WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Brett McGrath’s game always needed to be sharp. If it wasn’t, he’d never hear the end of it.
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McGrath, one of five McGrath siblings, never wanted to lose to any of them in any sport, let alone golf. He was always working to beat his older brothers, Liam and Conor, the 2021 BMW Philadelphia Amateur champion.
“Our family started out in hockey, not golf, which is funny,” McGrath said. “It wasn’t until Liam wanted to start playing golf that everyone switched their focus also.”
McGrath fired an opening round of even-par 70 Wednesday at Concord Country Club (par 70, 6,845 yards) in the first round of the 122nd Joseph H. Patterson Cup presented by Provident Bank. He sits in a tie for 13th.
“I haven’t been playing well at all this summer,” McGrath, 21, of Huntingdon Valley, Pa., said. “I was happy to play well at the LuLu Country Club qualifier to get into this championship. My putting has been causing a lot of my problems this year. I struggled a lot with the speed. Today I felt like I was able to get the speed of the greens down.”
McGrath’s GAP success started in 2016 when he captured the Junior-Junior Boys’ Championship at Moorestown Field Club. He is eyeing his best finish in a GAP Major.
Brett spent time this year caddying for Conor, who is now a professional with conditional status on PGA TOUR Americas.
“The goal for all of us in the McGrath household was how do we beat Conor,” McGrath, of Huntingdon Valley Country Club, said. “We’re still trying. My whole life I have been trying to make sure my game is good because I don’t want to lose to those guys. Having that competition has really helped me in not just golf but hockey as well. We are just trying to play every sport 100 percent each time and as hard as we can.
“Caddying for Conor has taught me that the professional ranks are a much different game. Those guys are doing it for a living. They have devoted their lives to chasing that dream. Each guy can hit any shot they want at any time. It is pretty cool to watch.”
McGrath’s round at Concord was steady. Two birdies, two bogeys and 14 pars highlighted by a roped 4-iron from 203 yards to three feet on No. 7 (par 4, 458 yards) and a 5-iron on No. 11 (par 3, 190 yards) to 15 feet.
McGrath’s entering his final year at Temple University as a member of the golf team. His junior year left a lot to be desired. He played in only three events and had a scoring average of 78. Both Liam and Conor played golf at Temple.
“I am just focused on trying to play the best possible golf I can,” McGrath said. “This is my last year at Temple and I want to contribute to the team and play in as many events as I can. Being on the team has taught me how to strengthen my work ethic especially with class, lifting and practice. I want to end strong.”
Thirty-six holes separate McGrath from closing his summer with a bang. He said it will take a lot to win, but he’s prepared for the challenge.
“Getting enough rest is important for me when you have a 36-hole day staring you in the face,” McGrath said. “I want to play the same way that I did today, but just with a few more birdies. Playing well tomorrow is about being smart off the tee and putting myself in a good position to attack.”
After 54 holes, Huntingdon Valley’s Patrick Isztwan holds a three-shot lead over Austin Barbin of Chesapeake Bay Golf Club. Isztwan and Barbin both carded rounds of 68 in the first round.
New in 2024, the Patterson Cup was extended to 54 holes to be listed as an official World Amateur Golf Ranking event and eligible for points, extending the Silver Cross to 90 holes instead of 72 holes. If Isztwan holds on, it would be Huntingdon Valley’s 24th Silver Cross.
The Silver Cross Award is emblematic of the stroke-play qualifying rounds of the BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship and Joseph H. Patterson Cup.
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 345 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.
Provident Bank
Founded in Jersey City in 1839, Provident Bank is the oldest community-focused financial institution based in New Jersey and is the wholly owned subsidiary of Provident Financial Services, Inc. (NYSE:PFS). With assets of $24.08 billion as of June 30, 2024, Provident Bank offers a wide range of customized financial solutions for businesses and consumers with an exceptional customer experience delivered through its convenient network of 140 branches across New Jersey and parts of New York and Pennsylvania, via mobile and online banking, and from its customer contact center. 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. To learn more about Provident Bank, go to www.provident.bank or call our customer contact center at 800-448-7768.
