*History | *2009 Results | *Silver Cross Award Standings | *Player of the Year Standings
The Golf Association of Philadelphia brings the 108th Joseph H. Patterson Cup on Aug 12-13 to picturesque RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve.
Defending champion and 2009 William Hyndman, III Player of the Year James Kania, Jr., of Overbrook GC will be the first player to tee off at 7:30 a.m.
“It’s exciting to play with that title,” Kania said proudly.
His 2009 Patterson Cup win marked a bit of history for the Kania family. James, Jr. joined father James, Sr., as the first father-son combination to attain the Association’s stroke play championship, which dates back to 1900. Kania, Sr. won the Patterson Cup in 1995. They also are the first father-son duo to win the Silver Cross Award. James, Sr., won three.
“Being the first one off at 7:30 a.m. is a little exciting, not really any pressure though going into it, if I had a shot at the Silver Cross or Player of the Year it would add a little more pressure, but since I’ve had a little bit of a struggle this summer I’m just going into it (the Patterson Cup) with a laid-back attitude,” said James Kania, Jr.
The defending champion has battled a wrist injury all summer, and said it’s been a bit difficult to practice. But that hasn’t stopped him from placing 12th at the Pennsylvania State Amateur and carding a pair of 72s at the U.S. Amateur Championship qualifying round, competing in a sudden-death playoff for an alternate spot.
Chasing Kania are 137 of the area’s top amateurs.
Looking for his first Patterson Cup win will be Michael Brown of Lookaway GC. Brown recently defeated professional Gregory Farrow of Deerwood CC for the Open Championship title. Brown recently qualified for the U.S. Amateur Championship and took the lead from Tom Gramigna, the Middle-Amateur Champion, in the Player of the Year race. Gramigna will be competing in the Patterson Cup as well.
“I guess it reinforces any confidence that I have. I learned a lot from that tournament (the Open Championship); mostly what I am capable of when I feel pressured,” Brown said. “If I maximize every day, I’ll be prepared.”
The Patterson Cup is the Association’s fourth and final Major of the season.
As previously mentioned, the Patterson Cup will also determine the 2010 Silver Cross Award recipient. The Silver Cross is presented to the player with the lowest aggregate score in the qualifying rounds of the Amateur Championship and the Patterson Cup. Matt Raudenbush of Pine Valley GC, Doug Marcincin of Northampton CC, and Justin Martinson of Hartefeld National are Top 3 in the standings. Raudenbush leads by one stroke.
Michael Hyland of Little Mill CC, Matt Mattare of Saucon Valley CC and Mike Meisenzahl of Hidden Creek GC are all tied for fourth.
The contentious Patterson Cup field includes former Champions Blaise Giroso of Fieldstone GC; Greg O’Connor of Philadelphia Publinks GA; Jamie Slonis of Tavistock CC and Glenn Smeraglio of Mercer Oaks GC. The year’s Pennsylvania State Amateur champion, Cory Siegfried of Philadelphia CC, is also competing.
This is the first GAP Major RiverCrest GC & Preserve has hosted. There are five members from RiverCrest competing.
