|
 |
| Larry Benedetto won his first solo GAP title Monday. |
Concord's Benedetto claims 13th Marston Cup title at Fieldstone
GREENVILLE, Del. - Playing in the morning wave, Larry Benedetto didn’t need to worry much about the highly-anticipated partial eclipse that illuminated the Philadelphia region. He was focused on putting on a show of his own instead at Fieldstone Golf Club (par 71, 6,373 yards).
| Scorecards |
History |
Benedetto, a Concord Country Club member, fired a 3-under 68 to win the 13th Marston Cup. He bettered a talented field of 108 players for his first individual Golf Association of Philadelphia title.
Beginning his day on Fieldstone’s second nine, Benedetto started shaky. Two bogeys arrived early on Nos. 10 (par 5, 555 yards) and 11 (par 4, 275 yards) in result of “just not hitting smart golf shots or executing.” Still, he didn’t waver.
Four straight pars righted his game before the first red number was jotted down on the par-3, 105-yard 16th. There, Benedetto utilized a cut down gap wedge off the tee leading to a five-foot conversion.
On the 18th (par 5, 520 yards), the champ crushed a driver, but his second shot left him on a downslope 75 yards out. He’d go on to pure a wedge from the challenging lie and landed his third shot just a foot away from the cup. Benedetto tapped in for 4 to get back to even par at the turn.
“I was in a good spot with my mindset. I kept telling myself to just keep hitting greens,” said Benedetto, 48, of West Chester, Pa. “I knew at some point I’d start making some putts, as I was scraping edges all day, even on my par putts.”
The front nine, which Benedetto called “the trickier of the two”, has been one where the 48-year-old has always implemented his 4-iron on most tees. Having played this track in multiple tournaments and Member-Guest competitions through the years, he’s found that’s his best chance of going low. Sticking to that game plan paid dividends yet again Monday. Benedetto carded five birdies on his final nine holes en route to the hardware, including three straight to finish.
“My 4-iron is the club I know I can hit safely, and it’s going to go where I want it to go. If I need a 200-yard shot, and that works, it’s what I’m going to hit,” he said.
Benedetto’s sizzling finish started with a 3 on No. 7 (par 4, 340 yards) after 5-wood left him sitting pretty, just 104 yards out. His wedge approach to 25 feet wasn’t ideal, but his attempt on the green was. Benedetto sat 1 under with two to play.
“I really just wanted to par out from there,” he said.
He chose 6-iron No. 8 (par 3, 175 yards), which proved to be the right call. Benedetto drained the six-foot look for birdie there before moving on to his finishing hole, No. 9 (par 4, 420 yards), a hole that has proved to be a thorn in his side in the past.
“It’s always been a quirky look for me with the dropoff on the right. Always a challenge,” he said. “But luckily I was able to tame it today.”
Benedetto drove it down the left side off the tee, then “dead-handed an 8-iron” to just six feet of the flagstick. The birdie attempt hit nothing but the bottom of the cup.
“I’ve shot low here before, but 68 is a great number,” he said.
Alongside Jeff DellaFranco, Conrad Von Borsig & David Woods, who were all Concord clubmates at the time, Benedetto took home the 2009 Four-Man Team title at Whitford Country Club. Today marked the first time he stood in the GAP winner’s circle solo.
“This is a sweet one for me, for sure,” he said.
While waiting for the rest of the field to finish, Benedetto surveyed the scoreboard and pointed out the talented field competing. A win among such talent made it even more special for him.
“It’s a very above-average field. Looking up at some of these names like [Michael R. Brown, Jr.], P. Chet Walsh and Brian Gillespie really make it fun to come out here and compete,” he said. “The exemptions [into GAP Majors] are pretty crazy, too.”
At the end of the day, Benedetto couldn’t escape all eclipse talk. He was prompted before leaving about his scientific predictions.
“Hey, at least I didn’t burn my eyes out here today,” said the champion.
The Marston Cup honors Max Marston. For four months in the summer of 1923, Marston was America’s best amateur golfer. Between mid-May and mid-September, Marston was virtually unstoppable through a series of club, state, national and international events.
