*Event Photos
*Scorecards
Wedgwood's Finger, Makefield's Reedman head Amateur Qualifier
TELFORD, Pa. - Matthew Finger of Wedgwood CC and Christopher Reedman of Makefield Highlands GC each carded a 1-over-par 73 to share medalist honors in Monday’s Amateur Championship Qualifier at Indian Valley CC (par 72, 6, 840 yards).
Both players led a field of 143 players attempting to earn one of the 45 qualifying spots and ties available for the 110th edition of the Golf Association of Philadelphia Amateur Championship set for June 21-23 & 26 at Saucon Valley CC.
Finger’s flatstick dictated his strong play.
“I putted real well. I think I had 28 putts, which is real good,” the Sweedsboro, N.J. resident said. “I knew it was going to be a tough day out there.”
Finger, 32, registered two bogeys to begin his round. On No. 1 (par 4, 397 yards), he launched a sand wedge 100 yards over the green, hit a poor chip and failed to get up-and-down. He three-putted for bogey on No. 2 (par 4, 447 yards), but regained a stroke with a birdie on No. 3 (par 5, 518 yards) Finger blasted his approach 5-iron from 195 yards out, chipped up from behind the flagstick and cleaned up the birdie putt.
Finger fired another birdie on No. 6 (par 3, 207 yards). His 4-iron combated the wind and settled 15-feet from the flagstick, and Finger drained the birdie putt.
“That was my best shot of the day,” he said.
Finger nearly chipped in for eagle on No. 8 (par 5, 510 yards), and he cleaned up the birdie putt. Finger deposited his final birdie on the par 5, 518-yard 12th hole. He stuck a sand wedge 115-yards to six-feet behind the flagstick and connected on the ensuing birdie try. Later this month, Finger will compete in the Middle-Amateur Championship at Philadelphia Cricket Club (Militia Hill).
“I’m really excited to play Militia Hill and now Saucon Valley,” he said.
For Reedman, Monday marked his formal return to competitive golf after sitting in the figurative clubhouse in 2009.
“I wasn’t trying to overpower the course,” Reedman said. “Today, I kind of hung back and played angles. I played more position golf. If I missed, I missed it just a little bit and I wasn’t in trouble. I played a lot of knocked-downs and sawed-off shots.”
It didn’t seem like Reedman would post such a solid score after the Yardley, Pa. resident carded a double bogey on No. 1 (par 4, 397 yards) to start. He pulled his tee shot left, then attempted to propel past an overhanging tree with a 9-iron from 150 yards out, only to see his ball clip a branch and drop into the water. Reedman, however, refused to let a tough start turn into tragedy.
“Back in the day, I used to get all flustered after something like that, but nowadays, I’m more even-keeled,” he said.
Reedman, 25, began his crawl back toward the blue on the downhill No. 3 (par 5, 518 yards). He drilled his hybrid from 215 yards out over the green, but then flopped his wedge to four feet and drained the birdie putt. Reedman again nuked an approach shot – this time on No. 9 (par 4, 370 yards) with a wedge from 115 yards out – over the green, but converted a downhill, left-to-right chip for his second birdie of the day.
“I hit my mark and funneled it in,” Reedman said.
On No. 10 (par 4, 372 yards), Reedman experienced déjà vu by registering another double bogey. Standing 120 yards from the flagstick, he pulled his wedge into the left bunker, overcame a tough lie to get onto the green and three-putted. But Reedman ignited two holes later by drilling his 3-wood 250 yards onto the No. 12 (par 5, 518 yards) green and leaving an uphill 25-footer for eagle inches short of the cup. He did tap in for birdie, and more red figures came on Nos. 15 (par 5, 550 yards) and 16 (par 3, 158 yards). With 118 yards to the No. 16 green, Reedman, who works for W.B. Mason, knocked his pitching wedge to five feet and cleaned up the birdie putt. He hit a knock-down 6-iron to 25-feet on No. 16, and sunk the straight-away birdie try.
“I had my eye on the line, saw it the whole way and it dropped,” Reedman said.
In 2008, Reedman fell to Merion GC’s Michael McDermott, the eventual champion, in the first round of the Amateur Championship at Whitemarsh Valley CC. Reedman did earn an exemption into the tournament the following year at Stonewall, but he withdrew after the first round of the qualifier. It was Reedman’s only competitive tournament in 2009. He took a break for personal reasons.
At the end of the day, the cut line settled at 82.
Monday’s qualifier was the first of two Amateur Championship qualifiers used to determine who will play in the Championship. The second qualifier will take place Wednesday, May 12 at Wedgwood CC.
