EXTON, Pa. — A Senior Division rookie in 2015, Glenn Smeraglio made his presence felt immediately. He finished second in the Player of the Year standings and qualified for a pair of national championships (U.S. Senior Amateur and U.S. Mid-Amateur) along the way. The laundry list of accomplishments, however, didn’t include a victory.
Smeraglio changed that streak Thursday. The Lu Lu Country Club member carded an even-par 72 to win the Senior title in the 82nd Francis B. Warner Cup (Gross) at Whitford Country Club (par 72, 6,568 yards). Home-club hopeful Mark Ellinger posted a 1-over-par 73 in the morning to earn runner-up honors.
“This is the first win of many, hopefully,” Smeraglio, 56, of Newtown, Pa., said. “It’s good to get a W. I kind of wanted to win a couple of things last year. I’m focused on winning this year. Hopefully I can keep it up.”
Chilly temperatures, thick rough and challenging greens dictated strategy for most Thursday. Smeraglio adjusted to the conditions accordingly with a score 11 strokes above the field average.
“Pars were your friend today,” he said. “Chipping out here is really hard. Large blades of grass really slowed your club down around the green. You needed to make an aggressive stroke for your chip shots. I’ve been playing well. I thought if I could shoot par or better, which isn’t a stretch right now.”
Smeraglio indeed embraced pars. He points to a pair of saves that ultimately sustained his round. On No. 2 (par 3, 189 yards), he launched a 5-iron into a delicate lie a foot off the green. He nudged a wedge to 12 feet and converted a right-to-left breaker. The par 4, 397-yard 15th hole put Smeraglio in a similar predicament. Standing 145 yards from the flagstick, he thought “pull” because of habit and instead pushed his golf ball right. Short-sided and short on error with Ellinger in the house, he flopped a wedge to 12 feet for a critical par. The conversion allowed Smeraglio to maintain a one-stroke edge over playing partner Oscar Mestre of Overbrook Golf Club at the time.
“I was trying to punch a little 7-iron because the wind was right in our face,” Smeraglio said of the approach. “I wanted to make sure I didn’t come up short because it looked like one of those big humps was short. I wanted to get in between a little bit. The lie got me. The fairways are very thin. You could easily blade it. Fortunately, I didn’t do much of that.”
Thought-provoking lies served as a theme throughout Smeraglio’s round, which included two birdies against two bogeys. On the downhill, dogleg right No. 9 (par 5, 540 yards), he took the water hazard out of play by drilling a 5-iron 190 yards to the back of the green. A chip out of a “decent” lie stopped three feet from the cup. Smeraglio knocked a 9-iron 135 yards to five feet for a birdie on the next hole (par 4, 364 yards).
“You really had to control your iron shots today. The air was so heavy that you had to be smart about shots into the green,” Smeraglio, a two-time Patterson Cup champion (1998, 2008), said.
Difficult greenside lies on Nos. 8 (par 4, 386 yards) and 14 (par 4, 362 yards) thwarted Smeraglio’s par progress. On the first, he slung a 7-iron left of the green and bumped the ensuing chip to 12 feet. Smeraglio missed the par putt. After missing the No. 14 fairway by six inches, Smeraglio hit a presumably safe 54-degree wedge from 115 yards and watched it crash onto the green sans spin. He chipped to six feet and misread the par putt, deeming right rather than left.
Smeraglio joined Lu Lu over the winter. The new surroundings prepared the 2011 Middle-Amateur Champion for Whitford.
“You need to stay below the hole on a Donald Ross golf course all of the time. If it’s pin high or above, you can’t two-putt,” Smeraglio said. “A lot of that was like here today. Not that the greens were super-fast, but it did help to stay below the hole.”
Ellinger, who works for Hewlett Packard Enterprise, also qualified for the U.S. Senior Amateur in 2015. He failed to make the match play cut.