It began with the Walker Cup Matches, where Marston won two matches as the Americans successfully retained the Cup. Marston returned home to capture the Patterson Cup and Amateur Championship in successive weeks and, in doing so, earned the Silver Cross Award. In July, he took the Pennsylvania Amateur title and finished as low amateur in the Golf Association of Philadelphia Open. In September, Marston traveled to Floosmoor Country Club outside Chicago, Ill. for the U.S. Amateur. He rallied in the second round to defeat tournament favorite Bob Jones, 2&1, before knocking off Francis Ouimet in the semifinals. He stopped defending champion Jess Sweetser in the final on the 38th hole. In that four month span, he also captured the Merion Cricket Club championship and Pine Valley Golf Club’s Crump Cup.
The tournament is limited to players 40 to 54 years of age with a 10.0 handicap index or lower.
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.
|
Overall
|
|
Name,
club
|
Score
|
|
Larry
Benedetto, Concord Country Club
|
68
|
|
Robert
Bechtold, Fieldstone Golf Club
|
70
|
|
Clark
Holle, Mercer Oaks Golf Course
|
70
|
|
Steve
Oh, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
71
|
|
Michael
Boden, Aronimink Golf Club
|
71
|
|
Jamie
Slonis, Tavistock Country Club
|
71
|
|
Andrew
Strock, Makefield Highlands
Golf Club
|
72
|
|
Peter
Williamson, Manufacturers’ Golf & Country Club
|
73
|
|
Michael
R. Brown, Jr., Lu Lu Country Club
|
73
|
|
Patrick
Dougherty, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
74
|
|
Michael
Minter, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
|
74
|
|
Keith
Matt, Talamore Country Club
|
74
|
|
Mark
Wachter, DuPont Country Club
|
75
|
|
Kenneth
Matt, Talamore Country Club
|
75
|
|
Jeff
Moffat, Lu Lu Country Club
|
75
|
|
Kevin
Koch, Spring Ford Country Club
|
75
|
|
Ryan
Gelrod, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
75
|
|
Michael
Moffat, Lu Lu Country Club
|
76
|
|
Kevin
McDermott, Llanerch Country Club
|
76
|
|
Brian
Gillespie, St. Davids Golf Club
|
76
|
|
Jon
Thomas, White Clay Creek Country Club
|
76
|
|
Jesse
Brookreson, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
|
77
|
|
Peter
Moran, Whitford Country Club
|
77
|
|
Kevin
Kelly, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
77
|
|
John
Cyb, Makefield Highlands
Golf Club
|
77
|
|
Blake
Slawecki, Bellewood Country
Club
|
77
|
|
Tim
Westfall, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
|
77
|
|
Philip
Damico, McCall Golf & Country Club
|
77
|
|
Craig
Boyk, Five Ponds Golf Club
|
77
|
|
George
Petrellis, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
77
|
|
Geoffrey
Cooper, North Hills Country Club
|
77
|
|
James
Gillespie, Little Mill Country Club
|
77
|
|
Robert
Dziak, Bellewood Country
Club
|
77
|
|
Todd
Vonderheid, Huntsville Golf Club
|
77
|
|
Mark
Czerniakowski, Lu Lu Country
Club
|
78
|
|
Dan
Agoglia, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
78
|
|
Jason
Barkley, Moselem Springs Golf Club
|
78
|
|
Patrick
Conroy, Llanerch Country Club
|
78
|
|
Vincent
Varvolis, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
78
|
|
Eric
Asel, Loch Nairn Golf
Club
|
78
|
|
Kevin
Turner, Radnor Valley Country Club
|
79
|
|
Kevin
McBride, Lancaster Country Club
