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| Jericho National Golf Club’s Stephen Cerbara plays his approach on No. 15 (par 5, 552 yards). |
Four share medalist honors in Open Qualifier at Indian Valley
TELFORD, Pa. — Three players with Golf Association of Philadelphia imprints, and a relative newcomer searching for certainty, shared medalist honors in an Open Championship Qualifier at a challenging Indian Valley Country Club (par 72, 6,858 yards) Tuesday.
| Scorecards |
Photo gallery |
History |
Radnor Valley Country Club’s Carey Bina and Aronimink Golf Club’s Michael Davis, opponents in the BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship Round of 16 last week, and Jericho National Golf Club’s Steve Cerbara, the 2013 Christman Cup Champion, carded respective 1-over-par 73s. Hopewell Valley Golf & Country Club’s Ben Bershad, a Baltimore, Md. transplant, joined the trio at that number.
The cut line stopped at 77. Overall, 25 players advanced, with two amateurs — Joseph Chambers, Jr. of Chester Valley Golf Club and Joseph Dulka of Bellewood Country Club — and a professional — Andrew Turner of Whitford Country Club — doing so in a sudden-death playoff.
The 112th Open Championship will take place July 18 at The Ridge at Back Brook.
Bina, 20, of Villanova, Pa., and Cerbara, 18, of Langhorne, Pa., played in the same group, ironically rounded out by Davis’ brother Matthew, also of Aronimink. Indian Valley brings back fond memories for Bina; he qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur three years ago on the property.
“I was just happy to be back here,” Bina, a GAP volunteer, said. “I wasn’t a huge fan when I played it, but given my history, I was looking forward to it. I only hit one fairway and eight greens today.”
Cerbara, a recent Holy Ghost Prep graduate, saw Indian Valley for the first time Tuesday.
“I could’ve putted a lot better. This club has a lot firmness in the greens,” he said. “I need to play more tough courses with firm greens like this to improve my game.”
Bina, a rising senior at Elon University, and Cerbara, who will attend Furman University in the fall, met at 73 thanks to their respective results on the par 4, 391-yard 18th hole. Cerbara drained a downhill 20-footer for birdie, set up by a 54-degree wedge shot from 103 yards. Bina, 3 under on the back nine at that point, dealt with an unresponsive sand wedge out of a difficult lie, missed the green short and made bogey.
Last week at Merion Golf Club (East), Bina fell to eventual semifinalist Davis, 2&1. The two haven’t taken much downtime since, each competing in father and son events at their home courses over the weekend. Bina and his dad Shahab took second at Radnor Valley; Davis and his father Bill won Aronimink’s event.
Family, coincidentally, proved vital for Davis Tuesday. He spoke with Matthew following his morning round to learn a few Indian Valley hints.
“I had never played here, and he had a couple of times,” Davis, 20, of Newtown Square, Pa., said. “He was telling me about the basic layout and how firm it was playing out there. It was good to talk with him. I would’ve been lost on a few holes.”
Davis carded three birdies against four bogeys on the day. Starting on No. 1 (par 4, 396 yards), the long hitter took advantage of the outward par 5s, executing a three-footer on No. 3 (521 yards) and an eight-footer on No. 8 (511 yards). His last red figure came on No. 13 (par 4, 418 yards), where Davis, a rising junior at Princeton University, spun a sand wedge from 108 yards to three feet.
Bina, Cerbara and Davis are three collegians carrying a hefty dose of competitive golf in the summer agenda. Bershad, 27, of Hopewell Township, N.J., is well out of school, but in the same boat of his co-medalists. He worked in sales and advertising for a regional sports network in Baltimore but left in March to pursue a potential professional life on the links.
“I haven’t played much competitive golf since college,” Bershad, a Rutgers University graduate, said. “I was working a lot and I kind of realized I wasn’t exactly enjoying what I was doing. I wanted to see if I had a future in golf, so I decided I was going to give it a shot and see where it takes me.”
The road is an encouraging one thus far for Bershad. He posted a Top 20 finish in the New Jersey State Golf Association’s Amateur Championship and almost advanced to match play spot in the BMW Philadelphia Amateur. Bershad fell in a six-for-three playoff at Merion. He stood tall at Indian Valley Tuesday and held outright medalist honors until the final two holes. Bershad, who started on the back nine, carded a 6 on No. 8 after missing the green with an aggressive 3-iron from 220 yards. A flailed 3-wood on the next hole (par 4, 370 yards) forced a sideways punch-out. Bershad played his next shot into the right greenside bunker and failed to get up-and-down.
