PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa.– Golf is a practical pursuit for John Barone these days. He values the limited opportunities he has to compete.
| Portal | Scoring | History | Final3 | Day Two Notebook | Day Two Video | Day One Notebook | Photo Gallery| Day One Video | Medalists history |
Tuesday at Sunnybrook Golf Club (par 72, 7,073 yards), Barone found the Amateur Championship breakthrough he’s been waiting for since his days at Temple University. Barone advanced to the Quarterfinals of the 126th BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship with victories over a pair of youngsters. The wins were his first two Amateur match play triumphs.
“It was a big mental breakthrough for me. It’s the fifth time I’ve made match play in the Amateur. The previous four I never made it through the first round. In fact, I’ve only made it to the last hole once,” said the 30-year-old of Philadelphia. “It’s a huge relief off my shoulders. I put a lot of pressure on myself. I’m proud of myself for grinding it out today and getting it done. I didn’t have my best game but was able to fight through it.”
Barone fell in opening-round matches in 2017-18, 2023 and 2025.
His game is more about accuracy than length these days. Finding fairways and greens are his thing.
The No. 5 seed after Stroke-Play Qualifying – Barone finished even par for the 36 holes – he dispatched Seiji Sako (No. 28 seed) of McCall Golf Club, 3&2, in the Round of 32. A hurdle cleared.
Those smiles turned into concerns at the outset of the Round of 16.
Caleb Itzoe of Briarwood Golf Club, Barone’s second opponent, was 3-up after five holes and 2-up after nine (The match started on No. 10).
Barone, however, righted the ship after the turn. He hit his final seven greens, winning four of those holes en route to a, 2&1, victory. He won holes Nos. 3 thru 5 to flip a one-hole deficit to a one-hole advantage. On No. 3 (par 5, 525 yards), he knocked a wedge from 100 yards to 10 feet; on No. 4 (par 4, 459 yards), two-putted from the edge for a par win and on No. 5 (par 3, 175 yards) hit a 7-iron to the middle of the green with Itzoe in the water hazard. Itzoe is a University of Delaware junior.
“I got a little antsy with the driver so I just choked down on it to keep it in play,” said Barone of his mid-round adjustment. “I tried to hit greens and do what I do. I was able to play from the right. I tried to hit greens and put the pressure on.”
Barone plays out of The 1912 Club (formerly Plymouth Country Club) and Glenmaura National Golf Club. He would be the third player – fourth Champion – from The 1912 Club (Plymouth: Philip Corson (1925 & 1929) Spencer L. Jones (1927)) and the first from Glenmaura National.
The Quarterfinals and Semifinals are set for 7:30 a.m. and 12 p.m., Wednesday, respectively. The 36-hole Amateur Final starts at 7:30 a.m. Saturday. The last 18 holes begins at 12 p.m.
Barone faces Christian Matt of LuLu Country Club at 7:37 a.m.
Melville ends medalist Nicholas’ repeat bid
Jack Melville of LuLu Country Club, the 32nd and final seed, set Sunnybrook abuzz with a stunning, 3&2, victory over medalist and defending Amateur Champion, Drue Nicholas of Merion Golf Club. Melville was 5-up after nine holes before closing Nicholas out on No. 16.
It was Melville’s second victory in an Amateur. Ironically, in 2017, he was also the No. 32 seed and beat medalist John Brennan of Philadelphia Cricket Club, 3&2. That at Cricket’s Wissahickon Course.
“I didn’t expect to do that. I came in with freed up expectations. I’ve worked pretty hard coming into this. It’s nice to see some results,” said Melville, 28, of Maple Glen, Pa. “This feels eerily similar. Both times I got through a late playoff. I guess I like to be an underdog.”
“I was careless today,” said Nicholas. “My heart just wasn’t in it. I don’t know why. I just didn’t have the same grit as I did last year. I was 2-down through six and I said, ‘That’s that.’”
Ropietski impresses
No. 2 seed Cael Ropietski of Huntsville Golf Club didn’t pick up golf until 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic. He was a baseball and basketball kid.
