Huntingdon Valley CC’s Sullivan repeats
as Middle-Amateur Champion
DALLAS, Pa.–James Sullivan Jr., of Huntingdon Valley CC became the second player in the 14-year history of the state Middle-Amateur Championship to successfully defend his title on Tuesday at Huntsville GC (par 72, 6,919 yards). Sullivan finished at 6-under-par 138 to edge the 89-player field by a stroke. Eric Williams of Honesdale GC birdied his final two holes to place second and Sean Knapp of Longue Vue Club was third.
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finished second. |
The 32-year-old Glenside, Pa., resident entered the final round in a three-way tie atop the leaderboard with Glenn Smeraglio of Yardley CC and P. Chet Walsh of Philadelphia CC at 5-under-par after yesterday’s opening round. A quick early burst on Tuesday helped Sullivan separate himself from the pack but some late struggles combined with a Williams’ strong surge made it a photo finish.
"I was playing well for the first 11 holes and then I got nervous," said Sullivan. "I got wrapped up in thinking about winning and all of that other stuff. I was gasping for air at the end."
Sullivan made the turn in 4-under par, 9-under overall, four shots clear of the field and well in control. He birdied No. 1 (par 5, 497 yards) with a two-putt from 25 feet; No. 3 (par 3, 182 yards) with a 7-iron to six inches; No. 4 (par 4, 353 yards) with an 8-iron from 135 yards to eight feet; and No. 7 (par 4, 410 yards) with a 7-iron from 175 yards to two feet.
A bogey on No. 12 (par 5, 532 yards) preceded a birdie on the next par 5, No. 15 (485 yards), and Sullivan was comfortably in front. Knapp stood at 5-under par after 15 holes and was the closest pursuer.
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this long bunker shot on No. 6 close. |
On No. 18 (par 4, 438 yards), statistically the most difficult of the day, Williams found the fairway bunker and was forced to lay up with his second shot. However, the 35-year-old from Honesdale, Pa., jarred his wedge from 91 yards for birdie and a 5-under finish. Sullivan, too, found the fairway bunker, laid up as well and clipped a nice wedge to three feet. Not knowing what Williams did – Sullivan said he figured he had two shots to play with – he rolled his first putt past by six feet. No harm, no foul, though, and Sullivan made the next for the win.
"My goal was to finish in the top 10 and earn some exemptions for next year," said Williams. "I was blown away when they said I was going to finish second."
NOTES–Next year’s Middle-Amateur Championship is tentatively schedule for Sept. 15-16 at Rolling Green GC in Springfield, Pa.
|
Name, club |
Rd. 1 |
Rd. 2 |
Total |
|
James E Sullivan, Jr., Huntingdon Valley Country Club |
67 |
71 |
138 |
|
Eric W. Williams, Honesdale Golf Club |
69 |
70 |
139 |
|
Sean Knapp, Longue Vue Club |
71 |
69 |
140 |
|
P. Chet Walsh, Philadelphia Country Club |
67 |
74 |
141 |
|
Warren J. Choate, Williamsport Country Club |
71 |
71 |
142 |
|
Glenn Smeraglio, Yardley Country Club |
67 |
76 |
143 |
|
Rich Pruchnik, West Chester Golf & Country Club |
75 |
69 |
144 |
|
James Bohn, Bucknell Golf Club |
70 |
74 |
144 |
|
Christopher Schultz, Schuylkill Country Club |
73 |
73 |
146 |
|
Ed Chylinski, Chester Valley Golf Club |
73 |
74 |
147 |
|
James M. Gardas, Honesdale Golf Club |
74 |
74 |
148 |
|
Ryan J Gelrod, Commonwealth National Golf Club |
74 |
74 |
148 |
|
Frank Fairman, Totteridge Golf Club |
74 |
74 |
148 |
|
James G Rattigan, Schuylkill Country Club |
78 |
70 |
148 |
|
James Kieserman, Talamore at Oak Terrace Country Club |
76 |
72 |
148 |
|
Joseph Weiscarger, Wyoming Valley Country Club |
76 |
73 |
149 |
|
Joe Corsi, Hannastown Golf Club |
75 |
75 |
150 |
|
Heath Davidson, Carlisle Country Club |
79 |
71 |
150 |
|
Edward H. Knoll, Deer Run Golf Club |
75 |
75 |
150 |
|
Todd Vonderheid, Huntsville Golf Club |
80 |
71 |
151 |
|
Craig Kliewer, Meadia Heights Golf Club |
74 |
77 |
151 |
|
Mike Owsik, Plymouth Country Club |
73 |
78 |
151 |
|
Jon Thomas, Pittsburgh Field Club |
78 |
73 |
151 |
|
John Olszewski, Wyoming Valley Country Club |
76 |
76 |
152 |
|
