MALVERN, Pa.–Randy Mitchell turned 55 in April, but purposely kept a low tournament profile citing a desire to maximize family time. The Senior circuit should consider itself lucky he stayed away if the last two weeks are any indication.
Mitchell, fresh off medalist honors in a U.S. Senior Amateur Qualifier last week, turned in the only under-par score of the 46th Senior Amateur Championship opening round on Tuesday at White Manor Country Club (par 71, 6,577 yards). His finely tuned game proved undeterred by a pesky and persistent breeze courtesy of Hurricane Hermine en route to a 1-under 70.
Craig Kliewer of Honeybrook Golf Club stands a shot back at even. Bert Kosup of The Ridge at Back Brook; Ken Phillips of Lancaster Country Club and Glenn Smeraglio of Lu Lu Country Club are tied for third at 1 over. The windy conditions saw the field’s score average land at 81.6.
The final grouping of Mitchell, Kliewer and Phillips begins tomorrow’s final round at 2:20 p.m.
“I’ve been playing well for about a month now,” said Mitchell of Wilmington Country Club. “You know how golf is. You build up a little momentum. I’m going out with a little more confidence than I normally do. That’s nice.”
Mitchell’s been on quite a roll lately.
His handicap has dipped from a 3.3 to a +1.3 in the last two plus months. He also ended a 17-year drought recently by capturing the Wilmington Club Championship.
“Winning our club championship means as much as any of this,” said Mitchell, who defeated both his sons Colman (age 14) and Davis (age 18), who finished third, for the title.
In addition to the aforementioned tournament successes, his only other competitive events this year included a Top 20 showing in the Delaware Open and runner-up honors in the Delaware Senior Amateur.
A greater prize lies on the horizon with 18 more good holes at White Manor.
Mitchell stated his intentions early on Tuesday, birdieing three straight holes after opening with a par. Starting his round on the back nine, Mitchell caught fire on No. 11 (par 5, 514 yards) when he dropped a 58-degree wedge from 72 yards to 12 feet and made birdie. He followed that up on No. 12 (par 3, 170 yards) with a 7-iron to 10 feet left of the front hole location for a second under-par score and then added a third straight red figure on No. 13 (par 4, 438 yards) when his hybrid from 195 yards away stopped four feet from the cup.
“[No. 13] was the best hole I played all day,” said the soft-spoken Mitchell.
The lone blip on the scorecard came after nine straight pars and 14 holes into his round. On No. 5 (par 4, 407 yards), Mitchell missed the green left with an 8-iron from 158 yards. He failed to get his third shot onto the putting surface and then three-putted from 25 feet.
“I think everyone’s going to have a hole like that,” said Mitchell. “I played well. I started out really well. I just kept it in play.”
Mitchell, who holds six GAP Father & Son titles between sons Colman and Davis, moved to Winston-Salem, N.C. two years ago. He and his family lived on Bermuda Run Country Club, a 36-hole facility. Spending time with his family on the course outweighed a desire for individual competition.
"I’ve been playing golf with my kids and not thinking much about tournament golf. This year when I turned 55, I started thinking about it more,” Mitchell said. “We were living in North Carolina, so I wasn’t really looking at the schedule. It was my last summer with Davis, so I wanted to spend time with him.” Davis is a freshman at North Carolina State University.
Mitchell, a real estate developer, returned to his Wilmington, Del. home in June.
Kliewer, 56, of Ephrata, Pa., who earlier in the year advanced to the quarters of the Brewer Cup, is in good position to register his first Major Senior victory.
He made four birdies and four bogeys to post to an even-par finish.
“Absolutely I’m happy. You can’t be unhappy shooting even par. I look at the results at the end of the day; you can’t be unhappy whatsoever,” said Kliewer. “I think 74 is my best round in a stroke play event this year. The 71 today was a pleasant surprise.”
Kliewer noted that he missed one fairway all day despite the windy conditions.
If he does the same tomorrow, a trophy may be heading West with him.
“It is a little bit of uncharted waters. It’s been awhile since I’ve been in this situation,” said Kliewer. “Tomorrow I’ll just try to relax and take it one shot at a time. In golf you can’t play defense, you let it happen as it may.”