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Qualifiers
|
|
Name
|
Club
|
Scores
|
|
Matthew Finger
|
Wedgwood Country Club
|
73
|
|
Christopher Reedman
|
Makefield Highlands Golf Club
|
73
|
|
Andy Achenbach
|
RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
|
74
|
|
Robert Gill
|
Fox Hill Country Club
|
76
|
|
David Shields
|
Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
76
|
|
Geoffrey Cooper
|
Laurel Creek Country Club
|
77
|
|
Dan Bernard
|
RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
|
77
|
|
Michael Beran
|
RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
|
77
|
|
Patrick Phillips
|
Spring Ford Country Club
|
78
|
|
Rich Thon
|
The Springhaven
Club
|
78
|
|
Oscar Mestre
|
Overbrook Golf Club
|
78
|
|
Jim Simmons
|
Stonewall
|
78
|
|
Lucas Serbun
|
Huntingdon Valley Country
Club
|
78
|
|
Nelson Hargrove
|
Merion Golf Club
|
78
|
|
Scott McLaughlin
|
Commonwealth National Golf
Club
|
78
|
|
Kenneth Matt
|
Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
79
|
|
Tom Piersanti
|
Saucon Valley Country Club
|
79
|
|
Robert Bechtold
|
Loch Nairn
Golf Club
|
79
|
|
Christopher Storck
|
Moselem Springs Golf Club
|
79
|
|
Michael Rogers
|
Overbrook Golf Club
|
79
|
|
Bo Maguire
|
Brookside Country Club
|
79
|
|
Steve Lubin
|
Five Ponds Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Tom Carter
|
Greate Bay Country Club
|
80
|
|
Marc Mandel
|
White Manor Country Club
|
80
|
|
Scott Klee
|
Indian Valley Country Club
|
80
|
|
Blake Slawecki
|
Spring Ford Country Club
|
80
|
|
Joseph Marucci
|
Saucon Valley Country Club
|
80
|
|
Byron Whitman
|
Golden Oaks Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Michael O'Keefe
|
Little Mill Country Club
|
80
|
|
Peter Moran
|
Edgmont Country Club
|
80
|
|
Steven Minnick, Jr.
|
Bala Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Matt Dudas
|
Indian Valley Country Club
|
81
|
|
Mark Quigley
|
Lu Lu
Country Club
|
81
|
|
Timothy Chow
|
Indian Valley Country Club
|
81
|
|
Joe Viechnicki
|
Saucon Valley Country Club
|
81
|
|
Santo Lafoca
|
Huntsville Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Jim Rattigan
|
Schuylkill Country Club
|
81
|
|
Sean Coyle
|
Llanerch Country Club
|
81
|
|
Mark Coassolo
|
Brookside C.C. of Allentown
|
81
|
|
Christopher Wallin
|
French Creek Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Jared Palubinski
|
Golden Oaks Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Jimmy Johnston
|
Merion Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Jordan Wycoff
|
Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
|
82
|
|
Andrew Jaskel
|
Middletown Country Club
|
82
|
|
Joseph Fabrizio,
Jr.
|
Aronimink Golf Club
|
82
|
|
Stephen Hudacek
III
|
Glenmaura National Golf Club
|
82
|
|
Zachary Falone
|
Rolling Green Golf Club
|
82
|
|
Daniel Feeney
|
Makefield Highlands Golf Club
|
82
|
|
Grant Skyllas
|
Moselem Springs Golf Club
|
82
|
|
Shawn Lavin
|
Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
82
|
|
Edward Woehlcke
|
Cedarbrook Country Club
|
82
|
|
Greg O'Connor
|
Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
82
|
|
|
Failed to qualify
|
|
Todd Vonderheid
|
Huntsville Golf Club
|
83
|
|
Ryan Jordan
|
Tavistock Country Club
|
83
|
|
Charles Bernard
|
RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
|
83
|
|
Brad Sokol
|
Green Valley Country Club
|
83
|
|
Michael Quinn
|
Edgmont Country Club
|
83
|
|
Del Markward
|
North Hills Country Club
|
83
|
|
Zach Smith
|
Doylestown Country Club
|
83
|
|
David Atkinson
|
Llanerch Country Club
|
83
|
|
Sean Sexton
|
Five Ponds Golf Club
|
83
|
|
Jeffrey Wuerstle
|
Indian Valley Country Club
|
83
|
|
Daniel Pinciotti,
Jr.
|
Huntingdon Valley Country
Club
|
84
|
|
Jack Walsh, Jr.
|
Old York Road Country Club
|
84
|
|
Zac Robertson
|
Edgmont Country Club
|
84
|
|
Kevin Bair
|
Loch Nairn
Golf Club
|
84
|
|
Francis Hamm
|
Country Club of Scranton
|
84
|
|
Richard Marabella
|
Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
|
84
|
|
Stephen McIntyre
|
Honeybrook Golf Club
|
84
|
|
Charles Scalzott
|
Huntingdon Valley Country
Club
|
84
|
|
Jose Rovelli
|
Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
84
|
|
Blayze DiPasquale
|
Commonwealth National Golf
Club
|
84
|
|
Benjamin Cooley
|
Lu Lu
Country Club
|
84
|
|
Paul Liebezeit
|
Aronimink Golf Club
|
84
|
|
Michael Costonis
|
Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
84
|
|
Jack Ulan
|
Cedarbrook Country Club
|
84
|
|
Jason Barkley
|
Huntsville Golf Club
|
84
|
|
Owen Brown
|
Coatesville Country Club
|
85
|
|
Thomas Hyland
|
Little Mill Country Club
|
85
|
|
Phillip Villari,
Jr.
