Pine Valley GC’s Raudenbush, Tavistock CC’s Slonis head
MARLTON, N.J. – Matt Raudenbush of storied Pine Valley GC and Jamie Slonis of Tavistock CC continued the trend of amateur success in this year’s Open Championship Qualifier series with 1-over-par 72s to earn co-medallist honors at Monday’s final Open Championship Qualifier at Little Mill CC (par 71, 6,808 yards). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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from the bunker on No. 17 (par 3, 238 yards). |
Despite some admitted difficulties hitting greens in regulation, Raudenbush got off to a steady start before registering back-to-back birdies on hole Nos. 6 (par 3, 198 yards) and 7 (par 5, 529 yards) and ended up finishing the front nine with a 2-under-par 33.
"My putter was pretty good today," said Raudenbush, who had 27 putts on the day. "I scrambled a little bit but it’s a pleasant surprise to see that I can play golf when I don’t hit 15 greens [in regulation]."
Slonis started his round with a little more success as he birdied hole Nos. 1 (par 4, 378 yards), 3 (par 3, 215 yards) and 4 (par 5, 576 yards) to get to 2-under.
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But for both players, their front nine success did not necessarily translate to the back as Raudenbush finished the back at 3-over-par while Slonis wrapped up the back nine at 2-over.
But Slonis finished strong on No. 18 (par 4, 411 yards) when he knocked a PW from 125 yards out to within 8 feet for birdie.
"I thought I needed to make a birdie on the last hole," Slonis said. "I wasn’t sure what the scores would be with the greens being soft but I figured 72 would be a good number."
Raudenbush and Slonis join fellow amateurs Alan Borowsky of White Manor CC, John Michael Pelet of Wyncote GC and Robert Robertson of Sunnybrook GC who also earned medallist honors at the two previous qualifiers for the Championship. Christopher Gray, a professional who splits his time between Hartefeld National and the North Carolina-based Tarheel Tour, was the only professional to earn medallist honors at any of the three qualifiers.
"I’m excited," said Slonis of playing the Open at Merion GC next month. "Besides Pine Valley, Merion is probably the best course around. To be able to compete there over 36 holes in one day will be a good test."
"I’m excited to let Merion kick my butt for 36 holes," joked Raudenbush, the 2006 GAP Junior Boys’ Champion. "You’ve got to start finding the fairway there."
Added Slonis, "I’m sure it will be hard. The rough is always up and the greens are always hard and fast. It will be a heck of a test and it will be fun."
This is the first year the Golf Association of Philadelphia will solely administer the Open Championship and its qualifiers. The field of 72 players will be comprised of 29 exempt entrants and 43 qualifiers. In all, a total of 77 amateurs and 41 professionals took part in Monday’s qualifier. The Open Championship will have a record purse of $40,000.
Dave Quinn, the director of golf at Links GC, is the defending champion. Quinn defeated then Philadelphia CC assistant Michael Ladden in a four-hole playoff.
Founded in 1897, the Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) is the oldest regional golf association in the United States and serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. Its 135 Member Clubs and 60,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. The purpose of the Association is simple: To promote, protect and preserve the game of golf in the region.
