Association to compete in 63^rd Mason-Dixon Matches

  The Golf Association of Philadelphia travels south to compete in the 63rd Mason-Dixon Matches Oct. 11-12 at Fountain Head Country Club in Hagerstown, Md.

  The event pits the Association’s top players against those from the Middle Atlantic Golf Association. The format features a four-ball stroke play match running concurrently with an individual match. The matches have been played annually since 1952. GAP leads the series overall, 33-25. There have been five ties.

  The following players will represent the Golf Association of Philadelphia in this year's affair.

Amateurs

John Brennan, Philadelphia Cricket Club Sixth appearance (2008-10, 2012-13)

2014 accomplishments: Qualified locally for U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship in qualifier held at Huntingdon Valley Country Club … tied for second in Amateur Championship Qualifier but did not compete in match play … finished seventh in Silver Cross Award standings … placed 25th in the William Hyndman, III Player of the Year standings.

Matthew Finger, DuPont Country Club First appearance

2014 accomplishments: finished fifth in the 31st Middle-Amateur Championship presented by Callaway Golf at Gulph Mills Golf Club; carded a 5-under-par 66, the low round on Day Two, for a 141 total … quarterfinalist in the 114th Amateur Championship at White Manor Country Club; lost to Ben Feld of Green Valley Country Club, 5&4 … posted a Top 10 finish in the Delaware State Golf Association Amateur Championship at Cavaliers Country Club … ranked 13th in the William Hyndman, III Player of the Year standings.

Aaron Fricke, Honeybrook Golf Club First appearance

2014 accomplishments: Advanced to Round of 16 in Amateur Championship before falling to Ray Thompson of Overbrook Golf Club in 19 holes … tied with three others for second in Amateur stroke-play qualifier at 3 under … tied for 10th at even par in Patterson Cup … tied for second, two strokes behind winner Matthew Teesdale in Silver Cross Award standings … placed 12th in the William Hyndman, III Player of the Year standings.

Ryan Gelrod, Philadelphia Cricket Club First appearance

2014 accomplishments: Posted a Top 15 finish in the Middle-Amateur Championship; carded rounds of 74 and 70 … qualified for match play in the Amateur Championship; fell to Michael Carr of Plymouth Country Club, 4&3, in the Round of 32 … won the 43rd Four-Ball Stroke Play Championship at Metedeconk National Golf Club with clubmate Marc Mandel … ranked 38th in the William Hyndman, III Player of the Year standings.

Michael Hyland, Little Mill Country Club Third appearance (2011-12)

2014 accomplishments: Finished eighth in 110th Open Championship with rounds of 71 and 72 … tied for 13th in the Middle-Amateur Championship … tied for seventh in New Jersey State Golf Association Amateur … placed 27th in the William Hyndman, III Player of the Year standings.

James Kania, Jr., Overbrook Golf Club Third appearance (2004, 2011)

2014 accomplishments: Runner-up in the Pennsylvania Golf Association’s R. Jay Sigel Amateur Match Play Championship; fell to Eric Williams of Honesdale Golf Club in 20 holes at Sunnehanna Country Club … played on Overbrook’s triumphant GAP Team Matches squad … posted a Top 15 finish in the Joseph H. Patterson Cup; carded rounds of 71 and 74 … ranked 29th in the William Hyndman, III Player of the Year standings.

Scott McNeil, Bala Golf Club Third appearance (2011-12)

2014 accomplishments: Advanced to Round of 32 in U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship before falling to eventual champion Scott Harvey, 1-up. It was Harvey’s most contentious match en route to the title. McNeil tied for 29th in stroke-play qualifying at 6-over 148 … locally qualified for U.S. Mid-Amateur at Bidermann with a second-place showing … finished in a five-way tie for fifth at 1 under for the 36 holes of the Joseph H. Patterson Cup … qualified as 13th seed in Amateur Championship before falling in Round of 32 match to Alex Blickle of LedgeRock Golf Club, 2&1 … placed fifth in the Silver Cross Award standings … ranked fourth in the William Hyndman, III Player of the Year standings.

Grant Skyllas, LedgeRock Golf Club Second appearance (2012)

2014 accomplishments: Placed 19th in the Silver Cross Award standings … runner-up in the 114th Joseph H. Patterson Cup; carded rounds of 75 and 66, the latter tying a competitive course record at Tavistock Country Club … won the Pennsylvania Golf Association’s Middle-Amateur Championship presented by Allegheny Health Network; defeated David DeNunzio at Greensburg Country Club in a sudden-death playoff after carding rounds of 69 and 71 in regulation … qualified for the 2015 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball with teammate Joshua Krumholz of Golden Oaks Golf Club … ranked 11th in the William Hyndman, III Player of the Year standings.

Benjamin Smith, Huntingdon Valley Country Club Third appearance (2012-13)

2014 accomplishments: Gained match play in the 114th Amateur Championship; fell to Matt Cocco of Commonwealth National Golf Club, 2&1 … finished fifth in the 112th Joseph H. Patterson Cup; carded rounds of 71 and 72 … placed fourth in the Silver Cross Award standings with a 285 total … ranked 15th in the William Hyndman, III Player of the Year standings.

Seniors

Ed Chylinski, Chester Valley Golf Club First appearance

2014 accomplishments: Co-runner-up in the 80th Francis B. Warner Cup (Gross) at Talamore Country Club with a score of 2-over-par 73 … posted a Top 15 finish in the 44th Senior Amateur Championship with scores of 74 and 77 … teamed with clubmate Ken Silverwood to share runner-up honors in the 55th Senior Four-Ball Stroke Play at Concord Country Club; lost in a scorecard playoff after carding a 3-under-par 68 … placed fourth in the Senior Silver Cross Award standings … currently ranks fifth in the Senior Player of the Year standings.

Roc Irey, Lookaway Golf Club Third appearance (2001, 2004)

2014 accomplishments: Co-runner-up in the 44th Senior Amateur Championship with rounds of 75 and 72 … qualified for the U.S. Senior Amateur … placed third in the Senior Silver Cross Award standings … posted a Top 15 finish in the Frank H. Chapman Memorial Cup (Gross) … semifinalist in the Pennsylvania Golf Association’s Senior Amateur Match Play Championship; lost to Chip Lutz via forfeit … finished tied for third in the PAGA Senior Amateur Championship with scores of 75 and 70 … currently ranks third in the Senior Player of the Year Award standings.

Junior

Kevin Conners, Jr., Whitford Country Club First appearance

2014 accomplishments: Captured the 15th Christman Cup with rounds of 72 and 67 at St. Davids Golf Club … finished as runner-up in the Jock MacKenzie Memorial; fell to Philadelphia Cricket’s Cole Berman in a sudden-death playoff … ranked third in the Junior Player of the Year standings.

Golf Association of Philadelphia
  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 150 Member Clubs and 57,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. As Philadelphia’s Most Trusted Source of Golf Information, the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.