White Manor CC’s Borowsky heads RVCC Open Qualifier
VILLANOVA, Pa.–Alan Borowsky, a 22-year-old amateur from White Manor CC, heads to the historic East Course of Merion GC for the first time in the summer’s marquee event, the 103rd Open Championship. Borowsky, a recent Lehigh University graduate, earned a trip to the fabled Main Line venue with a 4-under-par 66 on Monday at Radnor Valley CC (par 70, 6,531 yards), the first of three Open Championship qualifiers administered by the Golf Association of Philadelphia. Borowsky and 15 others advanced from the RVCC site into the championship field of 72.
In all, 137 players (108 amateurs and 29 professionals) attempted to qualify at Radnor Valley CC.
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| CHRIS GALLAGHER |
"I’m really looking forward to it," said Borowsky. "Merion’s a special place. It has as much tradition and history as you can ask for and to be able to compete there in one of the best tournaments in the area will be memorable."
Borowsky, who started his round on the back nine, opened with a birdie on No. 10 (par 5, 524 yards), getting up-and-down from 10 yards short of the green for a four. A bogey on No. 12 (par 4, 425 yards) after a wayward drive preceded a pair of birdies on Nos. 13 (par 4, 322 yards) and 15 (par 4, 420 yards). Borowsky knocked a gap wedge from 109 yards to 15 feet on No. 13 before recording the shot of the day, a hole-out on No. 15 from 119 yards. He had to chip out from the left trees on his second shot.
A poor tee ball on No. 18 (par 4, 400 yards) and a failed up-and-down on No. 2 (par 3, 172 yards) dropped the Bala Cynwyd resident to even par before he finished with a flourish birdieing four of his final seven holes.
On No. 3 (par 4, 455 yards) he knocked a 9-iron from 142 yards to 10 feet; on No. 4 (par 4, 380 yards) he hit a pitching wedge from 120 yards out and sitting in the rough to four feet; on No. 6 (par 4, 379 yards) he rolled in a 25-footer; and on No. 7 (par 5, 539 yards) he hit a driver and hybrid club to 15 feet before just missing the eagle try on the low side and tapping in for birdie.
"Anytime you can shoot a number like that you have to be happy," said Borowsky. "I learned that even when you are not hitting it well, you have to keep your head on straight because you never know when you are going to turn it around."
Carding the other lone under-par score of the qualifier was Chris Gallagher, an amateur from Penn Oaks GC.
Gallagher, 25, has kept his name near the top of the Golf Association of Philadelphia Major leaderboards all year. He finished second in the Middle-Amateur Championship in May and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Amateur Championship just a few weeks ago.
"I’ve been in the hunt every event and that’s all you can ask," said Gallagher, the current William Hyndman, III Player of the Year point leader. "If I keep putting myself there enough times, eventually, I’ll close one out."
Gallagher, who also started on the back nine, made the turn at 1-over-par 36 after an erratic front side that included three bogeys and two birdies. A three-putt bogey on No. 1 (par 4, 335 yards) pushed the 25-year-old to 2 over and placed his Open aspirations in doubt, but Gallagher responded with three consecutive birdies on holes 6-8 to finish in red digits.
On No. 6 (par 4, 379 yards), the West Chester, Pa., resident pitched a wedge from 128 yards out to 18 feet for a three. On the ensuing par 5, 7th hole (539 yards), Gallagher knocked a 3-iron just short of the green in two and got up-and-down for birdie. The eighth hole, a long par 3 (210 yards) playing slightly uphill, Gallagher smacked a 4-iron to four feet.
"That was a bonus," said Gallagher of the eighth hole birdie. "I was just trying to hit it to the middle of the green."
And what about making the Open?
"It’s a great tournament with a strong field and it’s Merion. I’ve never played there but I usually play well on a difficult course where par is a good score."
Gallagher is no stranger to success. He is a former Patterson Cup winner (2003) and is the reigning Delaware Open champion (2006).