|
79
|
|
Shawn
Burns, The ACE Club
|
79
|
|
George
Audi, LedgeRock Golf Club
|
79
|
|
Michael
Beran, RiverCrest Golf
Club & Preserve
|
79
|
|
Sean
Torpey, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Rich
Pruchnik, Coatesville Country Club
|
80
|
|
Ed
Brown, Wild Quail Golf & Country Club
|
80
|
|
Greg
Blackburn, Honeybrook Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Matthew
Hilbush, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Matt
Brainard, Loch Nairn Golf Club
|
80
|
|
David
LaRosa, Cedarbrook Country Club
|
80
|
|
Edwin
Diaz, Loch Nairn Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Owen
Brown, Coatesville Country Club
|
81
|
|
Patrick
Phillips, Spring Ford Country Club
|
81
|
|
Ronald
Jamarowicz, White Clay Creek Country Club
|
81
|
|
Andrew
Dietz, Laurel Creek Country Club
|
81
|
|
Mark
Hodgson, Medford Village Country Club
|
81
|
|
Chris
Kallmeyer, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
81
|
|
Bill
Barrick, Moselem Springs Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Dino
Stathis, Metedeconk National
Golf Club
|
82
|
|
Peter
Pendergast, Berkshire Country Club
|
82
|
|
John
Mullins, Bellewood Country Club
|
82
|
|
Jules
Quinones, Blue Bell Country Club
|
82
|
|
Gareth
Clark, White Clay Creek Country Club
|
83
|
|
Dave
Pearl, White Clay Creek Country Club
|
83
|
|
P. Chet Walsh, Philadelphia Country Club
|
83
|
|
William
Keane, Jr., Philadelphia Country Club
|
83
|
|
Harry
Lore, Little Mill Country Club
|
83
|
|
Johan
van Schalkwyk, Tavistock Country
Club
|
84
|
|
Michael
Decker, Mercer Oaks Golf Course
|
84
|
|
Martin
Rosica, Riverton Country Club
|
84
|
|
Brian
Degnan, Cobbs Creek Golf Club
|
84
|
|
Brian
Fisher, Phoenixville Country Club
|
84
|
|
Jian
Zhang, Inniscrone Golf Club
|
84
|
|
Greg
O'Connor, Bellewood Country Club
|
84
|
|
Robert
Schulze, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
84
|
|
Phil
Over, Penn Oaks Golf Club
|
84
|
|
Jeff
Newman, Little Mill Country Club
|
85
|
|
Jim
Muehlbronner, Sandy Run Country Club
|
85
|
|
Robert
Loftus, Overbrook Golf Club
|
85
|
|
John
Gosselin, Aronimink Golf Club
|
85
|
|
Joe
Kerrigan, Jr., Llanerch Country Club
|
85
|
|
Andy
Vitella, Manufacturers’ Golf & Country
Club
|
86
|
|
Christian
Flowers, Hershey's Mill Golf Club
|
87
|
|
David
Heaney, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
87
|
|
Jim
Fisher, Hartefeld National
|
87
|
|
Bob
Dick, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
88
|
|
David
Liotta, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
|
88
|
|
Chris
Caba, RiverCrest Golf
Club & Preserve
|
89
|
|
Daniel
Brooks, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
89
|
|
John
VanDame, Jr., Talamore Country
Club
|
90
|
|
David
Maddock, Glen Oak Country Club
|
90
|
|
Fran
Migliocco, DuPont Country Club
|
91
|
|
Scott
Micale, Coatesville Country Club
|
91
|
|
Nicholas
Angiulo, Deerwood Country Club
|
91
|
|
Thomas
Meehan, Old York Road Country Club
|
92
|
|
Roger
Smith, Phoenixville Country Club
|
92
|
|
Alex
Wisniewski, White Clay Creek Country Club
|
93
|
|
Chad
Collingwood, Spring Ford Country Club
|
94
|
|
Steve
Poorman, Inniscrone Golf
Club
|
94
|
|
Bryan
McClaskey, Merchantville Country Club
|
94
|
|
Orest Marschalok, Loch Nairn Golf Club
|
95
|
|
R.
