The Golf Association of Philadelphia

Tavistock CC’s Jamie Slonis tops
Amateur Championship Qualifier

BLUE BELL, Pa.–Jamie Slonis of Tavistock CC braved stifling weather conditions to earn the top seed in the match play draw for the 105^th Amateur Championship with a 2-under-par 141 in qualifying on Tuesday at Cedarbrook CC (par 72, 6,959 yards) and Green Valley CC (par 71, 6,757 yards).

A field of 131 players vied for the 32 match play slots that determine the Golf Association of Philadelphia Amateur Champion. The first and second rounds of the Amateur Championship are set for tomorrow. The first round begins at 8 a.m. with second-round tee times to follow. The quarterfinals and semifinals are scheduled for Thursday with the 36-hole final set for Saturday, June 18. All matches will be played at Cedarbrook CC.

"It’s a nice honor [to be medallist] because it’s an event everyone shoots to play well in," said Slonis, 36, of Sewell, N.J. "I haven’t really put it all together for a day [recently]. This is the first day I played fairly solid from start to finish."

Slonis carded an even-par 70 at Green Valley CC in the morning before recording a 2-under-par 70 at Cedarbrook CC in the p.m. Players completed 18 holes at each course in qualifying. A playoff for the final match play position fell at the two-round total of 154. Three players contested for the one spot with Chris Sylvia of Little Mill CC surviving.

Slonis opened his day with a 2-under-par 33 on the backside at Green Valley CC, his opening nine, but finished bogey, double bogey to drop to even after one round. At Cedarbrook CC, Slonis wasn’t about to let that happen again.

He made the turn with an even-par 36 after carding two birdies and two bogeys. A kick-in birdie on the 10^th (par 5, 531 yards) and a short putt on No. 12 (par 5, 516 yards) moved him back into red digits. However, bogeys on No. 15 (poor drive) and 16 (poor iron shot), started leaving that bad taste in his mouth again. He put a stop to that rather quickly, though, knocking a pitching wedge from 127 yards to three feet on No. 17 (par 4, 418 yards) and a sand wedge from 82 yards on No. 18 (par 4, 431 yards) to a foot.

"I wanted to avoid the big mistakes," said Slonis, who works in the finance world. "I putted really well today. I had a couple three putts from long distances, but I made my fair share of 10-15-20 footers."

The Amateur Championship Qualifier also serves as qualifying for the Open Championship and the initial two scores of the Silver Cross. Slonis was the low qualifier for the Open Championship as well and, obviously, currently leads the Silver Cross. However, his chance at winning the coveted cross an award that dates back to 1902 and awarded to the player with the lowest aggregate score in the qualifying rounds of the Amateur Championship and the two rounds of the Patterson Cup won’t happen.

Slonis is set to travel to Scotland in August for the British Middle-Amateur Championship at Muirfield Golf Club. He is exempt for the tournament based on qualifying for match play of the U.S. Mid-Am Championship at Wilmington CC two years ago.

"I figured it would be a once in a lifetime chance," said Slonis.

A number of prominent figures in the Golf Association of Philadelphia qualified for match play, including Brian Gillespie, the 2001 Amateur Champion; Chris Lange of Overbrook GC, a three-time Amateur Champion and reigning Player of the Year; Michael McDermott of Merion GC, a three-time Player of the Year and Michael Tash of Tavistock CC, the 2003 Amateur Champion.

Other past champions in the match play field include Chris Anderson of Wilmington CC (1982-83) and Bill McGuinness of Tavistock CC (1996).

Perhaps the most intriguing story of the tournament comes from Robert Galbreath, Jr. of Huntingdon Valley CC. Galbreath, who turned 14 years old today, carded a 152 total, 9-over-par, and qualified for match play for the first time in three prior tries. He is believed to be the youngest player in Golf Association of Philadelphia to qualify for match play of the Amateur.

"I didn’t come in here with a cocky attitude, but I had a good amount of confidence," said Galbreath of Huntingdon Valley, Pa. "I thought I could make it."