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. The remaining two qualifiers are scheduled for July 11 at Golden Oaks GC (15 qualifying positions) and July 16 at Little Mill CC (12 qualifying positions). 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.
|
Qualifiers |
|
Name |
Club |
Total |
|
(a) Alan Borowsky |
White Manor Country Club |
66 |
|
(a) Chris Gallagher |
Penn Oaks Golf Club |
69 |
|
(a) Adam Cohan |
The ACE Club |
70 |
|
(a) Colin P. Smith |
Radley Run Country Club |
70 |
|
(a) James Kania, Jr. |
Overbrook Golf Club |
70 |
|
(a) Steve M. Cutler |
Hartefeld National |
70 |
|
(a) Andrew Lawson |
Hersheys Mill Golf Club |
71 |
|
(a) Andy Achenbach |
RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve |
71 |
|
(a) Kenneth Matt |
Commonwealth National Golf Club |
71 |
|
(a) Robert de Rojas |
RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve |
71 |
|
Jeffrey Haas |
Lu Lu Country Club |
71 |
|
*(a) Chris Anderson |
Wilmington Country Club |
72 |
|
*(a) David Liotta |
Whitemarsh Valley Country Club |
72 |
|
*(a) Jeffrey Griest |
Waynesborough Country Club |
72 |
|
*(a) Michael McDermott |
Merion Golf Club |
72 |
|
*(a) Roc Irey |
Cedarbrook Country Club |
72 |
| |
|
Alternates (in order) |
|
*Jason Hrynkiw |
Philadelphia Country Club |
72 |
|
*(a) Mark Czerniakowski |
Blue Bell Country Club |
72 |
|
*(a) Gary Root |
French Creek Golf Club |
72 |
| |
|
Failed to qualify |
|
*(a) G. Patrick Dougherty |
Talamore at Oak Terrace Country Club |
72 |
|
(a) Ed Chylinski |
Chester Valley Golf Club |
73 |
|
(a) Jason Cohan |
The ACE Club |
73 |
|
Gregg Meyer |
Riverview Country Club |
73 |
|
Rob Scott |
Merion Golf Club |
73 |
|
(a) James Macallister |
Manufacturers Golf & Country Club |
74 |
|
(a) Mike McComb |
Greate Bay Country Club |
74 |
|
(a) Philip Arouca |
Philadelphia Publinks GA |
74 |
|
(a) Rich Pruchnik |
West Chester Golf & Country Club |
74 |
|
(a) Steven Walczak |
Wilmington Country Club |
74 |
|
(a) Todd Vonderheid |
Huntsville Golf Club |
74 |
|
(a) Warren Smith |
Cavaliers Country Club |
74 |
|
Jonathan Doctor |
Chester Valley Golf Club |
74 |
|
(a) Jack Glacken |
Bala Golf Club |
75 |
|
(a) Oscar Mestre, Jr. |
Overbrook Golf Club |
75 |
|
(a) Robert Dziak |
Spring Ford Country Club |
75 |
|
(a) Stephen Seiden |
Concord Country Club |
75 |
|
(a) Tony Perla |
Radnor Valley Country Club |
75 |
|
Matt Nuechterlein |
Atlantic City Country Club |
75 |
|
(a) Brian Rothaus |
Philmont Country Club |
76 |
|
(a) Grant Liu |
Commonwealth National Golf Club |
76 |
|
(a) John Brennan |
Spring Ford Country Club |
76 |
|
(a) Ryan Gelrod |
Commonwealth National Golf Club |
76 |
|
Anthony Napoletano |
Chester Valley Golf Club |
76 |
|
Eddie Perrino |
Lost Creek Golf Club |
76 |
|
Joey Pohle |
Merion Golf Club |
76 |
|