John Burnes, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
95
|
|
Daniel
Kilpatrick, Medford Village Country Club
|
96
|
|
Chris
Cunningham, Inniscrone Golf Club
|
99
|
|
Chuck
Green, Trump National Golf Club - Philadelphia
|
104
|
|
Matthew
Brennan, Sr., Rolling Green Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
Thomas
Gramigna, Tavistock Country Club
|
WD
|
|
Paul
Liebezeit, Aronimink Golf
Club
|
WD
|
|
James
Kaiser, Tavistock Country Club
|
WD
|
|
Jonathan
Shevlin, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
WD
|
|
Sean
Coyle, Llanerch Country Club
|
WD
|
|
John
Barry, Lancaster Country Club
|
WD
|
|
Brian
DiStefano, Loch Nairn Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
Jairam Persaud,
Mercer Oaks Golf Course
|
NS
|
|
Thorne
Ranieri, Rolling Green Golf Club
|
DQ
|
| |
|
First
Flight
|
|
Name,
club
|
Score
|
|
Larry
Benedetto, Concord Country Club
|
68
|
|
Robert
Bechtold, Fieldstone Golf Club
|
70
|
|
Clark
Holle, Mercer Oaks Golf Course
|
70
|
|
Steve
Oh, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
71
|
|
Jamie
Slonis, Tavistock Country Club
|
71
|
|
Andrew
Strock, Makefield Highlands
Golf Club
|
72
|
|
Peter
Williamson, Manufacturers’ Golf & Country Club
|
73
|
|
Michael
R. Brown, Jr., Lu Lu Country Club
|
73
|
|
Patrick
Dougherty, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
74
|
|
Michael
Minter, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
|
74
|
|
Keith
Matt, Talamore Country Club
|
74
|
|
Mark
Wachter, DuPont Country Club
|
75
|
|
Kenneth
Matt, Talamore Country Club
|
75
|
|
Ryan
Gelrod, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
75
|
|
Michael
Moffat, Lu Lu Country Club
|
76
|
|
Kevin
McDermott, Llanerch Country Club
|
76
|
|
Brian
Gillespie, St. Davids Golf Club
|
76
|
|
Peter
Moran, Whitford Country Club
|
77
|
|
Kevin
Kelly, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
77
|
|
John
Cyb, Makefield Highlands
Golf Club
|
77
|
|
Tim
Westfall, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
|
77
|
|
Craig
Boyk, Five Ponds Golf Club
|
77
|
|
George
Petrellis, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
77
|
|
Geoffrey
Cooper, North Hills Country Club
|
77
|
|
James
Gillespie, Little Mill Country Club
|
77
|
|
Robert
Dziak, Bellewood Country
Club
|
77
|
|
Todd
Vonderheid, Huntsville Golf Club
|
77
|
|
Mark
Czerniakowski, Lu Lu Country
Club
|
78
|
|
Jason
Barkley, Moselem Springs Golf Club
|
78
|
|
Vincent
Varvolis, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
78
|
|
Eric
Asel, Loch Nairn Golf
Club
|
78
|
|
Kevin
Turner, Radnor Valley Country Club
|
79
|
|
George
Audi, LedgeRock Golf Club
|
79
|
|
Michael
Beran, RiverCrest Golf
Club & Preserve
|
79
|
|
Sean
Torpey, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Rich
Pruchnik, Coatesville Country Club
|
80
|
|
Ed
Brown, Wild Quail Golf & Country Club
|
80
|
|
Greg
Blackburn, Honeybrook Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Matt
Brainard, Loch Nairn Golf Club
|
80
|
|
David
LaRosa, Cedarbrook Country Club
|
80
|
|
Owen
Brown, Coatesville Country Club
|
81
|
|
Andrew
Dietz, Laurel Creek Country Club
|
81
|
|
Chris
Kallmeyer, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
81
|
|
Peter
Pendergast, Berkshire Country Club
|
82
|
|
P. Chet Walsh, Philadelphia Country Club
|
83
|
|
Johan
van Schalkwyk, Tavistock Country
Club
|
84
|
|
Greg
O'Connor, Bellewood Country Club
|
84
|
|
Robert
Loftus, Overbrook Golf Club
|
85
|
|
John
Gosselin, Aronimink Golf Club
|
85
|
|
Joe
Kerrigan, Jr., Llanerch Country Club
|
85
|
|
Jim
Fisher, Hartefeld National
|
87
|
|
David
