His accomplishments are a combination of hard work and some rather unique practice methods.

  Like most avid golfers Murray spends countless hours on the practice green and range. However, what makes his methods different from most is where that practice range is.

  A father of three, Murray brings along his 6 and 8-year-old boys to practice with him at a neighborhood park across the street from their home. There, he creates his own practice range of sorts as he works on his distance with his wedges.

  "I get to go out with my boys," Murray said. "Having some fun with the kids and getting some practice in at the same time is pretty good."

  Merchantville CC’s professional Blaise Straka would agree with Murray’s level of dedication, saying that he works very hard at his game.

  "Bill is a real solid player, as well as a person," Straka said.

  Murray attributed improvement in his short game in part to what golf club he calls home.

  "I think Merchantville makes you a better wedge player," said Murray, the president of the Camden Organization of Police Superiors. "You have to be if you’re going to score there. It’s tight with real small greens, so I practice my wedges a lot there."

  That practice proved to be vital for his third-place finish at the narrow and windswept Commonwealth National GC on the days of the Mid-Am Championship.

  Through one major tournament, Murray sits tied for second place with 120 points in GAP Player of the Year points.

David Brookreson, Huntingdon Valley CC – Brookreson captured his third straight Senior Tournament title with a victory in the Francis B. Warner Cup at Yardley CC. The 57-year-old Huntingdon Valley, Pa., resident finished at 2-under-par 70, two strokes clear of the field. Brookreson ended last year with wins in the Senior Amateur Championship and Senior Silver Cross. He was also the Senior Player of the Year.

Mike Danner, Lu Lu CC – Danner, who endured a harrowing ordeal with his daughter a couple weeks prior to the event - he and his daughter were kidnapped by a pair of robbers - tied for third in the Middle-Amateur Championship. He entered the final round in second place a shot behind Lange, before finishing four back for the title. He and his daughter were eventually released and both were safe and sound.

Clint Deibert, Doylestown CC – Deibert, the reigning Golf Association of Philadelphia Amateur Champion, carded an even-par 71 at the Golf Course at Glen Mills to qualify for U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying at Canoe Brook CC. Deibert finished

Donald Galbraith of Stonewall – Galbraith, a 10 handicap, carded a 3-over-par 75 for a net 65, and winning honors at the Francis B. Warner Cup Net. Galbraith would end his round on a torrid pace birding four of the last five holes at Downingtown Golf Club.

Chris Lange, Overbrook GC – It’s getting to be old hat for Lange. The 51-year-old resident of Bryn Mawr, Pa., recorded his second straight Middle-Amateur Championship title at Commonwealth National GC. Lange survived challenging conditions and slippery putting greens to defeat Chip Lutz of LedgeRock GC by a shot. Lange has now amassed a total of eight career Major titles.