“I was leaking a little oil down the stretch, but overall I played pretty well,” he said. “I think the course was playing pretty tough.”
The field’s scoring average boomed to 80.6 by day’s end.
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 153 Full Member Clubs and 57,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. 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.
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Qualifiers
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Name,
club
|
Score
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Ben
Bershad (a), Hopewell Valley G&CC
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73
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Carey
Bina (a), Radnor Valley CC
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73
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Michael
Davis (a), Aronimink GC
|
73
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Steve
Cerbara (a), Jericho National GC
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73
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Aaron
Fricke (a), Lancaster CC
|
74
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Andrew
Lombardo (a), Indian Valley CC
|
74
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|
Jason
Panter, Sand Barrens GC
|
74
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|
Peter
Clarke, Manufacturers G&CC
|
74
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Ryan
Lagergren, Stonewall
|
74
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Liam
McAnally (a), Applecross CC
|
75
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Matthew
Balcer (a), Bensalem Township CC
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75
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Paul
Bickford (a), Little Mill CC
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75
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Tyler
Sokolis (a), Commonwealth National GC
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75
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Anthony
Shields, The ACE Club
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76
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David
Gall (a), Riverton CC
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76
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Dawson
Anders (a), Indian Valley CC
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76
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Jack
Melville (a), Lu Lu CC
|
76
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Jeffery
Herb, Waynesborough CC
|
76
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Kevin
Kramarski (a), Riverton CC
|
76
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Kyle
Henofer (a), Indian Valley CC
|
76
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Michael
Moffat (a), Lu Lu CC
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76
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R.J.
Wren (a), Applecross CC
|
76
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*Andrew
Turner, Whitford CC
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77
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*Joseph
Chambers, Jr (a), Chester Valley GC
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77
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*Joseph
Dulka (a), Bellewood CC
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77
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Alternates
(in order)
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*Clay
Anders (a), Indian Valley CC
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77
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*Mike
Furey, Mahoning Valley CC
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77
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*Ryan
Bree (a), Fieldstone GC
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77
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Failed
to qualify
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Andrew
Simpson (a), Indian Valley CC
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77
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Bill
Walker, Riverton CC
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77
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Brandon
Dalinka (a), The Ridge at Back Brook
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77
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Bret
Howey (a), Woodstone CC
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77
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Mike
Furey, Mahoning Valley CC
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77
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Nick
Calabrese (a), The Springhaven Club
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77
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Ben
Litt (a), Riverton CC
|
78
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Bobby
Kershner (a), Bellewood CC
|
78
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Carlos
Fullerton (a), Brookside CC of Allentown
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78
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Charles
Cai (a), Mercer Oaks GC
|
78
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Corey
Betham (a), Philadelphia Publinks GA
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78
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Daniel
Rojas (a), Stonewall
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78
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Dominic
Digiacomo (a), Greate Bay
CC
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78
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John
Barone (a), Glenmaura National GC
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78
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John
Barry (a), Lancaster CC
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78
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Kevin
Nicholson, Lu Lu CC
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78
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Mark
Farley (a), Lu Lu CC
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78
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Marty
McGuckin (a), RiverCrest
GC & Preserve
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78
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Matthew
Davis (a), Aronimink GC
|
78
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Parker
Wine (a), Radley Run CC
|
78
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Robert
Amen (a), Philadelphia Publinks GA
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78
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Bernie
McCole (a), The Bucks Club
|
79
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Blaine
Lafferty (a), Little Mill CC
|
79
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Bradley
Frank (a), Philmont CC
|
79
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Brian
Devlin (a), Five Ponds GC
|
79
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Jalen
Griffin (a), Talamore CC
|
79
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Joey
Pohle, Blue Bell CC
|
79
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John
LeBoeuf (a), Philadelphia CC
|
79
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Jonathan
Radick (a), Northampton Valley CC
|
79
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Michael
Rogers (a), Overbrook GC
|
79
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Michael
Winter (a), Stockton Seaview Hotel & GC
|
79
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Mike
