MALVERN, Pa. - John O’Rourke already had a few Golf Association of Philadelphia titles stemming from his days served as a versatile volunteer. After Tuesday’s standout performance, he can add “two-time champion” into the mix.
O’Rourke, a volunteer with the Association since 2003, took home the overall Francis B. Warner Cup (Net) title – his second in the event – at White Manor Country Club (par 71, 5,680 yards).
In regulation, O'Rourke's 7-under 64 net was equaled by Jericho National Golf Club’s Joe DeAngelis. The eventual champion was awarded the win in a match-of-cards after O'Rourke's 5-under net back nine bettered DeAngelis’ 3-under score. O'Rourke’s gross score of 83 helped propel him to the top of a large leaderboard of 96 net players.
Stephanie Castaldi took home the top spot in the second-ever rendition of the Women’s Division. The Hershey Country Club member fired a 5-under 66 net round to better defending champion Josie Anthony of the home club by three net strokes.
O’Rourke carded three straight net birdies to finish the winning round. The closing clutch streak began with a chip-in from off the front of the green on No. 16 (par 4, 366 yards). On No. 17 (par 5, 399 yards), O’Rourke hit a decent drive near the right fringe, lifted a 5-wood to 130 yards out, then placed an 11-wood approach to 10 feet. A two-putt gross par kept the rally alive.
On White Manor’s finisher (par 4, 320 yards), O’Rourke blasted a drive past the left fairway bunker and into the first cut. Again he entrusted his 11-wood, nestling the approach up to eight feet. A two-putt sealed the deal.
“I wasn’t sure if I was hitting the ball well enough to enter today,” said the 67-year-old retiree, winner of the 2009 Warner (Net) at Silver Creek Country Club. “I was hoping just to place in my Flight, but it turns out some of my shots were paying off. It feels great to get my first trophy in nine years."
O’Rourke is a fan of net events – both Stableford and stroke play formats. Take a glance at a GAP tee sheet during a net championship and you’ll see that familiar name.
“I’m a fan of both the playing formats, but no matter which one we are playing in, the net championships run by the GAP are a great way to get out on other courses and play with the guys while also competing. Everyone has fun during them – we’re really glad the GAP runs them.”
The Cherry Hill, N.J. resident sees these events from a few different perspectives, too. As a course rating and tournament volunteer, O’Rourke has seen and done it all.
“My good friend, Bob Murray, who I played with today, had already been volunteering for a number of years, and called me up and said, ‘They’re looking for volunteers from New Jersey. Some of the guys don’t want to travel that far,’ and asked if I was interested,” said O’Rourke. “And I’ve been doing it ever since.”
Castaldi, who carded a gross score of 87, was ecstatic to be playing in her first GAP competition. Hershey joined GAP as a Member Club in 2018, opening the door for more playing opportunities.
Castaldi was even more thrilled making the drive home as a champion.
“When (groupmate Susan Engle) and I saw this tournament was open to [Hershey members], we decided to come out and play. And, oh my god, it was just an amazing day and tournament,” said Castaldi, 57, of Hummelstown, Pa.
Today’s event hosted the largest field ever – 20 players – in a GAP Women’s competition.
“I’m going to do my best to get other ladies involved as well after my first playing experience here,” said the winner after her round. “It’s great to hear about the (participation numbers) increasing. White Manor was a beautiful golf course and it's just a nice opportunity to play in events like this.”
Francis B. Warner of Philadelphia Cricket Club served as the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s secretary-treasurer for 18 years. After his death in 1933, the Association started the Francis B. Warner Cup as an ongoing tribute in his memory.
