PAOLI, Pa. – Will Johnson figured it was time to step up into the GAP Major Leagues.
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After playing in GAP Junior events, Johnson signed up for Joseph H. Patterson Cup Qualifying at Burlington Country Club.
Johnson shot 73 and made the cut on the number, securing his first appearance in a GAP Major.
“I’ve been playing in GAP’s junior events the last couple years and knew how cool it would be to qualify for one of these,” Johnson, 15, of Berwyn, Pa., said. “I wanted to qualify and see how I would do at a young age.”
Johnson, who’s caddied at Waynesborough Country Club for the past two years, fired a round of even-par 71 to make his first GAP Major cut Wednesday at Waynesborough (par 71, 7,051 yards) in the 123rd Joseph H. Patterson Cup presented by Provident Bank.
“I’ve felt like I have been on a good run of golf lately,” Johnson said. “The first round was a bit of a grind. I got myself in a few bad spots but recovered well. My driver was pretty consistent. I was in the fairway a good amount off the tee which makes it a little easier to hit the ball in the right parts of the green.”
Johnson started on the second nine and made the turn in 2 under. He excavated a 9-iron from 162 yards to 12 feet on No. 13 (par 4, 435 yards). A clippy pitch from 50 yards on No. 15 (par 5, 554 yards) added his second red figure. He chipped in on No. 18 (par 5, 580 yards) from over the green. A spot of bother turned into a gold coin.
“The golf course is open and pretty forgiving off the tee,” Johnson said. “You can miss it in spots and still have opportunities. I like the quick greens because I feel it helps me with my putting. The bunkers are firm, which I enjoy. Waynesborough suits my game pretty well.”
His 2 over front nine left a little to be desired but Johnson accomplished his lone goal of making the cut.
“I wasn’t nervous at all,” Johnson said. “I just had an open mind coming into the tournament. I have plenty of years to keep playing in these. I wanted to put down a score to be confident in and proud about.”
Johnson found the game in the most unlikely of places. He learned how to play down under.
“I lived in Australia for six years,” Johnson, a rising sophomore at Conestoga High School, said. “That is what got me into golf. I learned the style of golf down there and playing in those conditions helps me adapt to the different courses I play. It gives me more experience with how to play different shots around the greens.
“The whole vibe in Australia is really relaxed. The weather is nice and it is an active environment. The people there just want to be outside and engage in life that way. I loved that.”
Johnson said he is looking forward to Thursday’s 36-hole finisher. While he may not have the experience as the other grizzled GAP veterans, he said he is eager for the opportunity.
“Thirty-six-hole days are all about keeping your composure,” Johnson said. “Patience is important. On long days you need to stay hydrated and not waste energy worrying about bad shots.”
Fatigue and a long road trip didn’t stop Jack Homer on Wednesday from making the cut in the 123rd Joseph H. Patterson Cup presented by Provident Bank at Waynesborough Country Club (par 71, 7,051 yards).
Homer carded a 2-over-par 73 Wednesday, but the road to get there was a chaotic one.
On Aug. 4-5, Homer competed in the Williamson Cup at Le Club Laval sur-le-Lac in Quebec, Canada. The Williamson Cup is a 36-hole competition that pits nine state and regional golf associations against one another to determine junior golf supremacy. The event consists of four-player teams competing in two rounds of stroke-play. Homer teamed up with other juniors Charlie Barrickman, Sean Curran, and Luca Kleinschmidt to represent GAP.
“I always look forward to the Williamson Cup. It’s one of my favorite tournaments to play in,” Homer, who has played in the event for five straight years (2021-24), said. “My family drove up separately and I went up with the guys. We did a practice round and had the ceremonial dinner. It’s a fun tournament. But it’s a lot of golf for two days and it’s definitely a grind.”
Homer and company finished third out of nine teams, a respectable showing. Then, the long journey back home began.
“Fortunately I didn’t have to get behind the wheel for the long drive, but I got home with my family on Wednesday at 3:03 a.m. and I was basically sleepwalking into the house,” Homer, of Wilmington Country Club, said. “But, at the same time, I knew I had to set that 7 a.m. alarm and prepare to play in a few hours at 9 a.m.
“Despite the travel and weirdness of the last 24 hours, I’ve always liked playing in the morning. I like getting the opportunity to play without any expectations and I know when I play in the afternoon it’s kind of like you see what the morning wave does and you’re almost comparing yourself to everyone before you even get off the tee.”
Starting on No. 10, Homer carded two birdies, six pars and a bogey on his first nine holes and shot a 3 over on his final nine holes.
“I definitely had a good feel with the driver today,” Homer, 18, of Greenville, Del., a recent graduate of The Tatnall School who is heading to the University of Virginia, said. “Not only did I hit a lot of fairways, but I was able to swing harder. When you get into that rhythm with the driver you’re like, ‘Alright I’m gonna give this one a good rip and I know it’s gonna be in a good spot,’” Homer said. “All things considered, If you would have told me this morning I would have shot a 73 and kept myself in it for tomorrow I would have definitely been OK with that.”
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 130,000 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 $24.05 billion as of December 31, 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.