Qualifiers
Name	Club	Rd. 1		Rd. 2		Total
Jamie Slonis	Tavistock Country Club	71	GVC	70	CCC	141
John Sawin	Merion Golf Club	69	CCC	75	GVC	144
Dan Walters	Philadelphia Publinks GA	70	CCC	76	GVC	146
Chris Gallagher	Penn Oaks Golf Club	75	GVC	71	CCC	146
Clint Deibert	Doylestown Country Club	70	CCC	77	GVC	147
Tug Maude	Merion Golf Club	73	CCC	74	GVC	147
Conrad Von Borsig	Concord Country Club	72	GVC	76	CCC	148
Kyle Davis	Inniscrone Golf Club	74	GVC	74	CCC	148
Francis McFadden	Overbrook Golf Club	74	CCC	75	GVC	149
Sean Leonard	Tavistock Country Club	77	CCC	72	GVC	149
Shane Dooley	Spring Ford Country Club	75	CCC	74	GVC	149
Glenn Smeraglio	Yardley Country Club	78	GVC	71	CCC	149
Gui Costin	Merion Golf Club	73	CCC	76	GVC	149
Christopher Gold	Little Mill Country Club	74	GVC	76	CCC	150
Patrick Marshalek	Whitford Country Club	74	GVC	76	CCC	150
Brian Gillespie	St. Davids Golf Club	77	GVC	73	CCC	150
Michael Tash	Tavistock Country Club	79	CCC	71	GVC	150
Douglas Schroer	St. Davids Golf Club	78	GVC	73	CCC	151
Bryant Reyes	Hartefeld National	76	CCC	75	GVC	151
Christopher Lange	Overbrook Golf Club	71	GVC	80	CCC	151
David Liotta	Whitemarsh Valley Country Club	74	CCC	77	GVC	151
Michael Rose	Talamore at Oak Terrace Country Club	74	GVC	77	CCC	151
Chris Anderson	Wilmington Country Club	77	GVC	75	CCC	152
Douglas Zelner	Coatesville Country Club	76	GVC	76	CCC	152
Michael Moffat	Commonwealth National Golf Club	77	CCC	75	GVC	152
Oscar Mestre, Jr.	Overbrook Golf Club	78	GVC	74	CCC	152
Robert Galbreath, Jr.	Huntingdon Valley Country Club	74	CCC	78	GVC	152
Kenneth Matt	Lu Lu Country Club	80	GVC	73	CCC	153
James Kieserman	Talamore at Oak Terrace Country Club	76	GVC	77	CCC	153
Michael McDermott	Merion Golf Club	78	GVC	75	CCC	153
William McGuinness	Tavistock Country Club	76	GVC	77	CCC	153
*Chris Sylvia	Little Mill Country Club	74	CCC	80	GVC	154