“That was exciting. I had my son caddie for me. It was just a thrill,” Ellinger, 58, of Chester Springs, Pa., said. “When I got to Hidden Creek, I laid an egg and played pretty bad. I honestly didn’t feel that nervous the first round out there but I had to have been. Today I just wanted to candidly come out and not have one of those bad rounds again. It was rewarding to be able to get a decent round in.”
Ellinger is nearly two years removed from back surgery. He took seven Advil during his U.S. Senior Amateur qualifying attempt at White Manor Country Club. He only needed two Thursday.
“This year it’s starting to feel where it’s manageable. That helps me get out a little more,” Ellinger said. “I’m having fun. My back’s still not perfect, but it’s a heck of a lot better. I have nothing to complain about now. This spring is the best I’ve felt.”
Francis B. Warner of Philadelphia Cricket Club served as secretary-treasurer for the Golf Association of Philadelphia for 18 years. After his death in 1933, the Association started the Francis B. Warner Cup as an ongoing tribute in his memory. It is the first Senior Major of the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s tournament season.
|
Overall
|
|
Name,
club
|
Score
|
|
Glenn
Smeraglio, Lu Lu Country Club
|
72
|
|
Mark
Ellinger, Whitford
Country Club
|
73
|
|
Chip
Lutz, LedgeRock Golf Club
|
74
|
|
David
West, Applecross Country Club
|
75
|
|
Jim
Yenser, Raven's Claw Golf Club
|
75
|
|
Oscar
Mestre, Overbrook Golf Club
|
75
|
|
Robert
Amen, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
75
|
|
Doug
Fedoryshyn, Concord Country Club
|
76
|
|
Thomas
Hyland, Little Mill Country Club
|
76
|
|
Tom
DiCinti, Old York CC at Chesterfield
|
76
|
|
Byron
Whitman, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
77
|
|
Chris
Smedley, Hartefeld National
|
77
|
|
Christopher
Clauson, Lu Lu Country Club
|
77
|
|
Craig
Kliewer, Honeybrook Golf Club
|
77
|
|
Robert
Wurtz, Jr., Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
77
|
|
Thomas
Soares, Lehigh Country Club
|
77
|
|
Barry
Westington, Country Club of Scranton
|
78
|
|
Joseph
Russo, Laurel Creek Country Club
|
78
|
|
Brian
Rothaus, Five Ponds Golf Club
|
78
|
|
Gordon
Jamieson, Merion Golf Club
|
78
|
|
Robert
Van Etten, Laurel Creek Country Club
|
78
|
|
Brian
Corbett, Huntsville Golf Club
|
79
|
|
Norman
Charlesworth, Running Deer Golf Club
|
79
|
|
Ed
Chylinski, Chester Valley Golf Club
|
79
|
|
Bob
Beck, Lehigh Country Club
|
80
|
|
Gregory
Buliga, Yardley Country Club
|
80
|
|
Jim
Gavaghan, Jericho National Golf Club
|
80
|
|
John
Alterman, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Ron
Weaver, Bent Creek Country Club
|
80
|
|
Michael
Quinn, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
80
|
|
Raymond
Thompson, Overbrook Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Buddy
Reed, Wild Quail Golf & Country Club
|
81
|
|
Gary
Smith, Pine Valley Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Jim
Simmons, Stonewall
|
81
|
|
Kenneth
Phillips, Lancaster Country Club
|
81
|
|
Marlin
Detweiler, Lancaster Country Club
|
81
|
|
Michael
Vassil, Country Club of Scranton
|
81
|
|
Richard
Umani, Honeybrook Golf
