Time to run it back.
| BMW GAP Team Matches portal | Week One recap | Week Two recap |
For the second consecutive year, LuLu Country Club 1 (3–0, 122 points), Huntingdon Valley Country Club 1 (2–1, 109 points), Philadelphia Cricket Club 1 (3–0, 108 points) and The 1912 Club 1 (3–0, 102 points) make up the Final Four. Its the first time since 2022-23 that the same four teams occupy the Playoff spots in consecutive years. Merion Golf Club 1 joined LuLu, Huntingdon Valley and Philly Cricket those years.
LuLu 1, Philly Cricket 1 and Huntingdon Valley 1 are making a sixth consecutive appearance as a trio in the Playoff. After not making the Playoff until last year, The 1912 Club makes its second consecutive appearance.
For the aforementioned trio, the titles alternated during that six-year span: Huntingdon Valley (2023, 2025), LuLu (2021, 2024) and Philadelphia Cricket (2023). The COVID-19 pandemic canceled the BMW GAP Team Matches in 2020.
The Playoff & Challenges is set for Saturday, May 9. Through the Challenges, teams have an opportunity to move from Division A to Division AA.
The BMW GAP Team Matches Playoff includes teams from Division AA, the event’s top tier. Three players of each participating club play at each venue. Each player competes in a four-way match against one foe from another team.
In Week Two, Huntingdon Valley experienced its first section loss since 2017. It fell, 28-26, to Tavistock Country Club 1.
Huntingdon Valley took it to heart in a must-win against LuLu 2 (2-1, 79.5 points). A 41-13 rout was the response. Six of the nine individual matches were clean sweeps for the defending champions. At home it was Sean Seese, Ben Cooley and Sean Ryan. On the road, it was Andy Butler, Kyle Martin and Matt Barnes pitching shutouts.
“Tavistock is good,” Andrew Mason, Huntingdon Valley’s Captain, said. “We felt like we have a strong team. After losing by a few to Tavistock, the guys felt we needed to step up to get our spot in the Playoff. I thought beating LuLu 2 was a great win for our team. Especially coming off the loss last week. Everyone played great, I didn’t expect that type of victory.”
Huntingdon Valley is looking to add a 36th title to its historic BMW GAP Team Matches legacy. It will have the services of two-time BMW Philadelphia Amateur Finalist (2023, 2025) Patrick Isztwan on Saturday after he was unable to play last year.
“On paper, I feel strongly that we have a great chance but it is anyone’s game,” Mason, 37, of Wyncote, Pa., said. “All four teams have what it takes to win. We have to play well at every site. Getting points from every player is a priority. With the four teams being equally weighted, a number in the high 50s or low 60s might be all it takes. It will be a fun Saturday.”
LuLu 1, for the second consecutive year, dominated the points-scored category. Its 122 points this season included an average margin of victory of 27. It secured its spot in the Playoff with a Week Three 34-20 victory against Merion (2-1, 93.5 points).
“It is great to get back into the Playoff,” P.J. Acierno, LuLu’s captain, said. “We knew Merion was going to be a tough battle in our group before making the Playoff. We have a strong team heading into the Finals. It sucked finishing fourth last year. We refocused this year and made sure we were competitive again.”
Kevin Lydon and Matt Crescenzo teamed up in the five and six slot at Merion for a clean sweep. At home, Acierno and 2024 BMW Philadelphia Amateur Finalist Aaron Fricke earned eight points, sweeping the better ball and each grabbing 2.5 individual points.
“Finding the 12 best players for the four courses is important,” Acierno, 32, of Conshohocken, Pa., said. “Finding your championship roster is like a puzzle. You want to make sure all the pieces fit together right. We still don’t know our roster yet. We talk a lot with past captains to get input. Experience is key in the Playoff especially with a unique format.”
Philadelphia Cricket knocked off Applebrook Golf Club 1 (0-3, 60.5 points), 33.5-20.5.
“Our guys played well this season,” Conrad Von Borsig, Cricket’s Captain, said. “We have a new group of guys with David Nissen and Dylan Audi joining the team. A lot of the veterans had a good week as well. It’s a new era at Philly Cricket with a changing of the guard with some influxes of fresh blood. The youth hits the ball a long way and never gets tired. They bring fresh ideas and mix up the energy. It lights a fire under the veterans. We are very excited to be back in the Playoff. It is never easy to get here.”
Playing in the three and four slots at Applebrook, Andrew Curran and Alexander Kim racked up eight points to lead Cricket. In the same slot at home, Marty McGuckin and Mark Benevento added 7.5 points to its points till.
This year, Philadelphia Cricket played all its matches on its Militia Hill course. The same will be the case for the Playoff on Saturday.
“Militia Hill is more of the mysterious beast of our properties,” Von Borsig said. “The greens are so hard to read. The results speak for themselves this year. We got 24.5 points in Week One and 20 points each in Weeks Two and Three at home. It’s probably been the strongest results we have had at home in a while. Militia Hill may give us a secret sauce. Honestly, home matches haven’t been an advantage for us with a lot of big events at Cricket in the past eight or 10 years. It will be good to mix it up and not play Wissahickon.”
The 1912 Club secured a second Playoff berth with a tightly-contested 27.5–26.5 victory over LedgeRock Golf Club (2-1, 89 points) in Week Three.
“This week was a nailbiter against an extremely tough LedgeRock team,” Gerard Rosato, The 1912 Club’s captain, said. “It just goes to show that no matter how well or how poorly your guys are playing, every point matters. Whether it’s a half point or a full point. You have to continue to fight for any points you can get.”
At home, Cole Willcox and Trey Wren put together an 8.5-point performance partnering for the first time, with the latter sweeping his individual match. Rosato and Greg Jarmas put together 6.5 points. At LedgeRock, Matt Teesdale and Mark Farley took 6.5 points, with Farley sweeping his individual match.
“It was a goal for us to get back into the Playoff,” Rosato, 56, of Jeffersonville, Pa., said. “It’s also a level of validation showing we belong in the Playoff after making it last year for the first time. The most important thing in the Playoff is consistency at all four venues. Sending a balanced group to all four places will be vital for us. With Cricket getting back to playing one of its courses in Militia Hill, each team will have a home-course advantage. It is important to defend home turf and that each player finds a way to score points.”
Challenge Matches
| AA | A |
| LuLu 2 | Bent Creek 1 |
| Saucon Valley 1 | Carlisle 1 |
| North Hills 1 | Blue Bell 1 |
| Little Mill 1 | Huntingdon Valley 2 |
| Llanerch 1 | Rolling Green 1 |
| Applebrook 1 | Green Pond 1 |
| Fieldstone 1 | Kennett Square 1 |
| Greate Bay 1 | Riverton 1 |
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 140,000 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.