|
Overall
|
|
|
Name,
club
|
Net score
|
|
*John
O'Rourke, McCall Golf & Country Club
|
64
|
|
*Joseph
DeAngelis, Jericho National Golf Club
|
64
|
|
Richard
Genoni, Waynesborough
Country Club
|
65
|
|
Tony Minervini, Old York CC at Chesterfield
|
66
|
|
Mike
Schuster, Chester Valley Golf Club
|
66
|
|
David
Pierce, DuPont Country Club
|
67
|
|
Richard
Saylor, Coatesville Country Club
|
67
|
|
William
Choy, Flourtown Country Club
|
67
|
|
Michael
Kyle, Talamore Country Club
|
68
|
|
John
Martinson, Saucon Valley Country Club
|
68
|
|
Robert
McCole, The Springhaven Club
|
68
|
|
John
Lobb, Bellewood Country Club
|
69
|
|
Michael
Blaustein, Penn Oaks Golf Club
|
70
|
|
Murray Felzer, White Manor Country Club
|
70
|
|
Zoltan Varga, The Springhaven Club
|
70
|
|
Charles
Caparo, The 1912 Club
|
70
|
|
Robert
Harrell, Little Mill Country Club
|
70
|
|
David
Kearney, Lehigh Country Club
|
70
|
|
Mike
Connell, The Springhaven Club
|
71
|
|
Michael
Eckrich, DuPont Country Club
|
71
|
|
Jim Lowthert, French Creek Golf Club
|
71
|
|
Frank Dehaut, Jr., Coatesville Country Club
|
72
|
|
Mick
Dunphy, Flourtown Country Club
|
72
|
|
James
Seward, Jr., Limekiln Golf Club
|
72
|
|
Francis
Tan, Medford Lakes Country Club
|
72
|
|
Jim Delfidio, Talamore Country Club
|
72
|
|
Steven
Gordon, Old York CC at Chesterfield
|
72
|
|
Ed
Kocher, LedgeRock Golf Club
|
72
|
|
James Cardano, Cedarbrook Country Club
|
73
|
|
Edward Osciak, Jr., Loch Nairn Golf
Club
|
73
|
|
Edward Attarian, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
73
|
|
R. B. D'iorio, Jr., The Springhaven
Club
|
73
|
|
Lloyd
McGinley, Trenton Country Club
|
73
|
|
John
Sly, Jr., St. Davids Golf Club
|
73
|
|
Chris
Braun, West Shore Country Club
|
73
|
|
Richard
Turner, Llanerch Country Club
|
73
|
|
Ernest Eichenberg, III, Waynesborough
Country Club
|
74
|
|
Eric
Erickson, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
|
74
|
|
Kent
Spade, Manufacturers'
Golf & Country Club
|
74
|
|
Martin
DeLuca, Penn Oaks Golf Club
|
74
|
|
Kenneth
Dazen, Medford Village Country Club
|
74
|
|
Matthew
Manfred, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
74
|
|
Jeffrey
Pelesh, Rolling Green Golf Club
|
74
|
|
Doug
Putnam, Talamore Country Club
|
74
|
|
Peter Torras, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
|
74
|
|
Ronald
Rice, Sr., Old York Road Country Club
|
75
|
|
Mark Edfort, LedgeRock Golf Club
|
75
|
|
Michael
Caulfield, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
75
|
|
Gerry
McCloy, Flourtown Country Club
|
75
|
|
Tom
Seward, Limekiln Golf Club
|
76
|
|
Joe Greitzer, Bala Golf Club
|
76
|
|
Thomas
Brennan, Sr., Moselem Springs Golf Club
|
76
|
|
Michael
Schoedler, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
76
|
|
Joseph Viscuso, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
|
76
|
|
Jerry
Maxwell, Jr., Five Ponds Golf Club
|
77
|
|
Mark
Simpson, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
|
77
|
|
James
Barton, Manufacturers'
Golf & Country Club
|
77
|
|
David Cagnetti, Lu Lu Country Club
|
77
|
|
Robert
DeLong, Radnor Valley Country Club
|
77
|
|
Richard
Keesling, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
|
77
|
|
Brian Chidester, Chester Valley Golf Club
|
78
|
|
William
Crawford, Jr., Chester Valley Golf Club
|
78
|
|
Charles
Quinn, Merion Golf Club
|
78
|
|
William
Erskine, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
78
|
|
James
Barron, Hartefeld National
|
78
|
|
Mike
Pierce, The Springhaven Club
|
79
|
|
W.
Frank Skilton, Manufacturers' Golf & Country Club
|
79
|
|
David
Spirt, Talamore Country Club
|
79
|
|
Scott Dichter, Meadia Heights Golf
Club
|
79
|
|
Chris
Meyer, Manufacturers'
Golf & Country Club
|
79
|
|
Robert Agran, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
79
|
|
William
McCabe, Jr., McCall Golf & Country Club
|
79
|
|
Andy
McCormick, Lancaster Country Club
|
79
|
|
Kenneth
Orner, PineCrest Country
Club
|
79
|
|
Sev Panossian,
Golf Course at Glen Mills
|
79
|
|
J.
