121st #PattersonCup: Round One

Barbin, Paczewski share Patterson Cup lead

HAVERTOWN, Pa.–A pair of maturing collegians kept their emotions in check and golf balls on task en route to the top of the 121^st Joseph H. Patterson Cup, presented by Provident Bank, first-round leaderboard. Austin Barbin of Chesapeake Bay Golf Club, a Liberty University fifth-year senior, and Logan Paczewski of Huntsville Golf Club, a Rutgers University sophomore, each posted 5-under-par 66s Wednesday at Llanerch Country Club (par 71, 6,727 yards).

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Both are in search of a first GAP Major title.

Both spoke about the ability to keep an active mind calm and nerves steady as they navigated an unexpectedly windy, and testing, Llanerch in championship conditions. Matt Mattare of Saucon Valley Country Club, a two-time GAP Major winner, and Nelson Hargrove of Merion Golf Club, a former BMW Philadelphia Amateur finalist, are tied for third at 3 under.

Barbin, Paczewski and Mattare start their final round at 9:10 a.m. off of No. 1. Due to expected storms slated to hit the area tomorrow afternoon, tee times will be split between Nos. 1 and 10. Traditionally, all players start on the first hole.

The cut line for the Patterson Cup fell at 3 over with 66 players moving on to Day 2.

Barbin and Paczewski have the physical tools. They are long-hitters with deft touch around the greens. The scorecards tell that part the story. Barbin made eight birdies and three bogeys. Paczewski had seven birdies and two bogeys. Both, though, were happier with their mental approach that produced the physical results.

“My goal today was to be really positive,” said Barbin, 22, of Elkton, Md. “On the first tee, I kind of struggled in the past with having doubts and being negative. Everyone kind of goes through phases like that. So the entire day today, I was trying to be positive. I wanted to have a very positive mentality with the last thought in my head being where do I want the ball to be.”

Add in a renewed confidence with the driver courtesy of a Fujikura Ventus Black 7 shaft, and Barbin’s game is sharp.

He noted he hit only two poor drives: On No. 16 (par 5, 505 yards), when he found the left trees but still made birdie, and on No. 6 (par 4, 420 yards), where he made bogey. Every part of the game was good.

Starting his round on No. 10 (par 4, 446 yards), Barbin lifted a 60-degree wedge from 82 yards to 15 feet for birdie and on No. 13 (par 4, 308 yards), he drove it to 10 yards short of the green and chipped up tight for another bird. A three-putt temporarily derailed Barbin on No. 14 (par 4, 467 yards), before he carded red figures on Nos. 15 (par 4, 321 yard) and 16 (par 5, 505 yards). A bogey on No. 17 (par 3, 155 yards) saw Barbin turn in 3 under.

On the front side, Barbin birdied three of his first five holes: Nos. 2 (par 4, 442 yards), 3 (par 4, 467 yards) and 5 (par 5, 554 yards), all of the tap-in variety. His birdie putt distances: a foot, three feet and a foot.

Barbin bogeyed the aforementioned sixth, but responded on No. 7 (par 4, 386 yards) when he clipped a 60-degree wedge from 85 yards to two feet.

“You know, it’s kind of like I was saying, the mental side again,” said Barbin, 2019 Junior Player of the Year. “I was just thinking about the next shot and trying to hit the best possible shot possible each time.”

Barbin has good vibes at Llanerch.

Last year, Barbin finished sixth in the Pennsylvania Amateur Championship that was held here.

Paczewski, on the other hand, was getting his first look at Llanerch.

“It’s awesome. I love all the character to the course,” said Paczewski, 19, of Dallas, Pa. “A lot of really unique hills and a lot of really great bunkers. The greens are perfect. It’s a great track.”

He made the turn in 2 under courtesy of four birdies and two bogeys before closing with a clean back nine. Paczewski birdied Nos. 12 (par 3, 178 yards), 15 and 17 and registered all pars on the other six holes. On No. 12, he hit a “bullet cut” 6-iron to five feet; on No. 15, he knocked a short chip to three feet and then on No. 17 dripped in a 10-foot birdie after his 9-iron found the green.

Good tempo. Better temperament.

“You got to keep calm out there, level-headed,” said Paczewski. “I’ve done a much better job this summer at that. Especially for me that’s a big part. I can’t get emotional out there because when I get emotional you use all your energy.”

About Provident Bank
Provident Bank, a community-oriented financial institution offering “Commitment you can count on” since 1839, is the wholly owned subsidiary of Provident Financial Services, Inc. (NYSE:PFS), which reported assets of $13.78 billion as of March 31, 2023. With $10.30 billion in deposits, Provident Bank provides a comprehensive suite of financial products and services through its network of branches throughout northern and central New Jersey, as well as Bucks, Lehigh and Northampton counties in Pennsylvania and Nassau and Queens Counties in New York. The Bank also provides fiduciary and wealth management services through its wholly owned subsidiary, Beacon Trust Company and insurance services through its wholly owned subsidiary, Provident Protection Plus, Inc. For more information about Provident Bank, visit www.provident.bank or join the conversations on Facebook (ProvidentBank) and Twitter (@ProvidentBank).

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 100,000 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.