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| Cole Berman narrowly misses his birdie putt on No. 18 (par 4, 432 yards). |
Cricket’s Berman books medal in #GAPOpen Qual. at Radnor Valley
VILLANOVA, Pa. — When he isn’t reading greens on the golf course, Cole Berman is likely perusing a paperback. Fitting that “Red Notice” by Bill Browder is his current craze.
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Berman put the field on notice with his red number Tuesday. The Philadelphia Cricket Club member carded a 3-under-par 67 to top a Golf Association of Philadelphia Open Championship Qualifier at Radnor Valley Country Club (par 70, 6,536 yards). He led an assembly of 154 amateurs and professionals alike hoping to earn one of 38 positions and ties available for the Championship proper.
The cut line fell to 75 by day’s end. The 113th Open Championship will take place July 17-18 at Philadelphia Country Club.
“It’s a great book,” Berman said of his leisurely read. “It’s about a guy from Chicago who, post-Cold War, started a hedge fund based on Russian companies that were very undervalued. As he attracted more attention to it, the value skyrocketed and then Russia eventually kicked him out and took over his assets. [I’d give it a] 10-out-of-10.”
Same rating for Berman’s performance Tuesday.
Berman, who started on the back nine, drained an improbable 50-footer for birdie on No. 11 (par 3, 186 yards) to establish a seemingly impenetrable zone. After leaving a 6-iron short, he threw a cross-your-fingers putt at the hole and watched it pour in the middle.
“That goes from just trying to make par there and then all of a sudden you’re 1 under and just cruising. I ran into two other birdies on that nine,” Berman, 21, of Rosemont, Pa., said. “I just had a lot of opportunities today. My putting was really solid. The greens were slow but I just kind of saw my lines. It was hard to get the ball past the hole, so you just kind of had to trust it. Putts were going in from distance, which was nice to see.”
Berman, a soon-to-be senior who is majoring in government at Georgetown University, converted long-range putts for birdies on Nos. 14 (par 4, 424 yards) and 17 (par 4, 408 yards): a 25-footer following an 8-iron from 151 yards on the first, an 18-footer following a pitching wedge from 127 yards on the latter. On the par 3, 173-yard No. 2, he towered a 6-iron to 12 feet for another birdie to move to 4 under.
A focused Berman, who approached every shot like a machine on autopilot, experienced a topsy-turvy four-hole closing stretch. On No. 6 (par 4, 379 yards), he steered a 3-wood into trees right and ended up on the adjacent 5th hole. Forced to maneuver through the timber, Berman faced a yardage of 88 for his third shot, which he left short of the green. A chip and two putts translated into a 6 on the scorecard.
Berman, a two-time GAP Major Champion, rebounded with a birdie on the next hole (par 5, 536 yards), splashing out of the right greenside bunker into kick-in range. A missed green on the strenuous No. 8 (par 3, 209 yards) meant a bogey. An 8-iron from 151 yards to 15 feet on the next (par 4, 426 yards) meant a birdie and medalist honors.
“My game’s been pretty solid this summer. I didn’t try and think about qualifying; I wanted to go out and put up a low number,” he said.
Berman, a three-time Junior Player of the Year, won the Joseph H. Patterson Cup in 2014 and BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship in 2015. He reached the Round of 16 in this year’s Amateur on his home course, where he fell to Michael R. Brown, Jr. of Lu Lu Country Club, 1-up.
Golf makes up the majority of Berman’s summer. Rounds outnumber range sessions, a key to his success so far.
“I think it’s helped my game because it’s more about playing golf than making a swing or hitting a shot on the range,” Berman said. “I’ve been playing a lot of golf. I’m not very busy other than that.”
He’ll be busy July 17-18.
The Association expanded the Open Championship field to 132 players in 2017. The format remains 36 holes of stroke play. However, it will be contested over two days instead of one day. A cut to the low 60 and ties takes place after Day One.
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.