(a) Chris Corr |
Whitemarsh Valley Country Club |
77 |
|
(a) Daniel Delaney |
Concord Country Club |
77 |
|
(a) Frank Corrado, Jr. |
Jericho National Golf Club |
77 |
|
(a) Gary Daniels |
Applebrook Golf Club |
77 |
|
(a) George Steinmetz |
Chester Valley Golf Club |
77 |
|
(a) Gerard Ascolese |
North Hills Country Club |
77 |
|
(a) Joe Cunningham |
Manufacturers Golf & Country Club |
77 |
|
(a) Matthew Finger |
Running Deer Golf Club |
77 |
|
(a) Michael Quinn |
Edgmont Country Club |
77 |
|
(a) Robert J. Cunningham |
Overbrook Golf Club |
77 |
|
(a) Ryan R. Morrissey |
Hartefeld National |
77 |
|
Eric Figueroa |
Kennett Square Golf & Country Club |
77 |
|
Rick Flesher |
Sunnybrook Golf Club |
77 |
|
(a) John Robinson |
Commonwealth National Golf Club |
78 |
|
(a) Liam Friedman |
Philadelphia Publinks GA |
78 |
|
(a) Michael Lewers |
St. Davids Golf Club |
78 |
|
(a) Michael Piacentino |
Kennett Square Golf & Country Club |
78 |
|
(a) Rick Custer |
Spring Ford Country Club |
78 |
|
(a) Ryan Dimmick |
Huntsville Golf Club |
78 |
|
(a) Shawn Lavin |
Sandy Run Country Club |
78 |
|
(a) Stephen Frey |
Whitford Country Club |
78 |
|
Jakob Gerney |
Olde York Country Club |
78 |
|
(a) Lucas V. Serbun |
Sandy Run Country Club |
79 |
|
(a) Michael DiGiandomenico |
Honeybrook Golf Club |
79 |
|
(a) Nicholas Fiorentino |
White Manor Country Club |
79 |
|
(a) Stephen Dressel |
Spring Ford Country Club |
79 |
|
Christopher Wilkinson |
Wilmington Country Club |
79 |
|
Edward Gibson |
Applebrook Golf Club |
79 |
|
Patrick Murray |
Talamore at Oak Terrace Country Club |
79 |
|
Randy Blouin |
Cedarbrook Country Club |
79 |
|
(a) Brett Falkoff |
The ACE Club |
80 |
|
(a) Chris Hynoski |
Yardley Country Club |
80 |
|
(a) Cory Siegfried |
Philadelphia Country Club |
80 |
|
(a) Kevin Huntington |
Penn Oaks Golf Club |
80 |
|
(a) Michael Anderson |
Commonwealth National Golf Club |
80 |
|
(a) Michael Ignatuk |
Penn Oaks Golf Club |
80 |
|
(a) Mike Owsik |
Plymouth Country Club |
80 |
|
(a) Phillip Anzaldo |
Tavistock Country Club |
80 |
|
Hugh Reilly |
Huntingdon Valley Country Club |
80 |
|
Michael Paukovits |
Moselem Springs Golf Club |
80 |
|
(a) Albert Hazzouri, Jr. |
Country Club of Scranton |
81 |
|
(a) Andrew Phillips |
Lehigh Country Club |
81 |
|
(a) Chris Lange, Jr. |
Overbrook Golf Club |
81 |
|
(a) Drew Panebianco |
Talamore at Oak Terrace Country Club |
81 |
|
(a) Eric Palumbo |
Rolling Green Golf Club |
81 |
|
(a) Robert Loftus |
Overbrook Golf Club |
81 |
|
(a) Thomas M Lindberg |
St. Davids Golf Club |
81 |
|
Brendan Sullivan |
Wilmington Country Club |
81 |
|
Chandler Withington |
Merion Golf Club |
81 |
|
James Arentz |
Wilmington Country Club |
81 |
|
Michael Reilly |
North Hills Country Club |
81 |
|
Mike Molino |
Huntsville Golf Club |
81 |
|