|
Overall
|
|
Name,
club
|
Score
|
|
Randy
Mitchell, Wilmington Country Club
|
70
|
|
Craig
Kliewer, Honeybrook Golf
Club
|
71
|
|
Glenn
Smeraglio, Lu Lu Country
Club
|
72
|
|
Kenneth
Phillips, Lancaster Country Club
|
72
|
|
Bert
Kosup, The Ridge at Back Brook
|
72
|
|
David
West, Whitford Country Club
|
73
|
|
Steven
Walczak, Wilmington Country Club
|
73
|
|
Doug
Fedoryshyn, Concord Country Club
|
74
|
|
Greg
Guyer, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
74
|
|
Michael
Vassil, Country Club of Scranton
|
75
|
|
Andy
Thompson, Overbrook Golf Club
|
75
|
|
Buck
Jones, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
75
|
|
Christopher
Lange, Overbrook Golf Club
|
75
|
|
Raymond
Thompson, Overbrook Golf Club
|
75
|
|
Brian
Rothaus, Five Ponds Golf Club
|
76
|
|
James
Muller, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
|
76
|
|
Jeff
Poet, Country Club of York
|
76
|
|
Rich
Thon, The Springhaven Club
|
76
|
|
John
Alterman, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
77
|
|
Joseph
Lewis, Aronimink Golf Club
|
77
|
|
Joseph
Russo, Laurel Creek Country Club
|
77
|
|
Ed
Chylinski, Chester Valley Golf Club
|
77
|
|
Michael
Quinn, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
77
|
|
Thomas
Bartolacci, Jr., Saucon
Valley Country Club
|
77
|
|
Wayne
Bartolacci, Jericho National Golf Club
|
77
|
|
Andrew
Sterge, Applebrook Golf
Club
|
78
|
|
Chris
Smedley, Hartefeld National
|
78
|
|
Frank
Kovalcheck, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
|
78
|
|
Hee Yoo, Skippack GC at Evansburg
State Park
|
78
|
|
Thomas
Finn, Loch Nairn Golf Club
|
78
|
|
Robert
Gill, Fox Hill Country Club
|
78
|
|
Mark
Quigley, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
|
78
|
|
Pete
Widdoes, White Clay Creek Country Club
|
78
|
|
Byron
Whitman, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
79
|
|
Jeffrey
Allen, Wild Quail Golf & Country Club
|
79
|
|
Jim
Yenser, Raven's Claw Golf Club
|
79
|
|
Larry
Martone, Stonewall
|
79
|
|
Brian
Corbett, Huntsville Golf Club
|
80
|
|
David
Folkes, Metedeconk
National Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Ed
Kahn, Little Mill Country Club
|
80
|
|
Gregory
Buliga, Yardley Country Club
|
80
|
|
John
Robinson, Lu Lu Country Club
|
80
|
|
Michael
Fagan, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
|
80
|
|
Robert
Harrington, Merion Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Tom
Krug, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
80
|
|
James
Prendergast, Bellewood Country Club
|
80
|
|
Roc
Irey, Lookaway Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Bill
Boyle, Metedeconk National Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Bruce
Clifford, Bensalem Township Country Club
|
81
|
|
Frank
Corrado, Jr., Jericho National Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Graham
Desmond, Golf Course at Glen Mills
|
81
|
|
Jim
Gavaghan, Jericho National Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Scott
Orr, Bellewood Country Club
|
81
|
|
Thomas
Soares, Lehigh Country Club
|
81
|
|
Christopher
Clauson, Lu Lu Country Club
|
81
|
|
Gary
E. Daniels, Applebrook Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Robert
Dietrich, Loch Nairn Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Robert
Wagner, Merion Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Steve
Dionisio, Jericho National Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Bob
Beck, Lehigh Country Club
|
82
|
|
Buddy
Reed, Wild Quail Golf & Country Club
|
82
|
|
Oscar
Mestre, Overbrook Golf Club
|
82
|
|
Patrick
Cahill, III, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
|
82
|
|
Richard
Atcavage, Whitemarsh
Valley Country Club
|
82
|
|
Gerald
Henderson, Blue Bell Country Club
|
82
|
|
Joe
Duhack, Lu Lu Country
Club
|
83
|
|
John
LeBoeuf, Philadelphia Country Club
|
83
|
|
Joseph
Roeder, Little Mill Country Club
|
83
|
|
Stephen
Viola, Sr., Golf Course at Glen Mills
|
83
|
|
Steve
Ebersole, The Ridge at Back Brook
|
83
|
|
Steven
Lucas, White Manor Country Club
|
83
|
|
John
Gonsior, Limekiln Golf Club
|
83
|
|
Pierce
Herbst, Sea Oaks Golf Club
|
83
|
|
Thomas
Humphrey, Wilmington Country Club
|
83
|
|
Drew
Panebianco, Five Ponds Golf Club
|
84
|
|
Thomas
Schaible, Chester Valley Golf Club