Frederick Merz, Jr., Merion Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Thomas
Frazier, Gulph Mills Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Don
Neill, Lu Lu Country Club
|
80
|
|
Bill
Nicholson, St. Davids Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Wayne Yetter, Lookaway Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Duke Rittersbach, Five Ponds Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Tom
Watterson, Loch Nairn Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Victor Donnay, McCall Golf & Country Club
|
82
|
|
Ned
Moore, Manufacturers'
Golf & Country Club
|
82
|
|
Dean Rosini, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
|
82
|
|
Macy
Summers, St. Davids Golf Club
|
83
|
|
Hank
Collins, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
84
|
|
Werner Cziriak, Talamore Country Club
|
84
|
|
Timothy
Kiorpes, Lookaway Golf
Club
|
84
|
|
Jack
Polidori, DuPont Country Club
|
84
|
|
John
Siegrist, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
85
|
|
Charles
Kane, Rolling Green Golf Club
|
87
|
|
Joseph
Funk, The Bucks Club
|
93
|
|
Walter
Madden, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
|
94
|
|
Gerald
Barr, Lehigh Country Club
|
94
|
|
Timothy
Joyce, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
97
|
|
James
Conway, Tavistock Country Club
|
NC
|
|
Steven
Hashem, Laurel Creek Country Club
|
WD
|
|
Robert
Murray, McCall Golf & Country Club
|
WD
|
|
Joseph
Cassidy, McCall Golf & Country Club
|
WD
|
|
Thomas
Barnes, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
|
WD
|
|
Patrick
Foley, Moselem Springs Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
William
Kovach, Mercer Oaks Golf Course
|
WD
|
|
|
|
*decided
in match-of-card playoff (back 9 net)
|
|
|
|
First
Flight (8-12 Handicap)
|
|
Joseph
DeAngelis, Jericho National Golf Club
|
64
|
|
Richard
Genoni, Waynesborough
Country Club
|
65
|
|
Mike
Schuster, Chester Valley Golf Club
|
66
|
|
William
Choy, Flourtown Country Club
|
67
|
|
Robert
McCole, The Springhaven Club
|
68
|
|
John
Lobb, Bellewood Country Club
|
69
|
|
Charles
Caparo, The 1912 Club
|
70
|
|
Robert
Harrell, Little Mill Country Club
|
70
|
|
David
Kearney, Lehigh Country Club
|
70
|
|
Michael
Eckrich, DuPont Country Club
|
71
|
|
Jim Lowthert, French Creek Golf Club
|
71
|
|
Jim Delfidio, Talamore Country Club
|
72
|
|
Steven
Gordon, Old York CC at Chesterfield
|
72
|
|
Ed
Kocher, LedgeRock Golf Club
|
72
|
|
Chris
Braun, West Shore Country Club
|
73
|
|
Richard
Turner, Llanerch Country Club
|
73
|
|
Kenneth
Dazen, Medford Village Country Club
|
74
|
|
Matthew
Manfred, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
74
|
|
Jeffrey
Pelesh, Rolling Green Golf Club
|
74
|
|
Doug
Putnam, Talamore Country Club
|
74
|
|
Peter Torras, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
|
74
|
|
Michael
Caulfield, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
75
|
|
Gerry
McCloy, Flourtown Country Club
|
75
|
|
Thomas
Brennan, Sr., Moselem Springs Golf Club
|
76
|
|
Michael
Schoedler, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
76
|
|
Joseph Viscuso, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
|
76
|
|
Richard
Keesling, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
|
77
|
|
James
Barron, Hartefeld National
|
78
|
|
Robert Agran, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
79
|
|
William
McCabe, Jr., McCall Golf & Country Club
|
79
|
|
Andy
McCormick, Lancaster Country Club
|
79
|
|
Kenneth
Orner, PineCrest Country
Club
|
79
|
|
Sev Panossian,
Golf Course at Glen Mills
|
79
|
|
Macy
Summers, St. Davids Golf Club
|
83
|
|
Jack
Polidori, DuPont Country Club
|
84
|
|
Thomas
Barnes, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
|
WD
|
|
Patrick
Foley, Moselem Springs Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
William
Kovach, Mercer Oaks Golf Course
|
WD
|
|
|
|
Second
Flight (13-16 Handicap)
|
|
Tony Minervini, Old York CC at Chesterfield
|
66
|
|
David
Pierce, DuPont Country Club
|
67
|
|
Richard
Saylor, Coatesville Country Club
|
67
|
|
John
Martinson, Saucon Valley Country Club
|
68
|
|
Murray Felzer, White Manor Country Club
|
70
|
|
Zoltan Varga, The Springhaven Club
|
70
|
|
James
Seward, Jr., Limekiln Golf Club
|
72
|
|
Francis
Tan, Medford Lakes Country Club
|
72
|
|