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Qualifiers |
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Name |
Club |
Total |
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(a) Matt Raudenbush |
Pine Valley Golf Club |
72 |
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(a) Jamie Slonis |
Tavistock Country Club |
72 |
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Rick Hughart |
Tavistock Country Club |
73 |
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(a) Sean Leonard |
Tavistock Country Club |
73 |
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(a) Cole Willcox |
Philadelphia Country Club |
73 |
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(a) Jeff LeFevre |
Linwood Country Club |
73 |
|
(a) Matthew Pesci |
Yardley Country Club |
73 |
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*(a) Michael O'Keefe |
Little Mill Country Club |
74 |
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*(a) James Sullivan, Jr. |
Huntingdon Valley Country Club |
74 |
|
*Dan Haskell |
Medford Lakes Country Club |
74 |
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*Anthony Bonargo |
Bucks County Golf Club |
74 |
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*(a) Lance Oberparleiter |
Wedgwood Country Club |
74 |
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Alternates (in order) |
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*Michael Mack |
Burlington Country Club |
74 |
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*Steve Madsen |
Wilmington Country Club |
74 |
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*(a) Sean Davy |
Medford Village Country Club |
74 |
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Failed to Qualify |
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*(a) Chris Sylvia |
Pine Hill Golf Club |
74 |
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*Sean Smyth |
Lebanon Country Club |
74 |
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*(a) Charles Whalen |
Golf Course at Glen Mills |
74 |
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*Casey O'Reilly |
Berkleigh Country Club |
74 |
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*George Frake, II |
Little Mill Country Club |
74 |
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(a) Peter Barron, III |
Stone Harbor Golf Club |
75 |
|
Jason Panter |
Sea Oaks Golf Club |
75 |
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(a) Rick Pogany |
Burlington Country Club |
75 |
|
David Clark |
Pine Valley Golf Club |
75 |
|
Matt Esposito |
Yardley Country Club |
75 |
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(a) Thomas Gramigna |
Tavistock Country Club |
76 |
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(a) Bradley A. Roberts |
Wedgwood Country Club |
76 |
|
Michael Tucci |
Little Mill Country Club |
76 |
|
James Shukdinas |
Links Golf Club |
76 |
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(a) Matthew Mattare |
Saucon Valley Country Club |
76 |
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(a) Eric Spiller |
Woodcrest Country Club |
76 |
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Joseph Kogelman |
St. Davids Golf Club |
76 |
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(a) Thomas DiCinti |
Little Mill Country Club |
76 |
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(a) Dan Ott |
Woodbury Country Club |
76 |
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Seth Hirschhorn |
Little Mill Country Club |
76 |
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(a) Sean Seese |
Huntingdon Valley Country Club |
76 |
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Billy Mullen |
Whitemarsh Valley Country Club |
76 |
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(a) Bill Murray |
Merchantville Country Club |
77 |
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(a) Daniel Rexon |
Tavistock Country Club |
77 |
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(a) Glenn Smeraglio |
Yardley Country Club |
77 |
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(a) Anthony Ventura |
Greate Bay Country Club |
77 |
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(a) Ben Smith |
Woodcrest Country Club |
77 |
|
(a) Mark Edmondson |
Medford Village Country Club |
77 |
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(a) Michael Tash |
Tavistock Country Club |
77 |
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(a) Ted Harris |
Makefield Highlands Golf Club |
77 |
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(a) Arthur J. Kania, Jr. |
Overbrook Golf Club |
77 |
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Paul Barnsley |
Meadowlands Country Club |
77 |
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(a) Ryan McCarty |
Little Mill Country Club |
78 |
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(a) Mark Kosko |
Seaview Marriott Resort & Spa |
78 |
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Justin Thompson |
Pine Valley Golf Club |
78 |
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Sean Driscoll |
Riverwinds Golf Club |
78 |
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(a) Gregg Angelillo |
Moselem Springs Golf Club |
78 |
