Frank Kohute is now set to make his GAP Major debut.

Kohute, Perese top Mid.-Am. Qualifier at Greate Bay

  SOMERS POINT, N.J. – It wasn't a great day at Greate Bay Country Club (par 70, 6,501 yards) for Running Deer Golf Club's Frank Kohute and Philmont Country Club's Joe Perese.

  It was oustanding.

  Two weeks after the original date was postponed due to an unexpected snowstorm, Kohute and Perese each carded rounds of 4-over 74 to earn a share of medalist honors on Saturday in a Middle-Amateur Championship Qualifier presented by Callaway Golf. The leading pair topped a field of 63 players vying for 14 spots and ties.

  Perese’s highlight of the round came on his opening hole, which actually ended up being the closing hole, No. 18 (par 4, 395 yards), due to a shotgun start. After snap hooking his drive and finding the wrong fairway, he bounced back with a 7-iron that landed within inches of the hole after hitting the flag. He tapped in for birdie to start his round under par. On No. 14 (par 4, 362 yards), Perese drilled his driver dead straight, placed a wedge approach to three feet, and again rolled in for birdie.

  Ironically, Perese was not in the original field two weeks prior. He had just started a brand new job in the insurance industry, and the dates didn’t align with his starting date. But when the rescheduled date worked for him, he decided to throw his name into the hat.

  “I said forget it, it wasn’t going to work out,” said Perese, 26, of Huntingdon Valley, Pa. “When [registration] reopened, I told myself that maybe I could get lucky and break 80 and qualify. I’m obviously glad I made that choice now.”

  Perese, who will be playing in his second Mid.-Am. after qualifying then missing the cut at last year’s championship, walked away from today with praise for Greate Bay’s condition despite wet conditions throughout the afternoon.

  “Greens were very receptive today, and they were true for the most part,” said Perese. “I haven’t been able to putt on many nice greens this early in the season, so that was nice to see out here, even with the rain."

  For Kohute, birdies dropped at Nos. 1 (par 4, 380 yards) and 17 (par 4, 397 yards). On No. 17, he placed a wedge within a few feet of the cup then converted for a 3. On No. 1, he jarred a 25-footer for the birdie.

  In result of qualifying today, Kohute is set to make his GAP Major debut at Waynesborough Country Club– the track he competed at in last week’s BMW GAP Team Matches.

  “I’ve never played in a GAP Major before and I’m just excited right now. It’s going to be awesome,” said Kohute, 37, of Newfield, N.J.

  One thing Kohute has going in his favor? His handicap trend. Kohute played as a six handicap last year and is now trending towards scratch.

  “I attribute that to more practice, and to be honest, my new clubs,” Kohute said. “I got fitted by Club Champion and now I have confidence that my clubs are right for me. I’m just trying to minimize mistakes nowadays and I just want to put the golf ball in the hole. I try to keep it simple.”

  The cut line dropped to 79 by the end of the day. Former GAP/J. Wood Platt intern Tim Pici (5 over) of Chester Valley Golf Club finished one back of the leaders and qualified for the 33rd playing of the Championship Proper, which will take place May 25-26 at Waynesborough.

  The Golf Association of Philadelphia’s Middle-Amateur Championship started in 1984, three years after the USGA created the U.S. Mid-Amateur as a formal championship for post-college amateurs. The Association followed suit with the USGA in creating a Mid-Am, but initially differed in its administration of the tournament in a couple of respects.

  The most obvious difference was the age requirement. Prior to 2001, the GAP Middle-Amateur was for players 30 years of age and older.

  The Association’s Executive Committee reviewed and revised that age requirement in 2001 to match the USGA's guidelines of 25 years of age or older for eligible players. Also at that point, the Committee changed the format of the event to a two-day stroke play tournament (instead of a one-day medal play event) with a cut to the low 70 players and ties after the first round. The field began with 130 players.

Callaway Golf

  Callaway Golf was founded in 1982 by the late Ely Callaway, a visionary entrepreneur who operated under a simple but profound business promise: Deliver Demonstrably Superior, Pleasingly Different products and services. That philosophy turned what was originally a boutique manufacturer of high-quality wedges and putters into the world's largest maker of premium, performance golf products. The Callaway mission and vision has remained the same; we passionately pursue advanced, innovative technologies that help golfers of all abilities find more enjoyment from the game. Under the Callaway and Odyssey brands, Callaway manufactures and sells golf clubs and golf balls, and sells golf apparel, footwear and accessories in more than 110 countries worldwide.

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.