120th GAP Open: Round One

Nolan, Rusk grab Open first-round lead

MALVERN, Pa. – Amateurs Darren Nolan and Jon Rusk are 25 years apart, yet they are searching for the same answer. A positive sign from the golfing gods about their games.

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The first round of the 120^th Open Championship provided that optimism. Coping with extreme heat upward of 96 degrees at a smothering, yet, at times, windy Applebrook Golf Club (par 70, 6,776 yards), Nolan and Rusk each finished with 4-under 66s.

The leaderboard is compact.

Defending champion Braden Shattuck, Rolling Green Golf Club’s Director of Instruction, and amateur Jackson Debusschere of DuPont Country Club are tied for third at 3 under. Shattuck is looking to be the first repeat winner since amateur Andrew Mason in 2011-12.

Amateurs hold nine of the top 12 leaderboard slots.

Eight players are tied at 2 under, including Cedarbrook assistant professional Andrew Cornish and Philadelphia Cricket Club St. Martins head professional Danny Lewis.

The purse for the Philadelphia Open is $40,000 with the low pro earning $8,000.

A total of 18 players are under par.

The cut line fell at 3 over with 70 players advancing to Day 2.

The final round begins at 7 a.m. The leaders start at 8:50 a.m. GAP will utilize a two-tee start.

Nolan and Rusk, who both reside in Glenside, Pa., each started on the backside and carded identical nines of 32-34.

Nolan teed off 20 minutes before Rusk. He made four birdies and a bogey on his outward nine. Nolan opened with a tap-in birdie on No. 10 (par 5, 532 yards) and wrapped up that side with another kick-in on No. 18 (par 4, 470 yards). He used the closing hole back stop to perfection when his 7-iron from 165 yards trundled back to a foot.

Theme alert.

On No. 3 (par 4, 309 yards), he stopped a 54-degree wedge from 90 yards, yes, you guessed, a foot.

He made an 18-footer for a red circle three on No. 4 (par 4, 440 yards) before missing the green right on No. 5 (par 3, 177 yards) for bogey.

The Temple University rising junior cited a recent equipment switch as a gamechanger.

“The new clubs,” said Nolan, 20, of his surprising strong start. “My old irons, they would spin away too much and get way up into the wind. I’ve always been a good driver of the ball but I’ve struggled with my irons, especially my short irons (9-iron to 7-iron) and hitting them closer to the hole. I’ve found the groove with these new irons, and it feels great.”

He also switched to Titleist Vokey Design SM10 wedges.

Nolan said it was his first equipment switch since freshman year of high school.

Rusk, 45, has had his eyes on this prize, as well as the upcoming Pennsylvania Golf Association Amateur Championship at Huntingdon Valley Country Club July 29-31.

The once Buy.com Tour, now called Korn Ferry Tour, veteran returned to amateur golf in 2019.

He’s slowly seen his game return to a championship level.

In 2022, he made the semifinals of the BMW Philadelphia Amateur. Earlier this year, he tied for second in the Middle-Amateur Championship presented by NJM Insurance Group and made match play in the BMW Philadelphia Amateur.

Rusk kept a clean card going out, highlighted by three birdies. His best swing of the outward nine coming on No. 17 (par 3, 179 yards). He drilled a 6-iron to two feet.

Heading home, Rusk had a bogey hiccup with a three putt from 30 feet on No. 6 (par 4, 414 yards) to drop a stroke, before finishing with a flurry. He doubled-down with birdies on Nos. 8 (par 5, 579 yards) and 9 (par 3, 149 yards). Rusk made a 15-foot sand save on No. 8 and trickled in a 30-footer on No. 9 while just trying to guide it inside the circle of friendship.

“I’m 45 and I’ve made the decision to really work on my game for the next two years,” said Rusk. “I only have a couple years of competitive golf left. I got in the gym and lost 10 to 15 pounds. I put the time in this spring. I’m focused on golf and that’s what I’m doing.

“I can put two rounds together if my body is fine and I don’t act like a kid out there. I’ll be fine. Since July 1, I’ve been working hard on my game. I’m putting in a minimum of an hour each day.”

Rusk is set to be on vacation in Wildwood, N.J. this week.

He’s hoping to drive south tomorrow with a trophy in hand.

“Hopefully the kids can say daddy finally won something,” said a joking Rusk.

GAP
Celebrating Amateur Golf since 1897, GAP, also known as the Golf Association of Philadelphia, is the oldest regional or state golf association in the United States. It serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. The organization’s 340 Member Clubs and 110,000 individual members are spread across Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland. The GAP’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.