Join/Renew

Membership

Join the GAP family. Already at the table? See what's on the menu.

Membership Home

Quick Links

Join/Renew Ghin Mobile App GAP Social Media Join/Renew

Play

Step up to the tee and test your golf game.

Play Home

Quick Links

Join/Renew GHIN Mobile App GAP Social Media Join/Renew
Event Schedule BMW Team Matches Member Play Days Rules and Policies

Resources

Access transcendent tools to enhance your GAP experience.

Resources Home

Quick Links

My GAP Locker Ghin Mobile App Post a Score GAP Schedule Join
Tournament History Player of the Year History Handicapping

About

Founded in 1897, GAP continues to champion golf for the benefit of the game in its region and beyond.

About Home

Quick Links

My GAP Locker Ghin Mobile App Post a Score GAP Schedule Join
Staff Directory Volunteers Awards and Honors

A Walk Through Time

GAP is the oldest state or regional golf association in the country. It started courtesy of a friendly competition – the Team Matches – and has grown into the preeminent golf association in the country. Along the way, golf history has been made.


May 18, 2015

P.J. Acierno hits a tee shot on No. 8 (par 5, 473 yards).

Acierno successfully explores Plymouth for
BMW Philly Amateur Qualifier medalist honors

  PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. - The 2014-15 collegiate golf season for Sandy Run Country Club’s P.J. Acierno involved a healthy mix of success and putting issues. But on Monday, his game was a mix of success and birdie putts.

| Scorecards |

  Acierno, who will be a redshirt-junior next year for the La Salle University Explorers, carded five birdies on his way to a 1-under 71, earning him medalist honors in a BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship Qualifier at Plymouth Country Country (par 72, 6,525 yards). He finished atop a leaderboard of 111 players looking to secure one of 25 qualifying spots and ties for the Championship proper. The cut stopped at 78 by the end of the day's qualifying action.

  The 115th BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship will take place June 16-18 & 20 at Llanerch Country Club and Rolling Green Golf Club (qualifying site only).

  Starting on the back nine, Acierno fired an impressive 1-under 35 on that side. His front nine was more of a roller-coaster ride with three bogeys and two birdies on the card. Acierno’s first birdie on the back came at No. 1 (par 4, 385 yards) after he found the fairway with a perfect 3-iron and then stuck a gap wedge close to the flag.

  Trouble lurked at No. 7 (par 3, 149 yards) when Acierno plugged in the right greenside bunker off the tee. He went over the green into another bunker with his next shot, then followed that up with a blast out to 25 feet. Acierno sunk that long putt for a critical bogey save. His gap wedge came in handy once again on No. 8 (par 5, 473 yards) after cutting the trees on the left to set himself up for a close approach shot. He released his gap wedge onto the green with spin, and Acierno two-putted for his fifth and final birdie on the day.

  Two of Acierno’s teammates, Joe Markmann (82) and Justin Smith (83), competed in the qualifier at Plymouth but failed to make the cut. After sitting out the 2013-2014 season, the 21-year-old led the Explorers’ with a 75.3 stroke average this fall. His spring season wasn’t as strong due to an inconsistent short game, but he seems to have found a fix.

  â€śI definitely had to practice my putting after this spring season. I was able to roll the ball really well today,” said Acierno.

  The BMW Philadelphia Amateur’s match-play Round of 32 sounds like it will suit Acierno’s game well. He won Sandy Run’s club championship last year and finished as the runner-up the year before. Both were played in match-play format.

  â€śThis is the first time I’ve tried for the Philly Am, which I’m pretty pumped about. I’d love to get into match play. That’d be great,” Acierno said. “I just love match play. I’ve definitely played a lot of it before."

  The only other GAP Major Acierno has qualified for was the 2013 Patterson Cup at Cedarbrook Country Club, where he failed to qualify for Day Two by just one stroke after carding a 5-over 77. He hopes to play in more GAP events moving forward.

  â€śI want to play in as many tournaments as I can this summer. This one worked out with my schedule, and it was great to have it at Plymouth, right nearby where I live,” said Acierno, a Flourtown, Pa. resident. “I saw the list of the guys that are exempt who look like they will be playing in the Championship and it’s a great field, like every year. I hope I can get it done in the first 36 and then get it done in match play.”

  The BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship is the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s premier event. Participants must first advance through a one day, 36-hole stroke play qualifier to gain one of 32 available match play positions. Those who qualify for match play must advance through four matches in two days to reach the Amateur Final, which is typically held on the Saturday of Father’s Day weekend. The winner receives the J. Wood Platt Trophy; its namesake holds a record-seven Amateur Championship titles.

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 151 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.

