Fonner heads Mid-Am Qualifier at Riverton CC
CINNAMINSON, N.J. – Eric Fonner of Huntingdon Valley CC earned medallist honors with a 2-over-par 73 at a cool and overcast Riverton CC (par 71, 6,466 yards). Fonner led the field of 122 players attempting to earn one of the 31 qualifying spots and ties for the 132-player Middle-Amateur Championship set for May 23-24 at Stonewall.
Thursday’s qualifier was the first of two Golf Association of Philadelphia Middle-Amateur Championship qualifiers used to determine who will play in the late May contest. The second qualifier will be held at French Creek GC on May 1 with 35 qualifying spots and ties available.
 |
| Eric Fonner |
Fonner, an insurance sales representative from Roslyn, Pa., carded three birdies en route to his field-low round.
However, the 27-year-old began the day with a bogey amidst windy and fast green conditions that immediately changed his approach to the tournament.
"After playing the first couple holes in these conditions, I figured the scores where going to be pretty high," Fonner said. "I just told myself I had to make a lot of pars to have hopes of [qualifying]."
Fonner stuck to his guns and went on to par 10 holes on the afternoon.
"Off the tee I hit the ball well, my iron play was not very strong, but my short game was pretty good," he said. "I putted well, made a couple of birdies and didn’t have any three putts. I made about five or six putts for par that were right around 10 feet."
One of Fonner’s three birdies came on No. 16 (par 3, 150 yards). A remarkable feat considering it was the course’s most difficult hole of the day with a 4.01 scoring average.
Fonner stuck a 7-iron to within four feet of the hole. The ball came to rest on the crest of a treacherous ridge that certainly helped cause the field’s scoring average to be 1-over par for the difficult par 3.
"I was just trying to get it on the green," said Fonner of his pre shot thoughts as he stood on the tee. "The greens on this course are very small, so when I came to No. 16, I was just happy that I got it on the [putting] surface somewhere."
 |
| Pat Curiale |
Pat Curiale of Medford Village CC, who qualified with a 3-over-par 74, shared Fonner’s sentiment on the difficulty of the course.
"I thought the course was very firm," said Curiale, 36, of Marlton, NJ. "I just think guys aren’t used to it. In my group we were running putts four and five feet by the hole."
Joseph Roeder of Links GC, Thomas Hyland of Little Mill CC, Kenneth Matt of Commonwealth National GC, Mike Owsik of Plymouth CC, Bill Boyle of Metedeconk National GC and Jim Macallister all carded 75s.
As the day came to an end, the cut-line landed on 78.
Chris Lange of Overbrook GC became the first player in GAP history to win back-to-back Middle-Amateur Championships after recording a 6-over-par 148 in last year’s contest at a difficult Commonwealth National GC.
|
Qualifiers |
|
Name |
Club Name |
Front 9 |
Back 9 |
Total |
|
Eric Fonner |
Huntingdon Valley Country Club |
37 |
36 |
73 |
|
Pat Curiale |
Medford Village Country Club |
37 |
37 |
74 |
|
Bill Boyle |
Metedeconk National Golf Club |
36 |
39 |
75 |
|
James Macallister |
Manufacturers Golf & Country Club |
40 |
35 |
75 |
|
Joseph M. Roeder |
Links Golf Club |
38 |
37 |
75 |
|
Kenneth R. Matt |
Commonwealth National Golf Club |
39 |
36 |
75 |
|
Mike Owsik |
Plymouth Country Club |
40 |
35 |
75 |
|
Thomas Hyland |
Little Mill Country Club |
38 |
37 |
75 |
|
David Shields |
Philadelphia Publinks GA |
37 |
39 |
76 |