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Chris Hervochon |
Pine Hill Golf Club |
78 |
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(a) Steve Owens |
Commonwealth National Golf Club |
79 |
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(a) Jack Wallace |
Burlington Country Club |
79 |
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(a) Eric Schmehl |
Moorestown Field Club |
79 |
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(a) Stephen Sieracki |
Merchantville Country Club |
79 |
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(a) James Ridgway |
Wildwood Golf & Country Club |
79 |
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(a) Zach Smith |
Doylestown Country Club |
79 |
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(a) David Taraschi |
Merchantville Country Club |
79 |
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(a) Matt Kaelin |
Little Mill Country Club |
79 |
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(a) Keitih Evans |
Running Deer Golf Club |
79 |
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Jason Westphal |
Olde Masters Golf Club |
79 |
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(a) John R. Cattoni |
Huntsville Golf Club |
80 |
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David Nevatt |
The ACE Club |
80 |
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David Smith |
Yardley Country Club |
80 |
|
Nick Bowers |
The Links At Gettysburg |
80 |
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(a) Jeffrey Huntzinger |
North Hills Country Club |
80 |
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Dennis Strigh |
Frog Rock Country Club |
80 |
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(a) Jason Loehrs |
Philadelphia Publinks GA |
80 |
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Jay Davis |
Metedeconk National Golf Club |
81 |
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(a) Mike Meisenzahl |
Little Mill Country Club |
81 |
|
Mark Anderson |
Talamore at Oak Terrace Country Club |
81 |
|
(a) Paul Tighe |
Woodbury Country Club |
81 |
|
David Seeman |
The Saint Annes Club |
81 |
|
(a) Alexander Maguire, Jr. |
Philadelphia Cricket Club |
81 |
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(a) Brian C Creghan |
Plymouth Country Club |
81 |
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(a) David Hoegel |
Little Mill Country Club |
82 |
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(a) Geoffrey M. Cooper |
Laurel Creek Country Club |
82 |
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(a) Jeff LeFevre, Jr. |
Linwood Country Club |
82 |
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(a) Martin Hayden |
Overbrook Golf Club |
82 |
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Dustin McCormick |
Water Gap Country Club |
82 |
|
William Holt, III |
Rolling Green Golf Club |
82 |
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(a) William Moule |
Links Golf Club |
83 |
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(a) Alexander Liebman |
Seaview Marriott Resort & Spa |
84 |
|
Lynn Kilduff |
Huntsville Golf Club |
84 |
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(a) Tom Carter |
Greate Bay Country Club |
84 |
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(a) Bill Turner |
Philadelphia Publinks GA |
84 |
|
Hugh Matthis |
Pine Valley Golf Club |
84 |
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(a) Andrew J. Dietz |
Laurel Creek Country Club |
84 |
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(a) Bob Ursomarso |
Saucon Valley Country Club |
85 |
|
(a) Joshua Shantzer |
Spring Mill Country Club |
85 |
|
(a) John Aloisio |
Little Mill Country Club |
86 |
|
(a) Tim Sindorf |
Burlington Country Club |
86 |
|
Michael Sullivan |
Whitemarsh Valley Country Club |
86 |
|
Sean Palmer |
Merion Golf Club |
86 |
|
James Lermitte |
Sandy Run Country Club |
86 |
|
Christopher Fintus |
Little Mill Country Club |
87 |
|
Joseph Ambrose |
PGA Individual Member |
88 |
|
(a) J. Kirk Luntey |
Merion Golf Club |
88 |
|
(a) Justin Hilgert |
Greate Bay Country Club |
88 |
|
(a) Ryan Schaffer |
Woodcrest Country Club |
91 |
|
(a) Craig Comerford |
Philadelphia Publinks GA |
94 |
|
(a) Steven Dougherty |
Woodbury Country Club |
95 |
|
Matt Masar |
Metedeconk National Golf Club |
96 |
|
(a) Ben Bershad |
Hopewell Valley Golf Club |
DQ |
|
(a) Ryan Cass |
Woodbury Country Club |
NC |
|
(a) D. Drew Siok |
Tavistock Country Club |
WD |
|
(a) Christian Mauriello |
Greate Bay Country Club |
WD |
|
(a) Glenn McClaskey |
Wedgwood Country Club |
WD |
|
(a) Mark Dennish |
The Ridge at Back Brook |
WD |
|
(a) Mark Kemenosh |
Tavistock Country Club |
WD |
|
Kevin Kurcoba |
Glenmaura National Golf Club |
WD |
|
(a) Daniel Doyle |
Edgmont Country Club |
WD |
|
Chris Barletta |
Bala Golf Club |
WD |
|
(a) Dan Gallagher |
Riverton Country Club |
WD |
|
Damon Klepczynski |
Golf Services Group |
WD |
|
(a) Ron Weaver |
Meadia Heights Golf Club |
WD |
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*-decided in a playoff |
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DQ-disqualification; WD-withdrawal; NC-no card |
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