Qualifiers

Name, club

Score

P.J. Acierno, Sandy Run Country Club

71

Connor Sharp, Union League Golf Club at Torresdale

73

Jim Engler, Sea Oaks Golf Club

73

Kevin McDermott, Llanerch Country Club

73

Bo Maguire, Brookside Country Club

74

Daniel Furman, Commonwealth National Golf Club

74

Oscar Mestre, Overbrook Golf Club

74

Cody Dazen, Tavistock Country Club

75

David Shields, Philadelphia Publinks GA

75

Evan Thornton, LedgeRock Golf Club

75

Jimmy Wolfe, Bellewood Country Club

75

Joe Kerrigan, Jr., Llanerch Country Club

75

Justin Hare, Five Ponds Golf Club

75

Scott McLaughlin, Commonwealth National Golf Club

75

Ashley Brasfield, Rolling Green Golf Club

76

Chris McCann, Skippack Golf Club at Evansburg Skippack Park

76

Doug Fedoryshyn, Concord Country Club

76

Tyler Sokolis, Commonwealth National Golf Club

76

Brian Winters, Spring Ford Country Club

77

Evan Galbreath, Philmont Country Club

77

Geoffrey Cooper, North Hills Country Club

77

Thomas Lewis, Commonwealth National Golf Club

77

Daniel Feeney, Philadelphia Cricket Club

78

Dawson Anders, Indian Valley Country Club

78

Kyle Vance, GAP Junior eClub

78

Michael Cook, Applebrook Golf Club

78

Michael Dafnis, Plymouth Country Club

78

Ryan Worthy, Merion Golf Club

78
 

Failed to qualify

Casey Murray, Philadelphia Cricket Club

79

John Barone, Glenmaura National Golf Club

79

Kevin Cahill, Merion Golf Club

79

Kevin Kramarski, Riverton Country Club

79

Larry Martone, Stonewall

79

Michael Dunn, Little Mill Country Club

79

Mike Kacelowicz, Schuylkill Country Club

79

Otis Baker, Gulph Mills Golf Club

79

Patrick McCusker, Jr., Plymouth Country Club

79

Rodney Anders, Indian Valley Country Club

79

Arthur Kania, Jr., Merion Golf Club

80

Brad McFadden, Overbrook Golf Club

80

Christopher Reedman, Makefield Highlands Golf Club

80

Dan Clark, Old York Road Country Club

80

Eddie Johnson, Llanerch Country Club

80

J.B. Bradbeer, Merion Golf Club

80

Jake Niedosik, Blue Bell Country Club

80

John Foley, Spring Ford Country Club

80

Matt Kocent, White Manor Country Club

80

Ryan Bowman, Aronimink Golf Club

80

Adam Warner, Tavistock Country Club

81

Alex Bauman, The Ridge at Back Brook

81

Evan Notaro, Woodstone Country Club

81

James Robertson, Llanerch Country Club

81

Jesse Bingaman, Northampton Country Club

81

John Alterman, Commonwealth National Golf Club

81

Joshua Feldschneider, Rancocas Golf Club

81

Ken Sim, Commonwealth National Golf Club

81

Kyle Henofer, Indian Valley Country Club

81

Michael Zeng, Applecross Country Club

81

Paul Yun, Applecross Country Club

81

Robert Bangs, Jr., Philadelphia Publinks GA

81

Scott McKean, Chester Valley Golf Club

81

Daniel Mahoney, Lu Lu Country Club

82

James Kaiser, Tavistock Country Club

82

Jimmy Kramarski, Riverton Country Club

82

Joseph Markmann, Talamore Country Club

82

Mark Farley, Lu Lu Country Club

82

Matthew Ade, Riverton Country Club

82

Michael Burns, Jr., Overbrook Golf Club

82

Nick Madden, Lu Lu Country Club

82

Philip Rothermel, Golden Oaks Golf Club

82

Scott Forrester, Meadowlands Country Club

82

Zachary Melnick, Plymouth Country Club

82

Brian Fischer, Commonwealth National Golf Club

83

Chris Meares, Running Deer Golf Club

83

Evan Joyce, Glenmaura National Golf Club

83

Justin Smith, Philadelphia Cricket Club

83

Stephen Guertler, Laurel Creek Country Club

83

Stephen O'Sullivan, Philadelphia Cricket Club

83

Todd Baron, Philadelphia Publinks GA

83

Brian Zinman, Saucon Valley Country Club

84

Kevin Frost, Philadelphia Cricket Club

84

Robert Cummings, Riverton Country Club

84

Edward Kelly, Jr., Old York Road Country Club

85

Justin Schorr, Talamore Country Club

85

Kevin Genuardi, Cedarbrook Country Club

85

Liam Fahey, Overbrook Golf Club

85

Robert Olseski, Sandy Run Country Club

85

Steve Wentzel, Woodstone Country Club

85

Timothy Anderson, Philadelphia Publinks GA

85

Bernie McCole, The Bucks Club

86

Jack Hirsh, Philadelphia Cricket Club

86

James Austin, Five Ponds Golf Club

86

James Pokorny, Golf Course at Glen Mills

86

Joe Corcoran, Five Ponds Golf Club

86

Nick Verrecchio, Rolling Green Golf Club

87

Matthew Bastian, Jr., Rolling Green Golf Club

88

Ben Litt, Riverton Country Club

90

Joe Rochelle, Indian Valley Country Club

90

Robert Dietrich, Loch Nairn Golf Club

90

Thomas Fisher, North Hills Country Club

91

David Guertler, Laurel Creek Country Club

94

Jeffrey Giglio, Little Mill Country Club

94

Michael Reed-Price, Sunnybrook Golf Club

94

John VanDame, Jr., Talamore Country Club

105

Robert Craven, Philadelphia Country Club

NS

Alexander Maguire, Jr., Brookside Country Club

WD

Brad Sokol, Green Valley Country Club

WD

Casey Lyons, Medford Village Country Club

WD

Jimmy Taylor, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve

WD

Alexander Cameron, Rolling Green Golf Club

WD
 

NS-no show; WD-withdrawal
[ Back ]