|
John Aloisio |
Little Mill Country Club |
40 |
36 |
76 |
|
Luis Diaz |
Philadelphia Publinks GA |
39 |
37 |
76 |
|
Michael Decapua |
Northampton Country Club |
41 |
35 |
76 |
|
Peter Williamson |
Manufacturers Golf & Country Club |
39 |
37 |
76 |
|
Frank S. Corrado, Jr. |
Jericho National Golf Club |
39 |
38 |
77 |
|
Geoffrey M. Cooper |
Laurel Creek Country Club |
37 |
40 |
77 |
|
Glenn McClaskey |
Wedgwood Country Club |
39 |
38 |
77 |
|
Jeff DellaFranco |
Concord Country Club |
39 |
38 |
77 |
|
John Giori |
Mercer Oaks Golf Course |
41 |
36 |
77 |
|
John Ward |
Ballamor Golf Club |
37 |
40 |
77 |
|
Larry Silk |
Greate Bay Country Club |
39 |
38 |
77 |
|
Mark Quigley |
Lu Lu Country Club |
37 |
40 |
77 |
|
Robert P. Billings |
Rolling Green Golf Club |
41 |
36 |
77 |
|
Edward Kelly, Jr. |
Lu Lu Country Club |
39 |
39 |
78 |
|
Keith Matt |
Lu Lu Country Club |
41 |
37 |
78 |
|
Mark Hodgson |
Links Golf Club |
39 |
39 |
78 |
|
Matt Mangold |
Talamore at Oak Terrace Country Club |
42 |
36 |
78 |
|
Michael Domenick |
Phoenixville Country Club |
40 |
38 |
78 |
|
Michael LaGrasso |
Burlington Country Club |
39 |
39 |
78 |
|
Michael O'Hara |
Riverton Country Club |
39 |
39 |
78 |
|
Mike Brunswick |
Moorestown Field Club |
41 |
37 |
78 |
|
Rich Thon |
The Springhaven Club |
39 |
39 |
78 |
|
Rick Custer |
Spring Ford Country Club |
41 |
37 |
78 |
|
Robert Majczan |
Lookaway Golf Club |
40 |
38 |
78 |
|
Steven Walczak |
Wilmington Country Club |
40 |
38 |
78 |
| |
|
Failed to qualify |
|
Burton McHugh |
Sunnybrook Golf Club |
39 |
40 |
79 |
|
Chris Hynoski |
Yardley Country Club |
42 |
37 |
79 |
|
Chris Kallmeyer |
Philadelphia Cricket Club |
42 |
37 |
79 |
|
Christopher Cochran |
Riverton Country Club |
38 |
41 |
79 |
|
Jeff Sumner |
Philadelphia Cricket Club |
40 |
39 |
79 |
|
Joe Colbert |
Spring Mill Country Club |
40 |
39 |
79 |
|
Mark Dennish |
The Ridge at Back Brook |
39 |
40 |
79 |
|
Mark Walker |
Laurel Creek Country Club |
41 |
38 |
79 |
|
Steve Levine |
Ballamor Golf Club |
36 |
43 |
79 |
|
Steven M. Passalacqua |
Wedgwood Country Club |
42 |
37 |
79 |
|
Wally Swiger |
Huntingdon Valley Country Club |
40 |
39 |
79 |
|
D. Drew Siok |
Tavistock Country Club |
42 |
38 |
80 |
|
Frank Filippo |
Makefield Highlands Golf Club |
40 |
40 |
80 |
|
John Cobb |
Tavistock Country Club |
43 |
37 |
80 |
|
Lance T. Oberparleiter |
Wedgwood Country Club |
39 |
41 |
80 |
|
Michael Fagan |
Riverton Country Club |
42 |
38 |
80 |
|
Phillip P. DiGiacinto |
Ballamor Golf Club |
43 |
37 |
80 |
|
Tom Piersanti |
Applebrook Golf Club |
41 |
39 |
80 |
|
Eric Meyer |
Whitford Country Club |
40 |
41 |
81 |
|
J Kirk Luntey |
Merion Golf Club |
41 |
40 |
81 |
|
James Haynie |
Lu Lu Country Club |
42 |
39 |
81 |
|
Jon Helhowski |
Philmont Country Club |
39 |
42 |
81 |
|
Luke Zelten |
Torresdale-Frankford Country Club |
42 |
39 |
81 |
|
Richard Blumberg |
Philmont Country Club |
43 |
38 |
81 |
|
Robert Frankil |
Spring Ford Country Club |
42 |
39 |
81 |
|
Shawn Knechtel |
Whitemarsh Valley Country Club |
44 |
37 |
81 |
|
Wayne Bartolacci |
Jericho National Golf Club |
40 |
41 |
81 |
|
William McGuinness |
Tavistock Country Club |
42 |
39 |
81 |
|
Chris Corr |
Whitemarsh Valley Country Club |
40 |
42 |
82 |
|
Donald Chapman |
Riverton Country Club |
41 |
41 |
82 |
|
Ed Chylinski |
Chester Valley Golf Club |
40 |
42 |
82 |
|
Mark Kosko |
Seaview Marriott Resort & Spa |
41 |
41 |
82 |
|
Michael Stanley |
St. Davids Golf Club |
42 |
40 |
82 |
|
Robert Gill |
Fox Hill Country Club |
