| * Event Photos
Alessi, Kania share medalist honors at Open Qual. at Penn Oaks GC
WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Vinny Alessi of Penn Oaks GC and Michael Kania of Overbrook GC each carded a 1-under-par 70 to share medalist honors at Tuesday’s Open Championship Qualifier at Penn Oaks GC (par 71, 6,602 yards).
It was a case of “home sweet home” for Alessi, a Penn Oaks GC member. A strong finish shaped his round as he fired birdies on Nos. 11 (par 4, 358 yards), 12 (par 3, 145 yards) and 18 (par 4, 362 yards).
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| Michael Kania |
“I struggled a little bit on the front nine. I didn’t make many putts,” he said.
After he made the turn at 2 over, Alessi’s putting shifted gears. On No. 11, Alessi, 19, converted a tough 25-footer for birdie after punching his 52-degree about 80 yards.
“It wasn’t a really good shot, but I made the putt,” he said.
Alessi drilled a 9-iron to about six feet on No. 12 and drained the ensuing birdie putt. He closed out with a birdie on No. 18 after knocking his approach - a pitching wedge – 120 yards to about four feet from the flagstick.
Obviously familiar with the course, Alessi felt that he held a “slight advantage” over the 145-player field.
“You’ve got to hit the fairways, and you’ve got to hit the greens,” he said. “If you’re hitting there, then you can score.”
This marks Alessi’s first appearance in the Open Championship, which will be held July 22 at Bent Creek CC.
“It will be fun,” he said. “It will be a good learning experience. It will be good to play with good players. I played in the Amateur Championship this year, and I butchered it. I didn’t play well.”
Kania, 18, set the tone of his round early by registering an eagle on No. 3 (par 5, 473 yards). The Haverford, Pa., resident drove his tee shot – a driver - to the center of the fairway, and with 165 yards left, he stuck his 8-iron to about three feet and converted the ensuing putt.
“That propelled me,” Kania said.
Like Alessi, Kania, who will head to the University of Kentucky in the fall, surged on the backside, registering birdies on Nos. 10 (par 4, 430 yards), 13 (par 5, 552 yards) and 18. He “played it safe” on No. 10 after his approach – a 9-iron – sailed 148 yards and settled about a foot from the flagstick. Kania became aggressive on No. 13, crushing his approach – a 3-wood – to about 30 yards from the flagstick. He then knocked his 54-degree to about 15 feet and drained the ensuing birdie putt.
Kania finished his round with a birdie on No. 18. His drive soared about 330 yards, and Kania then stuck a 54-degree to about 10 feet. This also marks his first appearance in the Open Championship.
“It’s a good tournament. It’s the best competition in Philadelphia,” Kania said. “I want to test myself with the professionals and all of the best amateurs.”
Tucker Koch of RiverCrest GC & Preserve was one of four players to card an even-par 71. The Malvern, Pa., resident netted five birdies and made critical saves throughout his round, including on Nos. 6 (par 4, 395 yards) and 7 (par 3, 205 yards). On No. 6, Koch knocked his 4-iron into the bunker, but chipped up and drained a 15-footer. His tee shot on No. 7 – a 5-iron - found the bunker, but Koch again chipped up to 10 feet and converted the ensuing putt.
“I could’ve made double-bogeys, but I made bogeys,” Koch said.
Koch looks forward to competing amongst a tough field in the Open Championship.
“I want to test myself,” he said.
Overall, 27 players qualified Tuesday, with an additional four attaining alternate positions.
