Six players top Olde York CC Open Qualifier

  CHESTERFIELD, N.J.–A total of six players shared medallist honors with even-par 71s in the first Open Championship qualifier at Olde York CC (par 71, 6,710 yards) Wednesday to join 11 others in advancing to the field of 72 for the 104^th Open Championship set for July 23 at Lookaway GC.

  Matthew Mattare of Saucon Valley CC, Greg Wolfe of Cavaliers CC, Joey Pohle, an assitant professional out of Merion GC, Steve Ransom, Jr. of Wildwood G & CC, Eric Schmehl of Moorestown Field Club and David West of Whitford CC topped the 80-player field at the first of three Open Championship qualifiers administered by the Golf Association of Philadelphia.

  "I’ve been playing well the past couple of weeks," said Schmehl, who comes off a strong performance at the 108^th Amatuer Championship where he lost to medallist Mike Danner of Lu Lu CC in 19 holes.

  "I played this course a couple years ago and I know that you have to know where you want to hit it," he said of today’s New Jersey track. "There are some bad spots here so I tried to play it a little conservative. I just wanted to keep it in play."

  Like others in the field, Schmehl, who managed to card three birdies on the day, kept things safe, electing to hit the more accurate 3-wood and irons off the tee.

  "Everything was running out pretty well so you didn’t have to bomb it with a driver," he said. "I just tried to manage my ball and keep it in front of me."

  Wolfe took the same approach.

  "Local knowledge I think helps a lot," said Wolfe, a two-time qualifier for this event. "You really had to play conservatively because it was hard to tell were everything is out there."

  Pohle, an assistant professional in his sophomore season at Merion GC, found trouble early in his first visit to Olde York CC going 3-over par through the first four holes. But he quickly got it together after carding back-to-back birdies on hole Nos. 10 (par 4, 360 yards) and 11 (par 3, 197 yards).

  "I had an idea that 74-75 was going to get in, so my mindset was to just make pars, be patient and things would happen," said Pohle, who will be making his first appearance in the Philadelphia Open.

  When the day came to an end, the cut line fell to 75. A total of 17 players advanced into the Championship Wednesday.

  The field of 72 players will be comprised of 24 exempt entrants and 48 qualifiers. The next two qualifiers are scheduled for June 23 at Spring Ford CC (22 qualifying positions) and June 25 at LedgeRock GC (9 qualifying positions). The Open Championship will have a purse of $40,000.

  Mark Miller of Yardley CC finished at even-par 140 to take the 103^rd Open Championship at historic Merion GC. Miller edged out Mark Sheftic (rounds of 70-71), an assistant professional at Sunnybrook GC, and the remainder of the 72-player field, by a stroke to become only the 12th amateur to capture the Open Championship.

  The field for the 104^th Open Championship will consist of professionals who are members in good standing of the Philadelphia Section PGA, head professionals of GAP Member Clubs and amateurs who are members of member clubs and have handicap index of 7.0 or less.

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  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 136 Member Clubs and 56,000 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.