|
84
|
|
Johan
Scholdstrom, RiverCrest
Golf Club & Preserve
|
85
|
|
Jim
Simmons, Stonewall
|
85
|
|
Tom
Coffey, Chester Valley Golf Club
|
85
|
|
Mike
Miklinevich, Greate Bay
Country Club
|
85
|
|
Alan
Lazzarino, DuPont Country Club
|
86
|
|
Gregory
Day, Old York Road Country Club
|
86
|
|
Phil
Remig, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
|
86
|
|
Scott
McIntosh, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
|
86
|
|
William
Hogan, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
|
86
|
|
Alan
Wagenschnur, Wild Quail Golf & Country Club
|
86
|
|
Mark
Ellinger, Whitford
Country Club
|
86
|
|
Bob
Majczan, Lookaway Golf
Club
|
86
|
|
Francis
McFadden, Overbrook Golf Club
|
86
|
|
Brian
Fiala, Concord Country Club
|
87
|
|
Brian
Trymbiski, Doylestown Country Club
|
87
|
|
John
Ward, Greate Bay Country Club
|
87
|
|
Ted
Matthews, Lu Lu Country Club
|
87
|
|
Michael
Moser, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
|
88
|
|
John
Vergari, Tavistock
Country Club
|
88
|
|
Jon
Stein, McCall Golf & Country Club
|
88
|
|
Steve
Meyer, Rolling Green Golf Club
|
88
|
|
George
Connell, Jr., Gulph Mills Golf Club
|
90
|
|
Jeffrey
Pelesh, Rolling Green Golf Club
|
91
|
|
Robert
Cannon, Blue Bell Country Club
|
91
|
|
Mark
Leaman, Stone Harbor Golf Club
|
91
|
|
Damian
Anzaldo, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
|
92
|
|
Mike
Schuster, Chester Valley Golf Club
|
92
|
|
Steve
Wells, Moorestown Field Club
|
92
|
|
Gary
Yeager, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
94
|
|
Mark
Martin, Mercer Oaks Golf Course
|
97
|
|
David
Miller, Running Deer Golf Club
|
102
|
|
Frank
Brigidi, III, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
WD
|
|
J.
Kirk Luntey, Merion Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
Patrick
O'Brien, North Hills Country Club
|
WD
|
|
Ron
Weaver, Bent Creek Country Club
|
WD
|
|
Arthur
Kania, Jr., Merion Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
Laurence
Hirsh, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
WD
|
|
Peter
Mimmo, Philmont Country
Club
|
WD
|
| |
|
Ages
55-59
|
|
Name,
club
|
Score
|
|
Randy
Mitchell, Wilmington Country Club
|
70
|
|
Craig
Kliewer, Honeybrook Golf
Club
|
71
|
|
Glenn
Smeraglio, Lu Lu Country
Club
|
72
|
|
Kenneth
Phillips, Lancaster Country Club
|
72
|
|
David
West, Whitford Country Club
|
73
|
|
Steven
Walczak, Wilmington Country Club
|
73
|
|
Doug
Fedoryshyn, Concord Country Club
|
74
|
|
Greg
Guyer, Ph.D., Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
74
|
|
Michael
Vassil, Country Club of Scranton
|
75
|
|
John
Alterman, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
77
|
|
Joseph
Lewis, Aronimink Golf Club
|
77
|
|
Joseph
Russo, Laurel Creek Country Club
|
77
|
|
Andrew
Sterge, Applebrook Golf
Club
|
78
|
|
Chris
Smedley, Hartefeld National
|
78
|
|
Frank
Kovalcheck, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
|
78
|
|
Hee Yoo, Skippack GC at Evansburg
State Park
|
78
|
|
Thomas
Finn, Loch Nairn Golf Club
|
78
|
|
Robert
Gill, Fox Hill Country Club
|
78
|
|
Byron
Whitman, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
79
|
|
Jeffrey
Allen, Wild Quail Golf & Country Club
|
79
|
|
Jim
Yenser, Raven's Claw Golf Club
|
79
|
|
Larry
Martone, Stonewall
|
79
|
|
Brian
Corbett, Huntsville Golf Club
|
80
|
|
David
Folkes, Metedeconk
National Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Ed
Kahn, Little Mill Country Club
|
80
|
|
Gregory
Buliga, Yardley Country Club
|
80
|
|
John
Robinson, Lu Lu Country Club
|
80
|
|
Michael
Fagan, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
|
80
|
|
Robert
Harrington, Merion Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Tom
Krug, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Bill
Boyle, Metedeconk National Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Bruce
Clifford, Bensalem Township Country Club
|
81
|
|
Frank
Corrado, Jr., Jericho National Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Graham
Desmond, Golf Course at Glen Mills
|
81
|
|
Jim
Gavaghan, Jericho National Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Scott
Orr, Bellewood Country Club
|
81
|
|
Thomas
Soares, Lehigh Country Club
|
81
|
|
Bob
Beck, Lehigh Country Club
|
82
|
|
Buddy