Liotta, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
|
88
|
|
David
Maddock, Glen Oak Country Club
|
90
|
|
Thomas
Gramigna, Tavistock Country Club
|
WD
|
|
Paul
Liebezeit, Aronimink Golf
Club
|
WD
|
|
James
Kaiser, Tavistock Country Club
|
WD
|
|
Jonathan
Shevlin, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
WD
|
|
Sean
Coyle, Llanerch Country Club
|
WD
|
|
John
Barry, Lancaster Country Club
|
WD
|
| |
|
Second
Flight
|
|
Name,
club
|
Score
|
|
Michael
Boden, Aronimink Golf Club
|
71
|
|
Jeff
Moffat, Lu Lu Country Club
|
75
|
|
Kevin
Koch, Spring Ford Country Club
|
75
|
|
Jon
Thomas, White Clay Creek Country Club
|
76
|
|
Jesse
Brookreson, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
|
77
|
|
Blake
Slawecki, Bellewood Country
Club
|
77
|
|
Philip
Damico, McCall Golf & Country Club
|
77
|
|
Dan
Agoglia, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
78
|
|
Patrick
Conroy, Llanerch Country Club
|
78
|
|
Kevin
McBride, Lancaster Country Club
|
79
|
|
Shawn
Burns, The ACE Club
|
79
|
|
Matthew
Hilbush, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
80
|
|
Edwin
Diaz, Loch Nairn Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Patrick
Phillips, Spring Ford Country Club
|
81
|
|
Ronald
Jamarowicz, White Clay Creek Country Club
|
81
|
|
Mark
Hodgson, Medford Village Country Club
|
81
|
|
Bill
Barrick, Moselem Springs Golf Club
|
81
|
|
Dino
Stathis, Metedeconk National
Golf Club
|
82
|
|
John
Mullins, Bellewood Country Club
|
82
|
|
Jules
Quinones, Blue Bell Country Club
|
82
|
|
Gareth
Clark, White Clay Creek Country Club
|
83
|
|
Dave
Pearl, White Clay Creek Country Club
|
83
|
|
William
Keane, Jr., Philadelphia Country Club
|
83
|
|
Harry
Lore, Little Mill Country Club
|
83
|
|
Michael
Decker, Mercer Oaks Golf Course
|
84
|
|
Martin
Rosica, Riverton Country Club
|
84
|
|
Brian
Degnan, Cobbs Creek Golf Club
|
84
|
|
Brian
Fisher, Phoenixville Country Club
|
84
|
|
Jian
Zhang, Inniscrone Golf Club
|
84
|
|
Robert
Schulze, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
84
|
|
Phil
Over, Penn Oaks Golf Club
|
84
|
|
Jeff
Newman, Little Mill Country Club
|
85
|
|
Jim
Muehlbronner, Sandy Run Country Club
|
85
|
|
Andy
Vitella, Manufacturers’ Golf & Country
Club
|
86
|
|
Christian
Flowers, Hershey's Mill Golf Club
|
87
|
|
David
Heaney, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
87
|
|
Bob
Dick, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
88
|
|
Chris
Caba, RiverCrest Golf
Club & Preserve
|
89
|
|
Daniel
Brooks, Commonwealth National Golf Club
|
89
|
|
John
VanDame, Jr., Talamore Country
Club
|
90
|
|
Fran
Migliocco, DuPont Country Club
|
91
|
|
Scott
Micale, Coatesville Country Club
|
91
|
|
Nicholas
Angiulo, Deerwood Country Club
|
91
|
|
Thomas
Meehan, Old York Road Country Club
|
92
|
|
Roger
Smith, Phoenixville Country Club
|
92
|
|
Alex
Wisniewski, White Clay Creek Country Club
|
93
|
|
Chad
Collingwood, Spring Ford Country Club
|
94
|
|
Steve
Poorman, Inniscrone Golf
Club
|
94
|
|
Bryan
McClaskey, Merchantville Country Club
|
94
|
|
Orest Marschalok, Loch Nairn Golf Club
|
95
|
|
R.
John Burnes, Philadelphia Cricket Club
|
95
|
|
Daniel
Kilpatrick, Medford Village Country Club
|
96
|
|
Chris
Cunningham, Inniscrone Golf Club
|
99
|
|
Chuck
Green, Trump National Golf Club - Philadelphia
|
104
|
|
Matthew
Brennan, Sr., Rolling Green Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
Brian
DiStefano, Loch Nairn Golf Club
|
WD
|
|
Jairam Persaud,
Mercer Oaks Golf Course
|
NS
|
|
Thorne
Ranieri, Rolling Green Golf Club
|
DQ
|
| |
|
DQ-disqualification;
NS-no show; WD-withdrawal
|
|
