GAP Hall of Famer Jay Sigel will serve as the Association's honorary captain.

Association set to compete in
64th Mason-Dixon Matches at Philadelphia Country

  The Golf Association of Philadelphia will field an experienced team on a familiar track when it makes its way to Philadelphia Country Club in Gladwyne, Pa., to compete in the 64th Mason-Dixon Matches Oct. 10-11.

 The Mason-Dixon Matches pits two 12-man teams, including one Junior and two Senior players, from the Golf Association of Philadelphia and the Middle Atlantic Golf Association (MAGA) over two days of competition. The Day One format is six four-ball matches. Day Two is 12 singles matches. Each match is worth one point. Ties are halved.

 This year’s GAP roster includes: Michael R. Brown, Jr., Links Golf Club (third appearance); Ben Cooley, Huntingdon Valley Country Club (first appearance); Matt Finger, DuPont Country Club (second appearance); Justin Hare, Five Ponds Golf Club (first appearance); Michael Hyland, Little Mill Country Club (fourth appearance); Roc Irey, Lookaway Golf Club (seventh appearance); Chris Lange, Jr., Overbrook Golf Club (first appearance); Scott McLaughlin, Commonwealth National Golf Club (first appearance); Patrick Ross, Huntsville Country Club (first appearance); Max Siegfried, Aronimink Golf Club (first appearance); Benjamin Smith, Huntingdon Valley Country Club (fourth appearance) and Raymond Thompson, Overbrook Golf Club (fourth appearance).

 Since 1952, the matches have been played annually. GAP leads the series overall, 33-25. There have been five ties.

 Huntingdon Valley’s Smith, competing in his fourth consecutive year of Mason-Dixon Matches, said with the season winding down, this is one of, if not the last chance for players to end their season on a high note.

 “This event pretty much puts an end to the year for the player and the Association. It is a big deal to be invited. Most importantly, the Association looks at each player as one of the best players to tee it up in their events,” Smith said. “It is one of the last competitive rounds everyone will play before we put the clubs away for the winter, so it makes winning that much more important.”

 Smith is looking to help the GAP team get back in the win column after the MAGA took home last year’s duel, 15-3, at Fountain Head Country Club in Hagerstown, Md.

 “Last year, our team was certainly disappointed to lose. I think our guys will take it a little more serious this year. Everyone should be happy to be representing the GAP but we should also be determined to get a win,” said Smith, who was a semifinalist in this year’s BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship at Llanerch Country Club. “I think the strength of our team this year is experience. We have a lot of guys coming off strong seasons, and we know we are good enough to win. We just have to go out and let our play speak for itself.”

 Little Mill Country Club’s Michael Hyland, who is again on this year’s roster, served as the captain at Fountain Head. R. Jay Sigel, arguably the greatest male amateur golfer ever born and raised in the Philadelphia region and state of Pennsylvania, will serve as the Association’s honorary team captain this year.

 Sigel holds the record for GAP Open Championship victories with six and, in all, was a 19-time Major winner (including Silver Crosses). In addition to his legendary GAP success, Sigel found plenty more on the national level, winning two U.S. Amateur Championships and three U.S. Mid-Am Championships, in addition to playing on nine consecutive Walker Cup teams. Sigel, a nine-time Crump Cup champion, was also the low amateur in the 1980 British Open.

 Inducted into the GAP Hall of Fame in 2008, Sigel competed on the Association’s Mason-Dixon team 15 times (1967-77, 1979, 1982, 1984, 1987). His Singles record in the competition was 9-3-0, while his Better Ball of Partners record was 7-6-2.

 The newly created non-playing captain role will apply to all future Honorary Teams. The captain has the option to manage pairings and is entitled to a selection of one player to the team roster. Sigel named Links Golf Club's Brown as his captain's selection.

Amateurs

Michael R. Brown, Jr., Links Golf Club Third appearance (2009-10)

2015 accomplishments: Advanced to U.S. Open Sectional qualifying … qualified for the U.S. Amateur with rounds of 70 (Old York Road Country Club) and 71 (Cedarbrook Country Club) … tied for 17th in the 111th Open Championship at Philadelphia Cricket Club (Wissahickon) … tied for 10th in the Pennsylvania Golf Association’s 102nd Amateur Championship presented by Allegheny Health Network at Country Club of Scranton …tied for 14th in the 113th Joseph H. Patterson Cup at Chester Valley Golf Club … posted a Top 10 finish in the 99th PAGA Open Championship at Rolling Green Golf Club; carded rounds of 69, 68 and 72 … ranked 12th in the William Hyndman, III Player of the Year standings.

Ben Cooley, Huntingdon Valley Country Club First appearance

2015 accomplishments: Survived a nine-for-13 player playoff to qualify for match play in the 115th BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship; lost to medalist Jeff Osberg of Huntingdon Valley, 3&2, in the first round … tied for fifth in the 111th Open Championship at Philadelphia Cricket Club’s Wissahickon Course with rounds of 74 and 68 to finish as the second low amateur. The 68 was the second-best final-round score posted … qualified for match play in the 12th R. Jay Sigel Match Play Championship presented by Allegheny Health Network at Indiana Country Club before falling in the first round to Michael Hoare of Carlisle Country Club, 4&3 … tied for 18th in the Silver Cross Award standings with a 297 total … ranked 14th in the William Hyndman, III POY standings.

Matt Finger, DuPont Country Club Second appearance (2014)

2015 accomplishments: Tied for ninth in the 32nd Middle-Amateur Championship presented by Callaway Golf at St. Davids Golf Club with a 148 total (76-72) … in the Delaware State Golf Association Open Championship, tied for third at 211 with rounds of 68, 71 and 72 … advanced to final of New Jersey State Golf Association Middle-Amateur, falling to Michael Hyland of Little Mill Country Club, 3&2 … ranked 15th in the William Hyndman, III POY standings.