|
Qualifiers
|
|
Name, club
|
Total
|
|
(a) Michael Kania, Overbrook Golf Club
|
70
|
|
(a) Vinny Alessi,
Penn Oaks Golf Club
|
70
|
|
Mark Parson, Hidden Creek Golf Club
|
71
|
|
(a) Michael Tash, Tavistock
Country Club
|
71
|
|
(a) Tucker Koch, RiverCrest Golf Club &
Preserve
|
71
|
|
Wesley Hollis, PGA Individual Member
|
71
|
|
Jim Smith, Jr., Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
72
|
|
Chris Krueger, Kings Creek Country Club
|
73
|
|
(a) Geoffrey Cooper, Laurel Creek Country Club
|
73
|
|
(a) Philip Winter, Philadelphia Publinks
Golf Association
|
73
|
|
Rick Hughart, Tavistock
Country Club
|
73
|
|
(a) Tony Perla, Radnor Valley Country Club
|
73
|
|
(a) Colin Smith, Radley Run Country Club
|
74
|
|
(a) Cory Siegfried, Philadelphia Country Club
|
74
|
|
Eddie Perrino, Mountain Laurel Golf Club
|
74
|
|
Jamie Komancheck, RiverCrest
Golf Club & Preserve
|
74
|
|
Jason Panter, Sea Oaks Golf Club
|
74
|
|
John Cooper, Jr., Penn Oaks Golf Club
|
74
|
|
(a) Kevin Seybert, Huntingdon Valley
Country Club
|
74
|
|
(a) Nelson Hargrove, Merion Golf Club
|
74
|
|
(a) Oscar Mestre, Overbrook Golf Club
|
74
|
|
(a) Peter Barron, III, Stone Harbor Golf Club
|
74
|
|
*(a) Daniel Charen, Yardley Country Club
|
75
|
|
*(a) James Kania, Jr., Overbrook Golf Club
|
75
|
|
*(a) John La Dow, Bellewood Golf Club
|
75
|
|
*(a) Ryan Boyland, Penn Oaks Golf Club
|
75
|
|
*(a) Shawn Lavin, Philadelphia Publinks
Golf Association
|
75
|
|
|
Alternates (in order)
|
|
*Justin Riegel, Wilmington Country Club
|
75
|
|
*(a) Chip Lutz, Ledgerock Golf Club
|
75
|
|
*Mark Anderson, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
76
|
|
*(a) Roc Irey, Lookaway
Golf Club
|
76
|
|
|
Failed to qualify
|
|
(a) Garrett Conway, Burlington Country Club
|
76
|
|
Gray West, Toftrees Golf Club
|
76
|
|
(a) Gregory Buliga, Yardley Country Club
|
76
|
|
(a) Jeffrey Griest, Waynesborough
Country Club
|
76
|
|
(a) Matt Raudenbush, Pine Valley Golf Club
|
76
|
|
(a) Matt Smith, Whitford Country Club
|
76
|
|
(a) Michael Quinn, Edgmont Country Club
|
76
|
|
(a) Sam Pancoast, Radley
Run Country Club
|
76
|
|
(a) Tedd Meyer, Philmont
Country Club
|
76
|
|
William Reilly, Twining Valley Golf and Fitness Club
|
76
|
|
(a) Andy Achenbach, RiverCrest Golf Club
& Preserve
|
77
|
|
(a) Brian Gillespie, St. Davids Golf Club
|
77
|
|
Christian Bartolacci, Jericho National Golf
Club
|
77
|
|
(a) Duncan Zeiders, Old York Road Country
Club
|
77
|
|
Eric Dovre, Galloway National Golf Club
|
77
|
|
Joseph Kogelman, St. Davids
Golf Club
|
77
|
|
(a) Kevin Huntington, Penn Oaks Golf Club
|
77
|
|
(a) Matt Kohn, Hartefeld National
|
77
|
|
Matt Moroz, Torresdale-
Frankford Country Club
|
77
|
|
(a) Rand Mendez, Fieldstone Golf Club
|
77
|
|
Richie Krebs, Hanover Country Club
|
77
|
|
Sean Smyth, Lebanon Country Club
|
77
|
|
(a) Alan Over, Bent Creek Country Club
|
78
|
|
Anthony Napoletano, Edgmont
Country Club
|
78
|
|
(a) Greg Verde, Spring Ford Country Club
|
78
|
|
(a) James Braunsberg, Blue Bell Country
Club
|
78
|
|
John Allen, Sunnybrook Golf Club
|
78
|
|
(a) Kevin Genuardi, Cedarbrook
Country Club
|
78
|
|
(a) Kevin Melnick, Jr., Plymouth Country
Club
|
78
|
|
(a) Mark Endres, Overbrook Golf Club
|
78
|
|
(a) Michael Domenick, Phoenixville Country
Club
|
78
|
|
(a) Mike Meisenzahl, Little Mill Country
Club
|
78
|
|
(a) Ryan McCarty, Little Mill Country Club
|
78
|
|
(a) Steve Brenner, Bent Creek Country Club
|
78
|
|
Butch Johnson, Concord Country Club
|
79
|
|
(a) Christopher Wallin, Indian Valley
Country Club
|
79
|
|
(a) Mark Wachter, DuPont Country Club
|
79
|
|
(a) Steve Minnick, Bala Golf Club
|
79
|
|
(a) William Hoese, Links Golf Club
|
79
|
|
(a) Arthur Kania, Jr., Merion Golf Club
|
80
|
|
(a) Craig Tallent, Merion Golf Club
|
80
|
|
(a) Dan Bernard, RiverCrest Golf Club &
Preserve
|
80
|
|
(a) Daniel Drazen, Little Mill Country Club
|