Gregory Ulp, Country Club of Harrisburg |
74 |
78 |
152 |
|
Kenneth Phillips, Lancaster Country Club |
76 |
76 |
152 |
|
Thomas Hyland, Little Mill Country Club |
78 |
74 |
152 |
|
Charles Whalen, Golf Course at Glen Mills |
74 |
79 |
153 |
|
Eric Fonner, Huntingdon Valley Country Club |
75 |
78 |
153 |
|
Anthony F. List, Jr., Philadelphia Publinks GA |
77 |
77 |
154 |
|
Gerard Ascolese, North Hills Country Club |
79 |
75 |
154 |
|
Jeffrey Dyer, Totteridge Golf Club |
82 |
72 |
154 |
|
Brian Corbett, Huntsville Golf Club |
77 |
77 |
154 |
|
Robert Campbell, Lancaster Country Club |
74 |
80 |
154 |
|
Michael Vassil, Country Club of Scranton |
78 |
76 |
154 |
|
Michael Domenick, Phoenixville Country Club |
72 |
83 |
155 |
|
Sam W. Lewis, Huntsville Golf Club |
74 |
81 |
155 |
|
Jeff Frazier, Carlisle Country Club |
81 |
74 |
155 |
|
Scott Klee, White Manor Country Club |
76 |
79 |
155 |
|
Chip Lutz, LedgeRock Golf Club |
75 |
80 |
155 |
|
Stuart Hanford, Lebanon Country Club |
79 |
76 |
155 |
|
Jeff Hudson, Allentown Municipal G C |
78 |
78 |
156 |
|
Charles Scalzott, Talamore at Oak Terrace Country Club |
76 |
80 |
156 |
|
Rich Thon, The Springhaven Club |
78 |
78 |
156 |
|
Dino Volpi, III, Plymouth Country Club |
75 |
82 |
157 |
|
John Sweeney, Lancaster Country Club |
76 |
81 |
157 |
|
John Castleman, Merion Golf Club |
81 |
77 |
158 |
|
Justin Hilgert, Great Bear Country Club |
80 |
78 |
158 |
|
Edward Mesko, Great Bear Golf & Country Club |
78 |
81 |
159 |
|
James Bryan, Latrobe Country Club |
81 |
78 |
159 |
|
Mike Danner, Lu Lu Country Club |
80 |
79 |
159 |
|
Fred Stern, Green Oaks Country Club |
77 |
82 |
159 |
|
Chris G. Esbenshade, Meadia Heights Golf Club |
85 |
75 |
160 |
|
David Blichar, Blue Ridge Country Club |
79 |
81 |
160 |
|
John W. Robinson, Commonwealth National Golf Club |
77 |
83 |
160 |
|
Jeffrey J. Wuerstle, Indian Valley Country Club |
79 |
81 |
160 |
|
Jim Simmons, Stonewall |
80 |
80 |
160 |
|
Bryan Winsko, Philadelphia Cricket Club |
81 |
80 |
161 |
|
Santo Lafoca, Huntsville Golf Club |
85 |
77 |
162 |
|
Phil Over, Penn Oaks Golf Club |
78 |
84 |
162 |
|
Jeff Ranck, Huntsville Golf Club |
84 |
79 |
163 |
|
Robert W Fritz, PGA Individual Member |
81 |
82 |
163 |
|
Nate Reck, PGA Individual Member |
82 |
81 |
163 |
|
Shane Gunning, Silver Creek Country Club |
77 |
86 |
163 |
|
Jason Barkley, Huntsville Golf Club |
82 |
81 |
163 |
|
Jeff Ernst, Carlisle Country Club |
83 |
80 |
163 |
|
Jeffrey Prickitt, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club |
80 |
84 |
164 |
|
Marc Mandel, White Manor Country Club |
85 |
80 |
165 |
|
Jeffrey B. Huntzinger, North Hills Country Club |
85 |
80 |
165 |
|
Brian Brown, Totteridge Golf Club |
82 |
83 |
165 |
|
Drew Panebianco, Talamore at Oak Terrace Country Club |
83 |
83 |
166 |
|
Christopher Sturgell, Applebrook Golf Club |
79 |
87 |
166 |
|
Pete Tarutis, Wyoming Valley Country Club |
85 |
81 |
166 |
|
Jay R. Stoner, Deer Run Golf Club |
89 |
78 |
167 |
|
Mark Answini, Fox Hill Country Club |
87 |
81 |
168 |
|
Tom Wasilewski, Wyoming Valley Country Club |
81 |
87 |
168 |
|
Phil D'Amato, Deer Run Golf Club |
82 |
88 |
170 |
|
Michael DiGiandomenico, Philadelphia Publinks GA |
83 |
88 |
171 |
|
Chuck Britton, Dauphin Highlands Golf Course |
90 |
81 |
171 |
|
Rick Scott, West Shore Country Club |
83 |
88 |
171 |
|
Philip Petroll, Penn Oaks Golf Club |
83 |
89 |
172 |
|
John Donnelly, Concord Country Club |
80 |
92 |
172 |
|
Lynn Kilduff, Huntsville Golf Club |
87 |
85 |
172 |
|
Maurice Ferentino, Sewickley Heights Golf Club |
88 |
85 |
173 |
|
Drew Mamary, Wyoming Valley Country Club |
85 |
88 |
173 |
|
Keith Kopec, Wyoming Valley Country Club |
81 |
93 |
174 |
|
Donny Wessner, Golden Oaks Golf Club |
96 |
79 |
175 |
|
Stephen Tabone, The ACE Club |
91 |
86 |
177 |
|
Mark Fisher, Pleasant Valley Golf Club |
92 |
86 |
178 |
|
John Zavada, Elkview Country Club |
86 |
WD |
WD |
|
Jeffrey Brunn, Berwick Golf Club |
78 |
WD |
WD |
|
Art Brunn, Jr., Berwick Golf Club |
79 |
WD |
WD |
|
Tom Piersanti, Applebrook Golf Club |
82 |
WD |
WD |
|
WD-withdrawal |
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