Justin Hare, Five Ponds Golf Club First appearance

2015 accomplishments: Quarterfinalist in the 115th BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship; lost to eventual champion Cole Berman of Philadelphia Cricket Club, 6&5 … finished tied for third in the 113th Joseph H. Patterson Cup; carded rounds of 71 and 68 … tied for sixth in the Silver Cross Award standings with a 288 total … ranked ninth in the William Hyndman, III POY standings.

Michael Hyland, Little Mill Country Club Fourth appearance (2010-11, 2014)

2015 accomplishments: Advanced to the Round of 16 in the 115th BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship; lost to Chris Lange, Jr. of Overbrook Golf Club, 2&1 … qualified for the U.S. Amateur … tied for fifth in the 113th Joseph H. Patterson Cup; carded rounds of 65 and 75 … won the New Jersey State Golf Association’s Mid-Amateur Championship; defeated Matthew Finger of DuPont Country Club, 3&2, in the Final … tied for eighth in the Silver Cross Award standings with a 289 total … ranked seventh in the William Hyndman, III POY standings.

Chris Lange, Jr., Overbrook Golf Club First appearance

2015 accomplishments: Quarterfinalist in the 115th BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship; lost to Christopher Fuga, 6&5 … tied for 14th in the 113th Joseph H. Patterson Cup; carded rounds of 74 and 71 … finished tied for sixth in the Silver Cross Award standings with a 288 total … ranked 13th in the William Hyndman, III POY standings.

Scott McLaughlin, Commonwealth National Golf Club First appearance

2015 accomplishments: Tied for ninth in the 32nd Middle-Amateur Championship presented by Callaway Golf … tied for 17th in the 111th Open Championship … posted a Top 10 finish in the PAGA Amateur Championship presented by Allegheny Health Network … tied for 11th in the 113th Joseph H. Patterson Cup … ranked 21st in the William Hyndman, III POY standings.

Patrick Ross, Huntsville Country Club First appearance

2015 accomplishments: Qualified as the No. 10 seed (3-over, 145 total) for match play in the 115th BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship; lost to Justin Hare of Five Ponds Golf Club, 2-up, in first-round match … qualified for the U.S. Four-Ball Championship with former Temple University teammate Brandon Matthews … tied for 11th in the 113th Joseph H. Patterson Cup; carded rounds of 74 and 70 … tied for 17th in the 111th Open Championship with scores of 75 and 74 for a 149 total … tied for eighth in the Silver Cross Award standings with a 289 total … ranked 18th in the William Hyndman, III POY standings.

Benjamin Smith, Huntingdon Valley Country Club Fourth appearance (2012-14)

2015 accomplishments: Tied for fifth in the 113th Joseph H. Patterson Cup; carded rounds of 73 and 67 … posted a Top 10 finish in the 32nd Middle-Amateur Championship presented by Callaway Golf; carded a pair of 74s … semifinalist in the 115th BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship; lost to eventual runner-up Michael Davis of Aronimink Golf Club, 1-up … placed third in the Silver Cross Award standings with a 282 total … ranked fifth in the William Hyndman, III POY standings.

Seniors

Raymond Thompson, Overbrook Golf Club Fourth appearance (2007, 2011, 2013)

2015 accomplishments: Tied for third in the 81st Francis B. Warner Cup (Gross) at Little Mill Country Club … runner-up in the Frank H. Chapman Memorial Cup (Gross) at Berkshire Country Club; carded a 1-over-par 72 … teamed with Glenn Smeraglio of Mercer Oaks Golf Course to finish tied for fourth in the 56th Senior Four-Ball Stroke Play at North Hills Country Club … qualified for the U.S. Senior Amateur at Hidden Creek Golf Club … tied for 11th in the 45th Senior Amateur Championship at Union League Golf Club at Torresdale … placed third in the Senior Silver Cross Award standings with a 298 total … ranked fifth in the Senior POY standings.

Roc Irey, Lookaway Golf Club Seventh appearance (1991, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2009, 2014)

2015 accomplishments: Won the Senior Silver Cross Award with a 295 total; birdied the par 4, 375-yard 18th hole at Union League Golf Club at Torresdale to prevail by a stroke over David West of Whitford Country Club … tied for third in the Senior Amateur Championship; carded rounds of 75 and 68 … medalist in a U.S. Senior Amateur Qualifier administered by the Golf Association of Philadelphia at White Manor Country Club … finished tied for fourth in the Frank H. Chapman Memorial Cup (Gross) … tied for sixth in the Francis B. Warner Cup (Gross) … quarterfinalist in the PAGA Senior Match Play Championship presented by Allegheny Health Network; lost to Thomas Hyland of Moselem Springs Golf Club, 4&2 … ranked fifth in the Senior POY standings.

Junior

Max Siegfried, Aronimink Golf Club First appearance

2015 accomplishments: Winner of the Christman Cup presented by Global Golf Post at Gulph Mills Golf Club; carded rounds of 71 and 67 to prevail by four strokes … runner-up in the 101st Junior Boys’ Championship at Indian Valley Country Club; lost to Kyle Vance of the GAP Junior Players Club, 4&2 … tied for second in the Pennsylvania Golf Association’s Junior Boys’ Championship presented by Allegheny Health Network at Hershey Country Club; carded rounds of 70 and 76 … runner-up in the Jock MacKenzie Memorial; lost to Mark Benevento, Jr. of Greate Bay Country Club after both finished regulation at 69 … lost to J.T. Barker of Saucon Valley Country Club in an 18-hole playoff for the Harry Hammond Award (both players posted 282 totals) … member of the GAP Williamson Cup team … ranked first in the Junior Player of the Year standings.

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.