|
Riverton Country Club
|
85
|
|
Ari Flaisher
|
Five Ponds Golf Club
|
85
|
|
Tim Westfall
|
RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
|
85
|
|
G. Patrick Dougherty
|
Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
85
|
|
Marlin Detweiler
|
Lancaster Country Club
|
85
|
|
Cory Siegfried
|
Aronimink Golf Club
|
85
|
|
Alexander McPherson
|
Sandy Run Country Club
|
85
|
|
Jake Suplicki
|
Five Ponds Golf Club
|
85
|
|
Tyler Canfield
|
Downingtown Country Club
|
85
|
|
Arthur Kania, Jr.
|
Merion Golf Club
|
85
|
|
Justin Smith
|
Huntingdon Valley Country
Club
|
86
|
|
Andrew Speaker
|
Jericho National Golf Club
|
86
|
|
Ted Brennan
|
Philadelphia Country Club
|
86
|
|
J. Daniel Farragut
|
Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
86
|
|
Greg Blackburn
|
Honeybrook Golf Club
|
86
|
|
Dwight Dudas
|
Indian Valley Country Club
|
86
|
|
Frank Balcavage
|
Saucon Valley Country Club
|
86
|
|
Kevin Seybert
|
Huntingdon Valley Country
Club
|
86
|
|
Zach Rothaus
|
Talamore Country Club
|
86
|
|
Robert Cunningham
|
Overbrook Golf Club
|
86
|
|
Matthew Episcopo
|
Saucon Valley Country Club
|
87
|
|
Patrick O'Brien
|
North Hills Country Club
|
87
|
|
William Reube
|
Five Ponds Golf Club
|
87
|
|
Tyler Yearley
|
Makefield Highlands Golf Club
|
87
|
|
Michael Flatley
|
Bellewood Golf Club
|
87
|
|
Tim McNerney
|
Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
88
|
|
Ivan Mcbride
|
Five Ponds Golf Club
|
88
|
|
Alex Palmer
|
Lancaster Country Club
|
88
|
|
Matt Brady
|
Penn Oaks Golf Club
|
88
|
|
Brian Kreamer
|
Bala Golf Club
|
88
|
|
Patrick Lyons
|
Saucon Valley Country Club
|
88
|
|
Kevin Genuardi
|
Cedarbrook Country Club
|
89
|
|
John Robinson
|
Commonwealth National Golf
Club
|
89
|
|
Mark Walkush
|
Manufacturers Golf &
Country Club
|
89
|
|
David Fardon
|
Saucon Valley Country Club
|
89
|
|
Tommy Horgan
|
Plymouth Country Club
|
89
|
|
Duane Pinnock
|
RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
|
89
|
|
Phil Rothermel
|
Golden Oaks Golf Club
|
89
|
|
Charles Dennis
|
Glenmaura National Golf Club
|
90
|
|
James Bell, III
|
Makefield Highlands Golf Club
|
90
|
|
Bryan Marvin
|
Old York Road Country Club
|
90
|
|
Patrick Welsh
|
Makefield Highlands Golf Club
|
90
|
|
Thomas Corr
|
RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
|
91
|
|
Mark O'Neill
|
Sandy Run Country Club
|
91
|
|
Scott Barth
|
Wyoming Valley Country Club
|
91
|
|
Jack Rosenberg
|
Waynesborough Country Club
|
92
|
|
Drew Garis
|
North Hills Country Club
|
93
|
|
David Strohl
|
Moselem Springs Golf Club
|
93
|
|
Robert Pina
|
Chester Valley Golf Club
|
94
|
|
Robert Moses
|
Concord Country Club
|
94
|
|
Christopher Casperson
|
Indian Valley Country Club
|
94
|
|
Shane Werley
|
Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
94
|
|
Evan Galbreath
|
Philmont Country Club
|
95
|
|
Eric Casperson
|
Indian Valley Country Club
|
97
|
|
Jimmy Taylor
|
Blue Bell Country Club
|
99
|
|
Fred Luck
|
Bellewood Golf Club
|
NC
|
|
Jonathan Hoffman
|
Philmont Country Club
|
NC
|
|
John Donahue, Jr.
|
Rolling Green Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
Michael DiGiandomenico
|
French Creek Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
Chas Hudacek
|
Glenmaura National Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
Timothy Dolan
|
Galloway National Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
Richard Blumberg
|
Philmont Country Club
|
WD
|
|
Gerald Coyne
|
Glenmaura National Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
Michael Boden
|
Aronimink Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
|
NC - no card; WD -
withdrawal
|
|
