26th Philadelphia Challenge Matches

Saucon Valley Country Club (Grace)

October 6, 2016

Captain Robin McCool (center) gives the GAP team a pre-round speech.

GAP falls to Philadelphia PGA in Philly Challenge Matches at Saucon

  The Philadelphia Section of the PGA defeated the Golf Association of Philadelphia, 11.5–6.5, in the 26th Philadelphia Challenge Matches at Saucon Valley Country Club (Grace).

  Despite earning six points in the Singles format, including five individual wins, the Association failed to return to this winner's circle.

  The Philadelphia Challenge Matches pits two 12-man teams, including two senior contestants, from the Golf Association of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Section of the PGA in a concurrent individual match and four-ball match. Each match is worth one point. Ties are halved.

  The Philly Section now leads the series 20–2 with four ties. Robin McCool, a driving force behind the creation of the then PING Challenge Cup, served as Team Philadelphia’s honorary captain at his home club.

Philadelphia PGA 11.5, Golf Association of Philadelphia 6.5
Singles (PGA 6, GAP 6)
(Senior match) Glenn Smeraglio (GAP), Lu Lu, halved John Appleget (PGA), Wildwood; (Senior match) William Sautter (PGA), Philadelphia Cricket, d. Randy Mitchell (GAP), Wilmington, 4&3; Andrew Turner (PGA), Whitford, d. Christopher Crawford (GAP), Spring Mill, 3&2; Ben Feld (GAP), Green Valley, d. David Quinn, Links, 2-up; Stuart Ingraham (PGA), MGOLF Driving Range and Learning Center, d. Matthew Mattare (GAP), Saucon Valley, 3&2; John Brennan (GAP), Philadelphia Cricket, d. Kevin Kraft (PGA), Bumble Bee Hollow Golf Center, 1-up; Matthew Finger (GAP), DuPont, d. George Forster (PGA), Radnor Valley, 5&4; Michael R. Brown, Jr. (GAP), Philadelphia Publinks, d. Steve Swartz (PGA), Harrisburg, 1-up; Eric Kennedy (PGA), Overbrook, d. Peter Barron, III (GAP), Stone Harbor, 3&2; Benjamin Smith (GAP), Huntingdon Valley, halved Greg Matthias (PGA), Tavistock; Curtis Kirkpatrick (PGA), Indian Springs, d. Scott McLaughlin (GAP), Lu Lu, 2&1; Stephen Seiden (GAP), Llanerch, d. Bob Hennefer (PGA), Indian Springs, 1-up.

Better-Ball (PGA 5.5, GAP .5)
Quinn/Turner (PGA) d. Crawford/Feld (GAP), 5&3; Ingraham/Kraft (PGA) d. Brennan/Mattare (GAP), 2&1; Forster/Swartz (PGA) d. Brown, Jr./Finger (GAP), 3&2; Kennedy/Matthias (PGA) d. Barron, III/Smith (GAP), 2&1; Hennefer/Kirkpatrick (PGA) d. McLaughlin/Seiden (GAP), 2&1; Mitchell/Smeraglio (GAP) halved Appleget/Sautter (PGA).

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.