Reed, Wild Quail Golf & Country Club
|
82
|
|
Oscar
Mestre, Overbrook Golf Club
|
82
|
|
Patrick
Cahill, III, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
|
82
|
|
Richard
Atcavage, Whitemarsh
Valley Country Club
|
82
|
|
Joe
Duhack, Lu Lu Country
Club
|
83
|
|
John
LeBoeuf, Philadelphia Country Club
|
83
|
|
Joseph
Roeder, Little Mill Country Club
|
83
|
|
Stephen
Viola, Sr., Golf Course at Glen Mills
|
83
|
|
Steve
Ebersole, The Ridge at Back Brook
|
83
|
|
Steven
Lucas, White Manor Country Club
|
83
|
|
Johan
Scholdstrom, RiverCrest
Golf Club & Preserve
|
85
|
|
Jim
Simmons, Stonewall
|
85
|
|
Alan
Lazzarino, DuPont Country Club
|
86
|
|
Gregory
Day, Old York Road Country Club
|
86
|
|
Phil
Remig, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
|
86
|
|
Scott
McIntosh, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
|
86
|
|
William
Hogan, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
|
86
|
|
Alan
Wagenschnur, Wild Quail Golf & Country Club
|
86
|
|
Mark
Ellinger, Whitford
Country Club
|
86
|
|
Brian
Fiala, Concord Country Club
|
87
|
|
Brian
Trymbiski, Doylestown Country Club
|
87
|
|
John
Ward, Greate Bay Country Club
|
87
|
|
Ted
Matthews, Lu Lu Country Club
|
87
|
|
Michael
Moser, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
|
88
|
|
George
Connell, Jr., Gulph Mills Golf Club
|
90
|
|
Jeffrey
Pelesh, Rolling Green Golf Club
|
91
|
|
Robert
Cannon, Blue Bell Country Club
|
91
|
|
Damian
Anzaldo, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
|
92
|
|
Mark
Martin, Mercer Oaks Golf Course
|
97
|
|
Frank
Brigidi, III, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
WD
|
|
J.
Kirk Luntey, Merion Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
Patrick
O'Brien, North Hills Country Club
|
WD
|
|
Ron
Weaver, Bent Creek Country Club
|
WD
|
| |
|
Ages
60 and over
|
|
Name,
club
|
Score
|
|
Bert
Kosup, The Ridge at Back Brook
|
72
|
|
Andy
Thompson, Overbrook Golf Club
|
75
|
|
Buck
Jones, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
75
|
|
Christopher
Lange, Overbrook Golf Club
|
75
|
|
Raymond
Thompson, Overbrook Golf Club
|
75
|
|
Brian
Rothaus, Five Ponds Golf Club
|
76
|
|
James
Muller, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
|
76
|
|
Jeff
Poet, Country Club of York
|
76
|
|
Rich
Thon, The Springhaven Club
|
76
|
|
Ed
Chylinski, Chester Valley Golf Club
|
77
|
|
Michael
Quinn, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
77
|
|
Thomas
Bartolacci, Jr., Saucon
Valley Country Club
|
77
|
|
Wayne
Bartolacci, Jericho National Golf Club
|
77
|
|
Mark
Quigley, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
|
78
|
|
Pete
Widdoes, White Clay Creek Country Club
|
78
|
|
James
Prendergast, Bellewood Country Club
|
80
|
|
Roc
Irey, Lookaway Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Christopher
Clauson, Lu Lu Country Club
|
81
|
|
Gary
E. Daniels, Applebrook Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Robert
Dietrich, Loch Nairn Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Robert
Wagner, Merion Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Steve
Dionisio, Jericho National Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Gerald
Henderson, Blue Bell Country Club
|
82
|
|
John
Gonsior, Limekiln Golf Club
|
83
|
|
Pierce
Herbst, Sea Oaks Golf Club
|
83
|
|
Thomas
Humphrey, Wilmington Country Club
|
83
|
|
Drew
Panebianco, Five Ponds Golf Club
|
84
|
|
Thomas
Schaible, Chester Valley Golf Club
|
84
|
|
Tom
Coffey, Chester Valley Golf Club
|
85
|
|
Mike
Miklinevich, Greate Bay
Country Club
|
85
|
|
Bob
Majczan, Lookaway Golf
Club
|
86
|
|
Francis
McFadden, Overbrook Golf Club
|
86
|
|
John
Vergari, Tavistock
Country Club
|
88
|
|
Jon
Stein, McCall Golf & Country Club
|
88
|
|
Steve
Meyer, Rolling Green Golf Club
|
88
|
|
Mark
Leaman, Stone Harbor Golf Club
|
91
|
|
Mike
Schuster, Chester Valley Golf Club
|
92
|
|
Steve
Wells, Moorestown Field Club
|
92
|
|
Gary
Yeager, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
94
|
|
David
Miller, Running Deer Golf Club
|
102
|
|
Arthur
Kania, Jr., Merion Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
Laurence
Hirsh, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
WD
|
|
Peter
Mimmo, Philmont Country
Club
|
WD
|
| |
|
WD-withdrawal
|