(a) Alexander Penza |
Llanerch Country Club |
82 |
|
(a) Brian Dionisio |
Jericho National Golf Club |
82 |
|
(a) Chris Esbenshade |
Meadia Heights Golf Club |
82 |
|
(a) Jason Kowalski |
Five Ponds Golf Club |
82 |
|
(a) John Alterman |
Commonwealth National Golf Club |
82 |
|
(a) Mark Rauch |
Radnor Valley Country Club |
82 |
|
Bill Smith |
Eagle Rock Resort |
82 |
|
Jeff Bygrave |
Paxon Hollow Country Club |
82 |
|
Julian Collice |
Dicks Sporting Goods |
82 |
|
Steve Kiefner |
Northampton Country Club |
82 |
|
(a) Francis Hamm |
Country Club of Scranton |
83 |
|
(a) James Della Guardia |
Spring Ford Country Club |
83 |
|
(a) Jordan Wycoff |
Whitemarsh Valley Country Club |
83 |
|
(a) Kenneth Croney, Jr. |
Overbrook Golf Club |
83 |
|
(a) Kevin Ignatuk |
Penn Oaks Golf Club |
83 |
|
(a) Ronald Jamarowicz |
Hartefeld National |
83 |
|
(a) Scott Kalan |
White Manor Country Club |
83 |
|
(a) Alex Gelcius |
Doylestown Country Club |
84 |
|
(a) Ryan Ade |
Philadelphia Cricket Club |
84 |
|
(a) Steve R. Minnick |
Bala Golf Club |
84 |
|
(a) Aaron Bracy |
Philadelphia Publinks GA |
85 |
|
(a) Charles P. Scalzott |
Talamore at Oak Terrace Country Club |
85 |
|
(a) Domencik V Trentalange |
Torresdale-Frankford Country Club |
85 |
|
(a) Gregory Buliga |
Makefield Highlands Golf Club |
85 |
|
(a) Peter Witonsky |
Chester Valley Golf Club |
85 |
|
(a) Ross Godick |
Rolling Green Golf Club |
85 |
|
(a) Hank Oberly |
Waynesborough Country Club |
86 |
|
(a) James Kieserman |
Talamore at Oak Terrace Country Club |
86 |
|
(a) Patrick Devlin |
Five Ponds Golf Club |
86 |
|
Brian Levengood |
Atlantic City Country Club |
86 |
|
(a) Erik Fischer |
Merion Golf Club |
87 |
|
(a) Jim Witt |
Commonwealth National Golf Club |
87 |
|
(a) Steve Pacello |
Indian Valley Country Club |
87 |
|
(a) Thomas Covello |
Penn Oaks Golf Club |
87 |
|
(a) Tyler Yearley |
Jericho National Golf Club |
87 |
|
(a) Zach C. Rothaus |
Philmont Country Club |
87 |
|
Brent Kinney |
DuPont Country Club |
87 |
|
(a) Nelson Hargrove |
Merion Golf Club |
89 |
|
(a) Ari Flaisher |
Downingtown Golf Club |
91 |
|
(a) Mark Paladino |
Burlington Country Club |
91 |
|
(a) Kevin Wall |
Old York Road Country Club |
NS |
|
(a) Bobby Kershner |
Spring Ford Country Club |
WD |
|
(a) Brad Sokol |
Green Valley Country Club |
WD |
|
(a) George Connell, Jr. |
Gulph Mills Golf Club |
WD |
|
(a) John Donnelly |
Concord Country Club |
WD |
|
(a) Matthew O'Mara |
Gulph Mills Golf Club |
WD |
|
(a) Tom Bevevino |
Huntsville Golf Club |
WD |
|
Justin Riegel |
Wilmington Country Club |
WD |
|
Matthew McFarlane |
Applebrook Golf Club |
WD |
|
Richard Wade |
Atlantic City Country Club |
WD |
|
Tom Gilbert |
Gulph Mills Golf Club |
WD |
| |
|
NS-no show; WD-withdrawal |
|
*-determined in playoff |
|
(a)-amateur |
|
