Antonio Leta chips up to the closing green (par 5, 516 yards).

Leta lifts Chapman (Net) hardware at Heidelberg

  BERNVILLE, Pa. - When Blue Bell Country Club’s Antonio Leta was asked to share a thought regarding his Frank H. Chapman Memorial Cup (Net) overall win Tuesday at Heidelberg Country Club (par 70, 5,870 words), he was left speechless. Literally.

  "I’m shocked. I had no idea the winner even got something like this," said Leta, pointing to his new piece of hardware. "I came out here to do my best, but that’s all you can ask for, especially in a net event. Playing as a 9 handicap, it’s hard to win against guys that may have higher handicaps than you. To win a net event at my handicap, you can’t be anything but pleased.”

  Leta collected 37 net points, in an 18-hole individual stableford format, en route to the overall title.

  The victorious run began with a 25-foot birdie on the opening hole (par 4, 309 yards), which quickly became the winning round’s ultimate propeller. After a solid drive, Leta’s pitching wedge found a safe resting place on the fringe. Electing to keep the flagstick in, Leta gave it a good look and let it fly.

  “It was a little downhill and I ended up hitting it with speed. If the flag wasn’t in, it might have been eight feet by and maybe I would have made bogey instead. But it fell,” said Leta, of Blue Bell, Pa.

  Despite a few short putts missed on Nos. 3 (par 4, 412 yards) and 7 (par 4, 346 yards), Leta’s game was a model for consistency on a day that teased autumn-like conditions. Overall, he finished with a net eagle, five birdies, seven pars.

  “There really wasn’t that much going great, but also not much going bad. It was pretty solid across the board,” said Leta. “I was able to two putt a lot today which helped a lot. I’m not usually a strong putter.”

  Leta hadn’t played the Bernville, Pa. track in some time. His last remembrance of Heidelberg was in the BMW GAP Team Matches, an event that he has competed in for the past 15 years. His first 13 appearances came while playing for Doylestown Country Club, with his last two coming for Blue Bell. Leta has been a fan of GAP events for all 15 of those playing years.

  “I was always big Marston Cup guy, but I haven’t played in the past five or so. I don’t hit the ball far enough anymore for those [events],” said a joking Leta.

  With the end of the season coming to a near close, Leta wanted a last lick of competition. He says he was motivated to sign up for the Chapman (Net) "to not only play a different course, but I just love competition.”

  Thirty players competed in this year’s event. 2015 champion William Brady of The Springhaven Club finished with 31 net points, placing him 17th overall.

  Frank H. Chapman, a Whitemarsh Valley Country Club member, served as the Association’s secretary-treasurer for 23 years. He died on June 7, 1955 at the age of 88. The Net tournament is held in his honor.

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.