Hartefeld’s Kohn heads Mid-Am Qualifier at White Clay Creek CC

  Wilmington, Del. - Matt Kohn from Hartefeld National fired six birdies at a tough White Clay Creek CC (par 72, 6,712 yards) Monday to earn medallist honors at the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s Middle-Amateur Championship qualifier. Kohn carded a 2-under-par 70 to top the 89-player field attempting to earn one of the 28 qualifying spots and ties available for the 25^th edition of the Middle-Amateur Championship set for May 21-22 at Fieldstone GC.

  The 43-year-old rode his straight tee shots and solid putting en route to the top spot.

  "I drove the ball fantastic," said Kohn. "The greens were phenomenal and everything I looked at I thought I could make."

  Although Kohn birdied hole Nos. 1 (par 4, 417 yards), 5 (par 4, 400 yards), 8 (par 5, 490 yards), 15 (par 5, 540 yards), 17 (par 3, 174 yards) and 18 (par 4, 341 yards), he actually pointed to a par save as the defining point of his round.

  One of the rare occasions where he found trouble off the tee was when his dead straight drive found the bunker in the middle of the fairway on No. 10 (par 5, 567 yards). Kohn exited the bunker and left it short of the hazard, leaving him a 220-yard approach shot. From there the Avondale, Pa. resident placed a hybrid just short of the green where he proceeded to get up-and-down for par.

  "I think that was pretty critical for me in saving my round," he said.

  Kohn, who never saw the course before today, chose not to heed the advise of his friends who told him that he should at least play a practice round at the tricky course before attempting to qualify.

  "I’ve been playing really well lately,’ said Kohn, who is coming off a solid GAP Team Match victory where he shot a 70 at Hartefeld. "I just thought I’d show up and see what happens."

  Chris Esbenshade of Five Ponds GC, who was also was a first-timer at White Clay Creek CC, finished alone in second place with an even-par 72.

  "Sometimes I play better that way," said Esbenshade of playing the troublesome Wilmington course for the first time. "Since I don’t really know what’s out there I just concentrate on the shot I’m playing."

  Added Esbenshade on looking towards the Middle-Amateur Championship at Fieldstone GC, "No expectations, that’s the way it works, I guess."

  When it was all said and done, the cut-line landed 82.

  Monday’s qualifier was the final Middle-Amateur Championship qualifier used to determine who will play in the silver anniversary of the Championship later this month. The first qualifier was held last Thursday at Talamore CC where Jeff DellaFranco of Concord CC carded a 3-over-par 74 to earn medallist honors.

  Chip Lutz of LedgeRock GC took the 24^th Middle-Amateur Championship at Stonewall’s North Course last year after recording an even-par 140. The win was the second Middle-Amateur Championship for Lutz who also took the 1998 Mid-Am. when the tournament was still a one-day, 18-hole event. Today, it’s a two-day, 36-hole competition.

  The Middle-Amateur is for players 25 years of age and older.

  The GAP Middle-Amateur started in 1984, three years after the USGA created the U.S. Mid-Am as a formal championship for post-college amateurs. The Association followed suit with the USGA in creating a Mid-Am, but initially differed in its administration of the tournament in a couple of respects.

  The most obvious difference was the age requirement. Prior to 2001, the GAP Mid-Am was for players 30 years of age and older. That Committee reviewed and revised that age requirement in 2001 to match the USGA's guidelines of 25 years of age or older for eligible players. Also at that point, the Committee changed the format of the event to a two-day stroke play tournament (instead of a one-day medal play event) with a cut to the low 70 players and ties after the first round. The field begins with 132 players. Players must have a GAP/USGA Handicap Index of 7.0 or lower.