Club
|
81
|
|
Steve
Meyer, Rolling Green Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Tom
Borsello, Hartefeld
National
|
81
|
|
Joseph
Lewis, Aronimink Golf Club
|
82
|
|
Patrick
O'Brien, North Hills Country Club
|
82
|
|
Paul
Dansbury, Yardley Country Club
|
82
|
|
Steven
Lucas, White Manor Country Club
|
82
|
|
James
Prendergast, Bellewood Country Club
|
82
|
|
Thomas
Bartolacci, Jr., Saucon
Valley Country Club
|
82
|
|
Bob
Walsh, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
83
|
|
John
Robinson, Lu Lu Country Club
|
83
|
|
Thomas
Mensel, Jericho National Golf Club
|
83
|
|
Gary
Daniels, Applebrook Golf Club
|
83
|
|
Michael
Brady, Jericho National Golf Club
|
83
|
|
Pete
Widdoes, White Clay Creek Country Club
|
83
|
|
Rich
Thon, The Springhaven Club
|
83
|
|
Roc
Irey, Lookaway Golf Club
|
83
|
|
Joseph
Roeder, Little Mill Country Club
|
84
|
|
Thomas
Finn, Loch Nairn Golf Club
|
84
|
|
Tim
Sindorf, Laurel Creek Country Club
|
84
|
|
Drew
Panebianco, Five Ponds Golf Club
|
84
|
|
James
Muller, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
|
84
|
|
John
Gonsior, Limekiln Golf Club
|
84
|
|
Robert
Wagner, Merion Golf Club
|
84
|
|
Thomas
Humphrey, Wilmington Country Club
|
84
|
|
Alan
Wagenschnur, Wild Quail Golf & Country Club
|
85
|
|
Cameron
Campbell, McCall Golf & Country Club
|
85
|
|
Christopher
Terebesi, Honeybrook Golf
Club
|
85
|
|
David
Richards, Bent Creek Country Club
|
85
|
|
James
Robertson, Llanerch Country Club
|
85
|
|
Jim
Dalzell, Linwood Country Club
|
85
|
|
John
Kappes, Blue Heron Pines Golf Club
|
85
|
|
John
Nottage, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
85
|
|
Bob
Majczan, Lookaway Golf
Club
|
85
|
|
Pierce
Herbst, Sea Oaks Golf Club
|
85
|
|
John
Ward, Greate Bay Country Club
|
86
|
|
Joe
Viechnicki, Saucon Valley
Country Club
|
86
|
|
Laurence
Hirsh, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
86
|
|
Roy
Gagne, Yardley Country Club
|
86
|
|
J.
Kirk Luntey, Merion Golf Club
|
87
|
|
John
Marshalek, Whitford
Country Club
|
87
|
|
John
Willadsen, Sakima Country
Club
|
87
|
|
Richard
Atcavage, Whitemarsh
Valley Country Club
|
87
|
|
Scott
McIntosh, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
|
87
|
|
James
McGlynn, Aronimink Golf
Club
|
87
|
|
Jeff
Lysek, Five Ponds Golf Club
|
88
|
|
Gary
Yeager, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
88
|
|
Robert
Dietrich, Loch Nairn Golf Club
|
88
|
|
Bob
Enders, Running Deer Golf Club
|
89
|
|
Mark
Leaman, Stone Harbor Golf Club
|
89
|
|
Mitchell
Bergman, North Hills Country Club
|
89
|
|
Dan
Farragut, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
89
|
|
John
Adiletto, Jr., Raven's Claw Golf Club
|
89
|
|
Peter
Mimmo, Philmont Country Club
|
89
|
|
Richard
Young, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
|
90
|
|
Jim
Macallister, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
|
90
|
|
John
Psillas, Moselem Springs Golf Club
|
91
|
|
Joe
Culley, The Springhaven
Club
|
91
|
|
Mark
Quigley, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
|
91
|
|
Tom
Coffey, Sr., Chester Valley Golf Club
|
91
|
|
Robert
Galbreath, Sr., Huntingdon Valley Country Club
|
92
|
|
Keith