Failed to qualify
Brian Owens	Gulph Mills Golf Club	76	GVC	78	CCC	154
Warren Smith	Cavaliers Country Club	73	CCC	81	GVC	154
Billy Mullen	Plymouth Country Club	79	CCC	76	GVC	155
Douglas Cusick	Tavistock Country Club	77	GVC	78	CCC	155
Logan Terry	Plymouth Country Club	79	CCC	76	GVC	155
Scott Storck	Philadelphia Cricket Club	80	CCC	75	GVC	155
Billy McCrossan	White Manor Country Club	78	GVC	77	CCC	155
Christopher Ault	Spring Mill Country Club	76	GVC	79	CCC	155
James Winner	Philadelphia Publinks GA	79	GVC	76	CCC	155
Paul Gagliardi	Cedarbrook Country Club	73	CCC	82	GVC	155
Brian Creghan	Plymouth Country Club	77	GVC	79	CCC	156
Bryan Marvin	Old York Road Country Club	78	CCC	78	GVC	156
John Mullins	Spring Ford Country Club	74	GVC	82	CCC	156
Mario Verticelli	Spring Mill Country Club	77	CCC	79	GVC	156
Robert Arthur	Tavistock Country Club	79	CCC	77	GVC	156
Robert Gill	Fox Hill Country Club	81	CCC	75	GVC	156
Billy Stewart	Llanerch Country Club	78	CCC	78	GVC	156
Byron Whitman	Golden Oaks Golf Club	79	GVC	77	CCC	156
Christian Davis	Glenmaura National Golf Club	80	CCC	76	GVC	156
James Kania, Jr	Overbrook Golf Club	80	GVC	76	CCC	156
John Robinson	Commonwealth National Golf Club	79	GVC	77	CCC	156
Patrick Garrison	Philadelphia Publinks GA	79	CCC	77	GVC	156
Drew Garis	North Hills Country Club	74	CCC	83	GVC	157
Fredrick Taggart	Meadia Heights Golf Club	76	CCC	81	GVC	157
Robert Dziak	Spring Ford Country Club	79	GVC	78	CCC	157
John Michael Pelet	Wyncote Golf Club	78	GVC	79	CCC	157
P. Chet Walsh	Philadelphia Country Club	75	CCC	82	GVC	157
Robin McCool	Saucon Valley Country Club	79	GVC	78	CCC	157
Santo Lafoca	Huntsville Golf Club	80	CCC	77	GVC	157
Sean Clifford	Ashbourne Country Club	81	GVC	76	CCC	157
Tom Borsello	Fieldstone Golf Club	79	CCC	78	GVC	157
Brian Rothaus	Philmont Country Club	75	CCC	83	GVC	158
Chris Kallmeyer	Philadelphia Cricket Club	81	CCC	77	GVC	158
Jeff Huntzinger	North Hills Country Club	84	CCC	74	GVC	158
Mark Kosko	Seaview Marriott Resort	79	GVC	79	CCC	158
Stephen Seiden	Concord Country Club	81	CCC	77	GVC	158
Anthony Apostolico	Hartefeld National	77	CCC	81	GVC	158
Gary Daniels	Applebrook Golf Club	79	GVC	79	CCC	158
Paul Polinsky	Manufacturers Golf & Country Club	77	GVC	81	CCC	158
Rich Thon	The Springhaven Club	78	GVC	80	CCC	158
Anthony Martire	Seaview Marriot Resort & Spa	78	CCC	81	GVC	159
Brandon Detweiler	Lancaster Country Club	81	GVC	78	CCC	159
Dan Pinciotti, Jr.	Huntingdon Valley Country Club	80	GVC	79	CCC	159
James Arsenault	Little Mill Country Club	77	CCC	82	GVC	159
Joe April	Wedgwood Country Club	76	CCC	83	GVC	159
Matt Raudenbush	Pine Valley Golf Club	80	CCC	79	GVC	159
Robert Billings	Rolling Green Golf Club	81	GVC	78	CCC	159
Tyler Glassman	Meadowlands Country Club	80	GVC	79	CCC	159
Roc Irey	Cedarbrook Country Club	78	GVC	81	CCC	159
Sean Seese	Huntingdon Valley Country Club	83	GVC	76	CCC	159
Geoffrey Cooper	Ballamor Golf Club	82	GVC	78	CCC	160
Gerard Ascolese	North Hills Country Club	82	GVC	78	CCC	160
Jim Yenser	Philadelphia Publinks GA	82	CCC	78	GVC	160
Marlin Detweiler	Lancaster Country Club	82	GVC	78	CCC	160
Charles Dowds, III	North Hills Country Club	83	GVC	77	CCC	160
Ron Weaver	Meadia Heights Golf Club	81	CCC	79	GVC	160
James Greenhalgh	Wildwood Golf & Country Club	81	CCC	80	GVC	161
Brian Corbett	Huntsville Golf Club	81	GVC	80	CCC	161
Donald Ashley	Philadelphia Country Club	78	GVC	83	CCC	161
Drew Panebianco	Talamore at Oak Terrace Country Club	82	CCC	80	GVC	162
R. Blake Slawecki	Spring Ford Country Club	77	GVC	85	CCC	162
Scott Elwell	Running Deer Golf Club	80	CCC	82	GVC	162
Steven Walczak	Wilmington Country Club	81	GVC	81	CCC	162
Chris Bevelheimer	Sakima Country Club	84	GVC	79	CCC	163
Stephen Sieracki	Merchantville Country Club	84	CCC	79	GVC	163
Geoff Forcino	Waynesborough Country Club	78	CCC	85	GVC	163
Mike Lebow	Spring Ford Country Club	83	CCC	80	GVC	163
Bill Boyle	Metedeconk National Golf Club	86	CCC	78	GVC	164
Cole Willcox	Philadelphia Country Club	76	CCC	88	GVC	164
Daniel Doyle	Edgmont Country Club	84	CCC	80	GVC	164
David Grossman	Greate Bay Golf Club	82	GVC	82	CCC	164
Thomas DiCinti	Little Mill Country Club	85	GVC	79	CCC	164
Bill Murray	Merchantville Country Club	86	GVC	79	CCC	165
David Hoegel	Little Mill Country Club	79	GVC	86	CCC	165
Leonard Staskiel	Woodbury Country Club	79	GVC	86	CCC	165
Matthew Bellis	Commonwealth National Golf Club	80	CCC	85	GVC	165
Rand Mendez	Fieldstone Golf Club	82	GVC	83	CCC	165
Tom Piersanti	Radley Run Country Club	78	CCC	87	GVC	165
Michael O'Keefe	Little Mill Country Club	80	GVC	86	CCC	166
Perry Landis	Berkleigh Country Club	85	CCC	81	GVC	166
Jack Wallace	Burlington Country Club	82	CCC	85	GVC	167
Thomas Flatley	Merion Golf Club	85	CCC	82	GVC	167
James Finnerty	Radley Run Country Club	83	CCC	85	GVC	168
Vince Yost	Cedarbrook Country Club	82	GVC	87	CCC	169
Joshua Caggiula	Phoenixville Country Club	86	CCC	83	GVC	169
Scott Klee	RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve	86	CCC	85	GVC	171
Mark Bielecki	Whitemarsh Valley Country Club	83	CCC	89	GVC	172
Bryan McClaskey	Merchantville Country Club	89	GVC	86	CCC	175
J Kirk Luntey	Merion Golf Club	81	CCC	94	GVC	175
Larry Silk	Greate Bay Golf Club	81	CCC	NC	GVC	NC
Dan Pickering	Indian Valley Country Club	81	CCC	WD	GVC	WD
Frank Corrado, Jr.	Jericho National Golf Club	86	GVC	WD	CCC	WD
Mark Battista	Philadelphia Publinks GA	83	GVC	WD	CCC	WD
Michael Sanger	Merion Golf Club	85	GVC	WD	CCC	WD
William Bello	Metedeconk National Golf Club	88	CCC	WD	GVC	WD
Thomas Gramigna	Tavistock Country Club	84	GVC	WD	CCC	WD

GVC-Green Valley Country Club
CCC-Cedarbrook Country Club
*-advanced in playoff
WD-withdrawal; NC-no card

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Tavistock CC’s Jamie Slonis tops Amateur Championship Qualifier

Tavistock CC’s Jamie Slonis tops
Amateur Championship Qualifier