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Qualifiers
|
|
Name,
club
|
Score
|
|
(a)
Cole Berman, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
67
|
|
Brett
Melton, Radley Run Country Club
|
69
|
|
Tom
Michaels, Berkshire Country Club
|
70
|
|
John
Bierkan, Aronimink Golf
Club
|
71
|
|
(a)
Connor McNicholas, Lu Lu Country
Club
|
72
|
|
Anthony
Napoletano, GOLFTEC-Malvern
|
72
|
|
(a)
Dominic Digiacomo, Greate Bay
Country Club
|
72
|
|
Rick
Lebeau, Gulph Mills
Golf Club
|
72
|
|
(a)
Michael Rogers, Overbrook Golf Club
|
73
|
|
Trevor
Bensel, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
|
73
|
|
(a)
Blaine Lafferty, Little Mill Country Club
|
73
|
|
(a)
Michael Cook, Applebrook Golf Club
|
73
|
|
(a)
Brett Brenner, Green Valley Country Club
|
73
|
|
(a)
Robert Firth, Jr., Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
73
|
|
Eric
Schultz, Sunnybrook Golf Club
|
73
|
|
(a)
Geoffrey Cooper, North Hills Country Club
|
73
|
|
(a)
Richard Riva, Bent Creek Country Club
|
73
|
|
(a)
Tom DiCinti, Old York CC at Chesterfield
|
73
|
|
(a)
Joel Hark, Woodcrest Country Club
|
73
|
|
Zac
Oakley, The Rookery
|
73
|
|
Terry
Hatch, Hickory Valley Golf Club
|
73
|
|
Matthew
Episcopo, Pine Valley Golf Club
|
74
|
|
(a)
Scott Kalan, Squires Golf Club
|
74
|
|
(a)
Matt Bierer, RiverCrest Golf
Club & Preserve
|
74
|
|
(a)
Mike Sydnes, Talamore Country
Club
|
74
|
|
(a)
David West, Whitford Country Club
|
74
|
|
(a)
John Buliga, Yardley Country Club
|
74
|
|
(a)
Joseph Hughes, Little Mill Country Club
|
74
|
|
(a)
Wills Montgomery, Applecross Country Club
|
74
|
|
Jason
Calhoun, Philadelphia Country Club
|
75
|
|
John
Spina, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
75
|
|
Robert
Hennefer, Indian Spring Country Club
|
75
|
|
Joseph
Kogelman, GOLFTEC-Moorestown
|
75
|
|
(a)
Peter Bradbeer, Merion Golf Club
|
75
|
|
(a)
Ron Robinson, Talamore Country Club
|
75
|
|
(a)
Ryan Gelrod, Philadelphia
Cricket Club
|
75
|
|
(a)
Ben Litt, Riverton Country Club
|
75
|
|
(a)
Michael Quinn, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
75
|
|
Terry
Hertzog, Country Club of York
|
75
|
|
(a)
Troy Vannucci, Little Mill Country Club
|
75
|
|
Chris
Krueger, Kings Creek Country Club
|
75
|
|
(a)
Nicholas Biondi, Glenmaura National Golf Club
|
75
|
| |
|
Failed
to qualify
|
|
Michael
Paukovits, St. Davids Golf
Club
|
76
|
|
(a)
Alexander Butler, Bluestone Country Club
|
76
|
|
(a)
Brian Gillespie, St. Davids Golf Club
|
76
|
|
(a)
Peter Moran, Whitford Country Club
|
76
|
|
Stephen
Sieracki, Indian Spring Country Club
|
76
|
|
(a)
J.T. Spina, Spring Ford Country Club
|
76
|
|
(a)
Scott McKean, Chester Valley Golf Club
|
76
|
|
Mike
Furey, Mahoning Valley Country Club
|
76
|
|
Christopher
Dymek, Manasquan River Golf Club
|
76
|
|
(a)
Kody Long, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
76
|
|
(a)
Mike May, Spring Mill Country Club
|
76
|
|
Dean
Kandle, St. Davids Golf Club
|
77
|
|
(a)
John Lalley, Llanerch Country
Club
|
77
|
|
(a)
Mark Czerniakowski, Lu Lu Country
Club
|
77
|
|
(a)
Thomas Gramigna, Tavistock Country Club
|
77
|
|
(a)
Alec Brown, Gulph Mills Golf Club
|
77
|
|
(a)
Chris Button, Golden Oaks Golf Club
|
77
|
|
(a)
Paul Mauer, Stonewall
|
77
|
|
(a)
Mariano Medico, Fox Hill Country Club
|
77
|
|
Michael
Ladden, Whitford Country
Club
|
78
|
|
(a)
Matt Cocco, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
78
|
|
(a)
Duane Pinnock, RiverCrest Golf Club &
Preserve
|
78
|
|
Michael
Ferguson, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
78
|
|
(a)
David Gall, Riverton Country Club
|
78
|
|
(a)
Connor Boham, Spring Ford Country Club
|
78
|
|
(a)
Jackson Fiel, Sea Oaks Golf Club
|
78
|
|
Paul
Oglesby, Philadelphia Country Club
|
78
|
|
(a)
Jared Tendler, Makefield Highlands
Golf Club
|
78
|
|
(a)
Brian Fischer, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
79
|
|
(a)
Joseph Chambers, Jr., Chester Valley Golf Club
|
79
|
|
(a)
David Liotta, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
|
79
|
|
(a)
Griffin Smith, Jericho National Golf Club
|
79
|
|
(a)
John Samaha, Old York Road Country Club
|
79
|
|
(a)
Drew Petri, Jericho National Golf Club
|
79
|
|
John
Allen, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