Smeraglio, Lu Lu Country Club
|
93
|
|
Phil
Remig, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
|
93
|
|
Jon
Stein, McCall Golf & Country Club
|
94
|
|
David
Dorey, Tavistock Country Club
|
95
|
|
Francis
Hamm, Country Club of Scranton
|
98
|
|
Paul
Keating, Aronimink Golf Club
|
DQ
|
|
Steven
Walczak, Wilmington Country Club
|
DQ
|
|
Arthur
Kania, Jr., Merion Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
Buck
Jones, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
WD
|
|
Francis
McFadden, Overbrook Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
Brian
Powell, Burlington Country Club
|
WD
|
|
Frank
Corrado, Jr., Jericho National Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
|
Ages
55-59
|
|
Name,
club
|
Score
|
|
Glenn
Smeraglio, Lu Lu Country Club
|
72
|
|
Mark
Ellinger, Whitford
Country Club
|
73
|
|
David
West, Applecross Country Club
|
75
|
|
Jim
Yenser, Raven's Claw Golf Club
|
75
|
|
Oscar
Mestre, Overbrook Golf Club
|
75
|
|
Robert
Amen, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
75
|
|
Doug
Fedoryshyn, Concord Country Club
|
76
|
|
Thomas
Hyland, Little Mill Country Club
|
76
|
|
Byron
Whitman, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
77
|
|
Chris
Smedley, Hartefeld National
|
77
|
|
Christopher
Clauson, Lu Lu Country Club
|
77
|
|
Craig
Kliewer, Honeybrook Golf Club
|
77
|
|
Robert
Wurtz, Jr., Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
77
|
|
Thomas
Soares, Lehigh Country Club
|
77
|
|
Barry
Westington, Country Club of Scranton
|
78
|
|
Joseph
Russo, Laurel Creek Country Club
|
78
|
|
Brian
Corbett, Huntsville Golf Club
|
79
|
|
Norman
Charlesworth, Running Deer Golf Club
|
79
|
|
Bob
Beck, Lehigh Country Club
|
80
|
|
Gregory
Buliga, Yardley Country Club
|
80
|
|
Jim
Gavaghan, Jericho National Golf Club
|
80
|
|
John
Alterman, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Ron
Weaver, Bent Creek Country Club
|
80
|
|
Buddy
Reed, Wild Quail Golf & Country Club
|
81
|
|
Gary
Smith, Pine Valley Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Jim
Simmons, Stonewall
|
81
|
|
Kenneth
Phillips, Lancaster Country Club
|
81
|
|
Marlin
Detweiler, Lancaster Country Club
|
81
|
|
Michael
Vassil, Country Club of Scranton
|
81
|
|
Joseph
Lewis, Aronimink Golf Club
|
82
|
|
Patrick
O'Brien, North Hills Country Club
|
82
|
|
Paul
Dansbury, Yardley Country Club
|
82
|
|
Steven
Lucas, White Manor Country Club
|
82
|
|
Bob
Walsh, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
83
|
|
John
Robinson, Lu Lu Country Club
|
83
|
|
Thomas
Mensel, Jericho National Golf Club
|
83
|
|
Joseph
Roeder, Little Mill Country Club
|
84
|
|
Thomas
Finn, Loch Nairn Golf Club
|
84
|
|
Tim
Sindorf, Laurel Creek Country Club
|
84
|
|
Alan
Wagenschnur, Wild Quail Golf & Country Club
|
85
|
|
Cameron
Campbell, McCall Golf & Country Club
|
85
|
|
Christopher
Terebesi, Honeybrook Golf
Club
|
85
|
|
David
Richards, Bent Creek Country Club
|
85
|
|
James
Robertson, Llanerch Country Club
|
85
|
|
Jim
Dalzell, Linwood Country Club
|
85
|
|
John
Kappes, Blue Heron Pines Golf Club
|
85
|
|
John
Nottage, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
85
|
|
John
Ward, Greate Bay Country Club
|
86
|
|
J.