80
|
|
David Nevatt, PGA Individual Member
|
80
|
|
(a) James Bea, Spring Mill Country Club
|
80
|
|
Kevin Shaw, PGA Individual Member
|
80
|
|
(a) Phil Dougherty, McCall Golf & Country Club
|
80
|
|
(a) Richard Marabella, Whitemarsh
Valley Country Club
|
80
|
|
(a) Robert Pina, Chester Valley Golf Club
|
80
|
|
(a) Zac Robertson, Edgmont
Country Club
|
80
|
|
(a) Andrew Mason, Five Ponds Golf Club
|
81
|
|
(a) Austin Wolf, Bent Creek Country Club
|
81
|
|
(a) Beau Guarino, Little Mill Country Club
|
81
|
|
Frank Bianco, Frankie B. Golf Schools
|
81
|
|
Frank Hesson, Indian Spring Country Club
|
81
|
|
(a) Michael Flatley, Bellewood
Golf Club
|
81
|
|
(a) Robert Robertson, Philadelphia
Cricket Club
|
81
|
|
Anthony Malizia, Gulph
Mills Golf Club
|
82
|
|
(a) Douglas Cusick, Tavistock Country Club
|
82
|
|
(a) Eric Casperson, Indian Valley Country
Club
|
82
|
|
Jeffrey Haas, French Creek Golf Club
|
82
|
|
(a) Patrick O'Brien, North Hills Country Club
|
82
|
|
(a) Robert Moses, Concord Country Club
|
82
|
|
(a) Scott MacGregor, Merion Golf Club
|
82
|
|
(a) Alex Weber, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
|
83
|
|
(a) Ben Bershad, Hopewell Valley Golf Club
|
83
|
|
(a) Bob Wolf, Bent Creek Country Club
|
83
|
|
(a) Junior Cattoni, Huntsville Golf Club
|
83
|
|
(a) Jeff DellaFranco, Concord Country Club
|
83
|
|
(a) Joe Bernard, RiverCrest Golf Club &
Preserve
|
83
|
|
(a) Kyle Raudenbush, Pine Valley Golf Club
|
83
|
|
(a) Matthew Crescenzo, JC Melrose Country
Club
|
83
|
|
(a) Ryan Felpel, Meadia
Heights Golf Club
|
83
|
|
(a) Steven Kim, Blue Bell Country Club
|
83
|
|
(a) Ted Brennan, Philadelphia Country Club
|
83
|
|
(a) Travis Gahman, Philadelphia Publinks Golf Association
|
83
|
|
Dennis Strigh , Frog Rock Country Club
|
84
|
|
(a) Dino Stathis, Mercer Oaks Golf Course
|
84
|
|
(a) Mark Coassolo, Brookside Country Club
of Allentown
|
84
|
|
(a) Mark Edmondson, Medford Village Country Club
|
84
|
|
(a) Matt Forgie, Penn Oaks Golf Club
|
84
|
|
(a) Zachary Davis, Makefield Highlands Golf
Club
|
84
|
|
(a) Cameron Liebert, White Manor Country
Club
|
85
|
|
(a) Joe DeVito, Jr., Laurel Creek Country
Club
|
85
|
|
(a) Damon Zappariello, Five Ponds Golf Club
|
86
|
|
(a) Michael Meiswich, Penn Oaks Golf Club
|
86
|
|
(a) Edmond Fenton, Jericho National Golf Club
|
87
|
|
(a) George Connell, Jr., Gulph Mills Golf
Club
|
87
|
|
(a) Craig Munson, Honeybrook Golf Club
|
88
|
|
(a) Kevin Bair, Wyncote Golf Club
|
88
|
|
(a) Matt Brady, Penn Oaks Golf Club
|
88
|
|
(a) Erik Thorn, Links Golf Club
|
89
|
|
(a) Nick Gorman, Laurel Creek Country Club
|
90
|
|
(a) Winfield Hill, Applebrook Golf Club
|
90
|
|
(a) Matthew Beardwood, DuPont Country Club
|
91
|
|
(a) Sean Remington, Green Valley Country Club
|
91
|
|
(a) Grant Thorell, Philadelphia Cricket
Club
|
92
|
|
(a) Michael Ignatuk, Penn Oaks Golf Club
|
94
|
|
Chris Barletta, Bala Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
(a) Donald Hirs, Fieldstone Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
(a) Frank Marckioni, Mercer Oaks Golf
Course
|
WD
|
|
(a) Jack Wallace, Burlington Country Club
|
WD
|
|
(a) Jamie Slonis, Tavistock
Country Club
|
WD
|
|
(a) John Fasy, Wilmington Country Club
|
NS
|
|
(a) Lance Oberparleiter, Wedgwood Country
Club
|
WD
|
|
(a) Marc Mandel, White Manor Country Club
|
WD
|
|
(a) Matthew Kreuter, Philadelphia Cricket
Club
|
DQ
|
|
Michael Ladden, Whitford
Country Club
|
WD
|
|
(a) Nikolai Wheeler, Wilmington Country Club
|
NS
|
|
(a) Ron Weaver, Meadia Heights Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
(a) Ryan Worthy, Merion Golf Club
|
NS
|
|
(a) Thomas E. Timby, Jr., The Bucks Club
|
WD
|
|
(a) Thomas Gramigna, Tavistock
Country Club
|
WD
|
|
Tom Gilbert, Gulph Mills Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
|
*-determined in playoff
|
|
DQ-disqualification; NS-no show; WD-withdrawal
|
|