A quick study, Ropietski enters his junior year at Marshall University. This past year, he logged a 74.9 scoring average in 30 rounds with a couple Top 25 finishes.
“I’m still relatively new to the game. I think I’m starting to figure some things out,” said Ropietski, 21, of Harveys Lake, Pa.
Ropietski defeated GAP Major Champion Ben Feld of Green Valley Country Club, 2&1, in the opening round before outdueling heavy hitter Scott Kalamar, Green Pond Country Club, 2-up.
Ropietski faces his stiffest test to date in the Quarterfinals. He has Troy Vannucci, a three-time Major Champion and former William Hyndman, III Player of the Year, at 7:45 a.m..
Round of 16
16. Jake Haberstumpf, Saucon Valley Country Club, d. 32. Jack Melville, LuLu Country Club, 2&1; 9. John Curran, Chester Valley Golf Club, d. 25. Evan Eichenlaub, Saucon Valley Country Club, 3&2; 29. Christian Matt, LuLu Country Club, d. 13. Noah Wallace, Chesapeake Bay Golf Club, 2-up; 5. John Barone, The 1912 Club, d. 21. Caleb Itzoe, Briarwood Golf Club, 2&1; 2. Cael Ropietski, Huntsville Golf Club, d. 18. Scott Kalamar, Green Pond Country Club, 2-up; 7. Troy Vannucci, Little Mill Country Club, d. 10. James Gradisek, Philadelphia Country Club, 4&3; 14. Dane Mohap, Lehigh Country Club, d. 3. Mark Miller, Philadelphia Cricket Club, 20 holes; 11. Eli Spaulding, Briarwood Golf Club, d. 27. Grant Burkhart, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club, 1-up.
Round of 32
32. Melville d. 1. Drue Nicholas, Merion Golf Club, 3&2; 16. Haberstumpf d. 17. David Hurley, Aronimink Golf Club, 2&1; 25. Eichenlaub d. 8. Owen Mulhern, Whitford Country Club, 4&3; 9. Curran d. 24. Jeremy Wall, Manasquan River Golf Club, 4&2; 29. Matt d. 4. Scott McNeil, The 1912 Club, 2&1; 13. Wallace d. 20. John Stevenson, Laurel Creek Country Club, 20 holes; 5. Barone d. 28. Seiji Saki, McCall Golf Club, 3&2; 21. Itzoe d. 12. Matt Graeff, Manufacturers’ Golf & Country Club, 1-up; 2. Ropietski d. 31. Ben Feld, Green Valley Country Club, 2&1; 18. Kalamar d. 15. Thomas Young, Saucon Valley Country Club, 5&3; 7. Vannucci d. 26. Stephen Cerbara, Huntingdon Valley Country Club, 19 holes; 10. Gradisek d. 23. Mason Tome, The 1912 Club, 4&3; 3. Miller d. 30. Patrick Isztwan, Huntingdon Valley Country Club, 1-up; 14. Mohap d. 19. Jack Irons, Medford Lakes Country Club, 2&1; 27. Burkhart d. 6. Dave Mecca, Country Club of Scranton, 4&3; 11. Spaulding d. 22. John Meyers Green Pond Country Club, 8&6.
BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship
Originating in 1897, the Amateur Championship is GAP’s premier individual event. Albert H. Smith of Philadelphia Cricket Club won the first Amateur Championship, then known as the GAP Individual Championship, by defeating J.D. Winsor, Jr. of Merion Cricket Club in 37 holes. The event’s format switched to medal play in 1938. J. Wood Platt went on to win two consecutive Amateur titles under that format. His brother William “Zimmer” Platt earned the 1940 title at Philadelphia Cricket Club by being the only competitor to finish all 72 holes. The event’s format reverted to match play in 1941. The Amateur Championship wasn’t contested from 1943-45 because of World War II. Overall, 34 courses have hosted the Amateur. GAP Magazine Editor-in-Chief Martin D. Emeno, Jr. and Senior Writer Tony Regina chronicled the event’s history in the Summer 2017 edition of the publication.
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 145,000 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.