Kirk Luntey, Merion Golf Club
|
87
|
|
John
Marshalek, Whitford
Country Club
|
87
|
|
John
Willadsen, Sakima Country
Club
|
87
|
|
Richard
Atcavage, Whitemarsh
Valley Country Club
|
87
|
|
Scott
McIntosh, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
|
87
|
|
Jeff
Lysek, Five Ponds Golf Club
|
88
|
|
Bob
Enders, Running Deer Golf Club
|
89
|
|
Mark
Leaman, Stone Harbor Golf Club
|
89
|
|
Mitchell
Bergman, North Hills Country Club
|
89
|
|
Richard
Young, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
|
90
|
|
John
Psillas, Moselem Springs Golf Club
|
91
|
|
Robert
Galbreath, Sr., Huntingdon Valley Country Club
|
92
|
|
Keith
Smeraglio, Lu Lu Country Club
|
93
|
|
Phil
Remig, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
|
93
|
|
Jon
Stein, McCall Golf & Country Club
|
94
|
|
David
Dorey, Tavistock Country Club
|
95
|
|
Francis
Hamm, Country Club of Scranton
|
98
|
|
Steven
Walczak, Wilmington Country Club
|
DQ
|
|
Brian
Powell, Burlington Country Club
|
WD
|
|
Frank
Corrado, Jr., Jericho National Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
|
Ages
60 & Over
|
|
Name,
club
|
Score
|
|
Chip
Lutz, LedgeRock Golf Club
|
74
|
|
Tom
DiCinti, Old York CC at Chesterfield
|
76
|
|
Brian
Rothaus, Five Ponds Golf Club
|
78
|
|
Gordon
Jamieson, Merion Golf Club
|
78
|
|
Robert
Van Etten, Laurel Creek Country Club
|
78
|
|
Ed
Chylinski, Chester Valley Golf Club
|
79
|
|
Michael
Quinn, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
80
|
|
Raymond
Thompson, Overbrook Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Richard
Umani, Honeybrook Golf
Club
|
81
|
|
Steve
Meyer, Rolling Green Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Tom
Borsello, Hartefeld
National
|
81
|
|
James
Prendergast, Bellewood Country Club
|
82
|
|
Thomas
Bartolacci, Jr., Saucon
Valley Country Club
|
82
|
|
Gary
Daniels, Applebrook Golf Club
|
83
|
|
Michael
Brady, Jericho National Golf Club
|
83
|
|
Pete
Widdoes, White Clay Creek Country Club
|
83
|
|
Rich
Thon, The Springhaven Club
|
83
|
|
Roc
Irey, Lookaway Golf Club
|
83
|
|
Drew
Panebianco, Five Ponds Golf Club
|
84
|
|
James
Muller, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
|
84
|
|
John
Gonsior, Limekiln Golf Club
|
84
|
|
Robert
Wagner, Merion Golf Club
|
84
|
|
Thomas
Humphrey, Wilmington Country Club
|
84
|
|
Bob
Majczan, Lookaway Golf
Club
|
85
|
|
Pierce
Herbst, Sea Oaks Golf Club
|
85
|
|
Joe
Viechnicki, Saucon Valley
Country Club
|
86
|
|
Laurence
Hirsh, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
86
|
|
Roy
Gagne, Yardley Country Club
|
86
|
|
James
McGlynn, Aronimink Golf
Club
|
87
|
|
Gary
Yeager, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
88
|
|
Robert
Dietrich, Loch Nairn Golf Club
|
88
|
|
Dan
Farragut, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
89
|
|
John
Adiletto, Jr., Raven's Claw Golf Club
|
89
|
|
Peter
Mimmo, Philmont Country Club
|
89
|
|
Jim
Macallister, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
|
90
|
|
Joe
Culley, The Springhaven
Club
|
91
|
|
Mark
Quigley, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
|
91
|
|
Tom
Coffey, Sr., Chester Valley Golf Club
|
91
|
|
Paul
Keating, Aronimink Golf Club
|
DQ
|
|
Arthur
Kania, Jr., Merion Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
Buck
Jones, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
WD
|
|
Francis
McFadden, Overbrook Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
|
DQ -
disqualification; WD - withdrawal
|