Lam (a), Yardley CC
|
79
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Rodney
Anders (a), Indian Valley CC
|
79
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Ron
Robinson (a), Commonwealth National GC
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79
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Russell
Hill (a), Old York CC at Chesterfield
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79
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Thomas
Lewis (a), Commonwealth National GC
|
79
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Christopher
Cerminaro (a), Glenmaura
National GC
|
80
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|
Ed
Gibson, Makefield Highlands GC
|
80
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|
John
Spina, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
80
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|
Jordan
Gibbs, Gulph Mills GC
|
80
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|
Matt
Bierer (a), RiverCrest GC
& Preserve
|
80
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Matt
Keim (a), Brookside CC
|
80
|
|
Matthew
Episcopo
, Pine Valley GC
|
80
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|
Steve
Skurla (a), White Manor CC
|
80
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William
Mitchell (a), Laurel Creek CC
|
80
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Billy
Civitella (a), Radnor Valley CC
|
81
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|
Brock
Kovach (a), Berkshire CC
|
81
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Butch
Silknitter (a), Bellewood CC
|
81
|
|
Chris
Barletta, Bala GC
|
81
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|
David
Fields, Brookside CC of Allentown
|
81
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|
Eric
Murphy (a), Indian Valley CC
|
81
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|
Gary
Renson (a), Makefield
Highlands GC
|
81
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|
Jonathan
Burns (a), Talamore CC
|
81
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|
Luke
McKeogh (a), Commonwealth National GC
|
81
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|
Marco
Nieto (a), Glenmaura National GC
|
81
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Mitch
Burns (a), Reading CC
|
81
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|
Nathan
Guerrini (a), Spring Ford CC
|
81
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|
Robert
Hennefer, Indian Spring CC
|
81
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|
Trey
Croney (a), Overbrook GC
|
81
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Wesley
Hollis, Patriots Glen National GC
|
81
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David
Kim (a), Commonwealth National GC
|
82
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Gregory
Battschinger (a), Galloway National GC
|
82
|
|
John
Cooper, Jr., Green Valley CC
|
82
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|
Jordan
Lerner (a), Metedeconk National GC
|
82
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|
Max
Harrington (a), Moselem Springs GC
|
82
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|
Michael
Heidler, Golftec - Mainline
|
82
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Nicholas
Johnson (a), Glenmaura National GC
|
82
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|
Quinn
Guzman (a), Indian Valley CC
|
82
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|
Rob
Coyne, Applecross CC
|
82
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Steven
Kiefner
, Northampton CC
|
82
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Conor McGrath (a),
Huntingdon Valley CC
|
83
|
|
Frank
Howell (a), Doylestown CC
|
83
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|
John
Rose, III (a), Bensalem Township CC
|
83
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John
Updike (a), Aronimink GC
|
83
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Mark
Anderson, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
83
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Matthew
Thompson (a), Spring Ford CC
|
83
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Andy
Watters, Talamore CC
|
84
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|
Dave
Caldwell (a), Brookside CC
|
84
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Eric
Buckland (a), Meadia Heights GC
|
84
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|
Nick
Maff (a), Northampton CC
|
84
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Griffin
Smith (a), Jericho National GC
|
85
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Keith
Matt (a), Mercer Oaks GC
|
85
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|
Ken
Croney, Jr. (a), Applebrook GC
|
85
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Matthew
Bastian, Jr. (a), Rolling Green GC
|
85
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Shane
Nocito (a), Philmont CC
|
85
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Bradley
Bernosky (a), Broad Run Golfer's Club
|
86
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Gunnar
Gale (a), Plymouth CC
|
86
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Timothy
Smith (a), Bensalem Township CC
|
86
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Trey
Swanson (a), Union League GC at Torresdale
|
86
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Connor
Boham (a), Spring Ford CC
|
87
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Joe
Rochelle (a), Indian Valley CC
|
87
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Brad
Ebersole (a), The Ridge at Back Brook
|
88
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Duane
Pinnock (a), RiverCrest GC & Preserve
|
88
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Stephen
Frederick, Lehigh CC
|
88
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Chris
Binet (a), Whitemarsh
Valley CC
|
90
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David
Krausse (a), Galloway National GC
|
90
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Rick
Lebeau ,
Gulph Mills GC
|
90
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Evan
Choy (a), Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort
|
91
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Sean
Ebert (a), Commonwealth National GC
|
91
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Steve
Boham (a), Spring Ford CC
|
92
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Erich
Earhart (a), Bellewood CC
|
95
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Andrew
Quinn (a), Blue Heron Pines GC
|
96
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John
VanDame, Jr. (a), Philadelphia Publinks
GA
|
97
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Dylan
Chessher (a), Wild Quail G&CC
|
WD
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Erik
Reisner (a), The ACE Club
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WD
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Grant
Skyllas (a), LedgeRock GC
|
WD
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John
Donnelly (a), Concord CC
|
WD
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Luca
Jezzeny (a), The Bucks Club
|
WD
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Roland
Massimino (a), The Ridge at Back Brook
|
WD
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William
Fox, Jr. , Bensalem Township CC
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WD
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*
- determined in playoff; (a) – denotes amateur
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WD - withdrawal
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