|
80
|
|
(a)
R.J. Wren, Applecross Country Club
|
80
|
|
Justin
Riegel, French Creek Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Patrick
Butkus, Overbrook Golf Club
|
80
|
|
(a)
Owen Brown, Coatesville Country Club
|
80
|
|
(a)
Garrett Basalyga, Cedarbrook Country
Club
|
80
|
|
(a)
Jeffrey Angelucci, Union League Golf Club at Torresdale
|
80
|
|
Brian
Hollins, Trenton Country Club
|
80
|
|
(a)
Jacob Hanzel, Running Deer Golf Club
|
80
|
|
(a)
Nicholas Gaudio, Valleybrook Country
Club
|
80
|
|
(a)
Jack Murray, Stonewall
|
80
|
|
(a)
Blake Cleary, Wilmington Country Club
|
81
|
|
(a)
Joey Russo, Laurel Creek Country Club
|
81
|
|
(a)
Gary Schoeman, Gulph Mills Golf Club
|
81
|
|
(a)
Carlos Fullerton, Brookside CC of Allentown
|
81
|
|
(a)
Logan Fuglestad, Jericho National Golf Club
|
81
|
|
(a)
Brad Ebersole, The Ridge at Back Brook
|
81
|
|
(a)
John Burke, III, Hartefeld National
|
81
|
|
(a)
Andrew Jaskel, Union League Golf Club at Torresdale
|
81
|
|
(a)
Steve Marshalek, Whitford Country
Club
|
81
|
|
(a)
Ryan Bree, Fieldstone Golf Club
|
81
|
|
(a)
Zachary Falone, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
81
|
|
(a)
C.J. Bell, Cobbs Creek Golf Club
|
82
|
|
(a)
Dan Arison, Applebrook Golf Club
|
82
|
|
(a)
Justin Schorr, Talamore Country Club
|
82
|
|
(a)
John Murphy, II, Stone Harbor Golf Club
|
82
|
|
(a)
Steven Altieri, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
|
82
|
|
(a)
Hunter Mickatavage, Schuylkill Country Club
|
82
|
|
(a)
Zach Dilcher, Hartefeld National
|
82
|
|
(a)
Dan Ayars, Running Deer Golf Club
|
82
|
|
(a)
Joe Rochelle, Indian Valley Country Club
|
82
|
|
(a)
Martin Rosica, Riverton Country Club
|
82
|
|
(a)
Quinn Dolan, Rolling Green Golf Club
|
83
|
|
(a)
Ryan O'Donnell, Rolling Green Golf Club
|
83
|
|
(a)
Larry Gauger, Radnor Valley Country Club
|
83
|
|
(a)
Parker Wine, Radley Run Country Club
|
83
|
|
(a)
William Mitchell, Laurel Creek Country Club
|
83
|
|
(a)
Blake Vogdes, Stone Harbor Golf Club
|
83
|
|
(a)
Mark Wachter, DuPont Country Club
|
83
|
|
(a)
Max Harrington, Moselem Springs Golf Club
|
83
|
|
(a)
Alex Golland, Spring Ford Country Club
|
84
|
|
(a)
Alexander McPherson, Lu Lu Country Club
|
84
|
|
(a)
Philip Potter, Radley Run Country Club
|
84
|
|
(a)
Sam Soeth, White Manor Country Club
|
84
|
|
(a)
Chris Meares, Running Deer Golf Club
|
84
|
|
(a)
Shawn Gensbauer, Five Ponds Golf Club
|
84
|
|
(a)
Joe Rossi, Squires Golf Club
|
84
|
|
(a)
Kevin Maguire, Trump National Golf Club - Philadelphia
|
84
|
|
(a)
Andrew Sterge, Applebrook Golf
Club
|
84
|
|
(a)
Eamon Marone, Northampton
Country Club
|
84
|
|
(a)
Brendan McNamara, The ACE Club
|
85
|
|
(a)
Dante DiStefano, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
85
|
|
(a)
Daniel Katona, Trump National Golf Club -
Philadelphia
|
85
|
|
(a)
Sean Mclaughlin, Spring Mill Country Club
|
85
|
|
(a)
Robert Olseski, III, Sandy Run Country Club
|
86
|
|
(a)
Kyle Donovan, Honeybrook Golf Club
|
86
|
|
(a)
Jason Wilt, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
86
|
|
(a)
George Connell, Jr., Gulph Mills Golf Club
|
86
|
|
(a)
Ryan Jones, The ACE Club
|
86
|
|
(a)
Pat Kain, Overbrook Golf Club
|
87
|
|
(a)
David Sim, Penn Oaks Golf Club
|
88
|
|
(a)
Frankie McVeigh, Llanerch Country Club
|
89
|
|
(a)
Andrew Ring, Bluestone Country Club
|
89
|
|
(a)
Devin Guilliams, Loch Nairn Golf
Club
|
89
|
|
(a)
Dante Devuono, Running Deer Golf Club
|
89
|
|
(a)
Jimmy Cunningham, Aronimink Golf Club
|
92
|
|
(a)
Brandon Cassidy, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
92
|
|
(a)
Shahab Bina, Radnor Valley Country Club
|
96
|
|
(a)
Luke Shevlin, Concord Country Club
|
NS
|
|
(a)
John Mikiewicz, Fox Hill Country Club
|
WD
|
|
(a)
Sean Coyle, Llanerch Country Club
|
WD
|
|
(a)
Daniel Galbreath, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
|
WD
|
|
(a)
Todd Anderson, Wilmington Country Club
|
WD
|
|
(a)
Joseph Dulka, Bellewood Country
Club
|
WD
|
|
(a)
Michael Shevlin, Sr., Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
WD
|
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(a)-denotes
amateur
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NS-no
show; WD-withdrawal
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