37 |
45 |
82 |
|
Vincent E. Coll, Jr. |
Sandy Run Country Club |
40 |
42 |
82 |
|
Art Brosius |
DuPont Country Club |
39 |
44 |
83 |
|
John Boyce |
Talamore at Oak Terrace Country Club |
41 |
42 |
83 |
|
John Campanelli |
Woodbury Country Club |
42 |
41 |
83 |
|
Jon Lavin |
Rolling Green Golf Club |
41 |
42 |
83 |
|
Matthew Welsh |
St. Davids Golf Club |
39 |
44 |
83 |
|
Michael Bennis |
Talamore at Oak Terrace Country Club |
40 |
43 |
83 |
|
Rick Pogany |
Burlington Country Club |
42 |
41 |
83 |
|
William Moule |
Links Golf Club |
42 |
41 |
83 |
|
Aaron Bracy |
Philadelphia Publinks GA |
41 |
43 |
84 |
|
Brian T. Powell |
Burlington Country Club |
44 |
40 |
84 |
|
Craig Starn |
Greate Bay Country Club |
41 |
43 |
84 |
|
David Hoegel |
Little Mill Country Club |
46 |
38 |
84 |
|
Edward Erickson |
Yardley Country Club |
44 |
40 |
84 |
|
Robert Sweigart |
Tavistock Country Club |
44 |
40 |
84 |
|
Andrew J. Dietz |
Laurel Creek Country Club |
39 |
46 |
85 |
|
Craig Comerford |
Philadelphia Publinks GA |
41 |
44 |
85 |
|
Michael Egan |
Lookaway Golf Club |
42 |
43 |
85 |
|
Ronald Jamarowicz |
Hartefeld National |
44 |
41 |
85 |
|
Santo Lafoca |
Huntsville Golf Club |
43 |
42 |
85 |
|
Shane McGovern |
Aronimink Golf Club |
40 |
45 |
85 |
|
Steve Pacello |
Indian Valley Country Club |
44 |
41 |
85 |
|
Tim Sindorf |
Burlington Country Club |
43 |
42 |
85 |
|
Andrew Abrams |
Rolling Green Golf Club |
46 |
40 |
86 |
|
Bob Ursomarso |
Saucon Valley Country Club |
42 |
44 |
86 |
|
Bryan C. McClaskey |
Merchantville Country Club |
42 |
44 |
86 |
|
Gerard Ascolese |
North Hills Country Club |
46 |
40 |
86 |
|
James Sullivan, Sr. |
Huntingdon Valley Country Club |
40 |
46 |
86 |
|
Jason Barkley |
Huntsville Golf Club |
46 |
40 |
86 |
|
Johan D. van Schalkwyk |
Burlington Country Club |
44 |
42 |
86 |
|
Richard R. Speranza |
Jericho National Golf Club |
43 |
43 |
86 |
|
Scott Vasbinder |
Mercer Oaks Golf Course |
44 |
42 |
86 |
|
Stephen Conway |
Burlington Country Club |
38 |
48 |
86 |
|
Fred Giblin |
Merchantville Country Club |
42 |
45 |
87 |
|
Jim Gavaghan |
Torresdale-Frankford Country Club |
44 |
43 |
87 |
|
Joe Cunningham |
Manufacturers Golf & Country Club |
44 |
43 |
87 |
|
Kenneth Zimmer |
Laurel Creek Country Club |
44 |
43 |
87 |
|
Thomas McCabe |
Manufacturers Golf & Country Club |
46 |
41 |
87 |
|
Gene Martin |
Laurel Creek Country Club |
45 |
43 |
88 |
|
Graham Desmond |
Golf Course at Glen Mills |
44 |
44 |
88 |
|
David M O'Malley |
Manufacturers Golf & Country Club |
44 |
45 |
89 |
|
Kevin Cahill |
Waynesborough Country Club |
42 |
47 |
89 |
|
Michael Sokorai |
Little Mill Country Club |
43 |
46 |
89 |
|
Jason Sieminski |
Philadelphia Cricket Club |
45 |
45 |
90 |
|
Richard Reed |
Downingtown Golf Club |
43 |
47 |
90 |
|
Anthony List, Jr. |
Golf Course at Glen Mills |
45 |
46 |
91 |
|
Mark Inman |
Cherry Valley Country Club |
45 |
46 |
91 |
|
Peter Totten |
Yardley Country Club |
46 |
47 |
93 |
|
Kevin Christine |
Philadelphia Country Club |
51 |
43 |
94 |
|
George Foley |
Huntingdon Valley Country Club |
47 |
48 |
95 |
|
Lee Sutherland |
Philadelphia Publinks GA |
48 |
48 |
96 |
|
Antonio Leta |
Doylestown Country Club |
WD |
WD |
WD |
|
Buddy Reed |
Cavaliers Country Club |
NS |
NS |
NS |
|
James Decker |
Gulph Mills Golf Club |
WD |
WD |
WD |
|
John Carullo |
Penn Oaks Golf Club |
NS |
NS |
NS |
|
Joseph Costanzo |
Blue Bell Country Club |
WD |
WD |
WD |
|
Joseph Costanzo |
Blue Bell Country Club |
WD |
WD |
WD |
|
|
|
WD-withdrawal; NS-no show |
|
