Heatwave Sets up Shootout for Final Round of Open at Cricket

Scorecards

FLOURTOWN, Pa. - Survive and advance was the theme of the day at the Philadelphia Cricket Club in the 105th Philadelphia Amateur, presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods. The goal was to survive the extreme heat and advance to Thursday’s final round. And at the end of the day, 47 players endured and will play tomorrow, led by amateur Jeff Osberg, who shot a 72 on Wednesday and sits at 3-under par total through 36 holes. 

“I thought it played definitely a little more difficult today than yesterday” said Osberg, a PAGA Individual Member. 

The heat index rose to 104 degrees during the afternoon, making an already tough golf course even more difficult. 

“I felt like the biggest difference was just how hot it was,” said Alex Blickle, a professional who shot an even par 70 and is tied for second overall at 1-under par. “You have to really stay present and the heat is trying to take you out of that mindset. This is a course that’s forcing you to stay patient and stay solid.”

For Blickle, the biggest challenge of the heat, was mental, not physical. 

“It’s almost all mental,” said the Reinholds, Pa. resident. “Physically you can do things - grab water, get food, find shade when you can, but yeah, mentally you have to be ready for the fact that it’s going to be hot and miserable.”

After caddying at PCC in 2019, that was a challenge that Blickle was prepared for in his first competition at the club. 

“I knew the course really well from caddying,” Blickle said. “Every time I was caddying, I was thinking ‘I’d be doing this here or playing this hole this way’. 

Meanwhile Osberg, a decorated player in Golf Association of Philadelphia events, is searching for his first win in the Pennsylvania Open. Despite closing with bogeys in three of his last five holes, he exuded positivity after Wednesday’s round. 

“The first 14 holes, I played really, really well,” said Osberg, of Bryn Mawr, Pa. “I hit it great. I had a lot of close birdie looks today, but I just didn’t make any. I just need to get a little better speed on the greens tomorrow and keep hitting it the same way.”

Osberg shot even par on the Wissahickon Course's back nine, which was his first nine of the day. He got to 6-under par overall for the championship with a birdie on No. 2, his 11th hole of the day. But the putter plagued him down the stretch, as he bogeyed No. 5, No. 7 and No. 8. He will attempt to complete the wire-to-wire win on Thursday.

Tied with Blickle for second are amateur Zachary Barbin and professional Trevor Bensel. Playing in the morning wave, Bensel had the day’s best round with a 68 (-2), including six birdies, following up on his round 1 score of 71. Barbin, also playing in the morning, had just two bogeys against three birdies for a 1-under par 69, after shooting even par 70 on Tuesday. Barbin and Blickle, along with Tanner Johnson (rounds of 70-70), are the only golfers to shoot even par or better in both of the first two rounds.

Four golfers are tied for sixth place at 1-over par - professionals Beau Titsworth, Matt Gurska and Bertus Wessels along with amateur Patrick Kelly.

There are 13 players within five shots of the lead. Tee times begin at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday morning, with Osberg, Bensel and Barbin slated to tee off at 10 a.m. 

The Pennsylvania Golf Association would like to thank the staff and membership of Philadelphia Cricket Club for the hospitality shown during the championship. Thanks as well to DICK’S Sporting Goods for sponsorship of the event.