Edward Attarian, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
73
|
|
R. B. D'iorio, Jr., The Springhaven
Club
|
73
|
|
Lloyd
McGinley, Trenton Country Club
|
73
|
|
John
Sly, Jr., St. Davids Golf Club
|
73
|
|
Martin
DeLuca, Penn Oaks Golf Club
|
74
|
|
Mark Edfort, LedgeRock Golf Club
|
75
|
|
Joe Greitzer, Bala Golf Club
|
76
|
|
James
Barton, Manufacturers'
Golf & Country Club
|
77
|
|
David Cagnetti, Lu Lu Country Club
|
77
|
|
Robert
DeLong, Radnor Valley Country Club
|
77
|
|
William
Erskine, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
78
|
|
Scott Dichter, Meadia Heights Golf
Club
|
79
|
|
Chris
Meyer, Manufacturers'
Golf & Country Club
|
79
|
|
Thomas Frazier, Gulph Mills Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Don
Neill, Lu Lu Country Club
|
80
|
|
Bill
Nicholson, St. Davids Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Wayne Yetter, Lookaway Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Werner Cziriak, Talamore Country Club
|
84
|
|
Timothy
Kiorpes, Lookaway Golf
Club
|
84
|
|
John
Siegrist, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
85
|
|
Charles
Kane, Rolling Green Golf Club
|
87
|
|
Joseph
Funk, The Bucks Club
|
93
|
|
Gerald
Barr, Lehigh Country Club
|
94
|
|
James
Conway, Tavistock Country Club
|
NC
|
|
Joseph
Cassidy, McCall Golf & Country Club
|
WD
|
|
|
|
Third
Flight (17+ Handicap)
|
|
John
O'Rourke, McCall Golf & Country Club
|
64
|
|
Michael
Kyle, Talamore Country Club
|
68
|
|
Michael
Blaustein, Penn Oaks Golf Club
|
70
|
|
Mike
Connell, The Springhaven Club
|
71
|
|
Frank Dehaut, Jr., Coatesville Country Club
|
72
|
|
Mick
Dunphy, Flourtown Country Club
|
72
|
|
James Cardano, Cedarbrook Country Club
|
73
|
|
Edward Osciak, Jr., Loch Nairn Golf
Club
|
73
|
|
Ernest Eichenberg, III, Waynesborough
Country Club
|
74
|
|
Eric
Erickson, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
|
74
|
|
Kent
Spade, Manufacturers'
Golf & Country Club
|
74
|
|
Ronald
Rice, Sr., Old York Road Country Club
|
75
|
|
Tom
Seward, Limekiln Golf Club
|
76
|
|
Jerry
Maxwell, Jr., Five Ponds Golf Club
|
77
|
|
Mark
Simpson, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
|
77
|
|
Brian Chidester, Chester Valley Golf Club
|
78
|
|
William
Crawford, Jr., Chester Valley Golf Club
|
78
|
|
Charles
Quinn, Merion Golf Club
|
78
|
|
Mike
Pierce, The Springhaven Club
|
79
|
|
W.
Frank Skilton, Manufacturers' Golf & Country Club
|
79
|
|
David
Spirt, Talamore Country Club
|
79
|
|
J.
Frederick Merz, Jr., Merion Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Duke Rittersbach, Five Ponds Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Tom
Watterson, Loch Nairn Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Victor Donnay, McCall Golf & Country Club
|
82
|
|
Ned
Moore, Manufacturers'
Golf & Country Club
|
82
|
|
Dean Rosini, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
|
82
|
|
Hank
Collins, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
84
|
|
Walter
Madden, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
|
94
|
|
Timothy
Joyce, Philadelphia Publinks GA
|
97
|
|
Steven
Hashem, Laurel Creek Country Club
|
WD
|
|
Robert
Murray, McCall Golf & Country Club
|
WD
|
|
|
|
Women's
Division
|
|
Stephanie
Castaldi, Hershey Country Club
|
66
|
|
Josie
Anthony, White Manor Country Club
|
69
|
|
Charlotte
Kocher, LedgeRock Golf Club
|
69
|
|
Anne Flink, Talamore Country Club
|
75
|
|
Carolyn
Mendez, Fieldstone Golf Club
|
75
|
|
Wynn
Harris, Old York Road Country Club
|
77
|
|
Susan
Engle, Jericho National Golf Club
|
78
|
|
Cathy
Lucas, Wilmington Country Club
|
78
|
|
Jeannie
Edfort, LedgeRock Golf Club
|
79
|
|
Rosemary
Morrison, Old York Road Country Club
|
79
|
|
Helen
Moyer, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
|
79
|
|
Sue
Simpson, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
|
79
|
|
Alison Kellock, Flourtown Country Club
|
80
|
|
Danielle
Carroll, Fieldstone Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Dawn Welte, Fieldstone Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Nancy Antoniuk, RiverCrest Golf Club
& Preserve
|
86
|
|
Sarah
Reese, French Creek Golf Club
|
86
|
|
Jane
Ludlow, Talamore Country Club
|
92
|
|
Rosanne
Conway, Tavistock Country Club
|
NC
|
|
Mary
Conway, French Creek Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
|
|
NC-no
card; WD-withdrawal
|
