14th Brewer Cup: Stroke-Play Qualifying

Frazier, Smith share Brewer Cup Stroke-Play Qualifying medal

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HUNTINGDON VALLEY, Pa. Two even-par 70s — one early, one late — led the way Monday in the 14th Brewer Cup presented by Callaway Golf Stroke-Play Qualifying.

Defending champion Jeff Frazier of Carlisle Country Club and Gary Smith of Pine Valley Golf Club shared Senior medalist honors at Huntingdon Valley Country Club (par 70, 6,432 yards). Today’s low honors also earned Smith the No. 1 overall seed and Frazier the No. 2 spot.

The Senior cut line stopped at 4-over 74. A 6-for-2 playoff teed off at 6:30 p.m. With birdies on the first playoff hole, Jeffrey Allen of Loch Nairn Golf Club and Rand Mendez of Fieldstone Golf Club secured the final two bracket berths.

Round-of-16 matches begin Tuesday morning at 8 a.m. The Senior Division will play two matches tomorrow, while the Super-Senior Division will play just the Quarterfinal round.

Frazier, who took home the trophy last year at LedgeRock Golf Club in his GAP debut, battled his way to a smooth scorecard. Two birdies dropped overall despite a handful of makeable birdie looks being missed. The round featured good vibes from the start on No. 1 (par 4, 372 yards), where Frazier’s 60-degree wedge approach flirted with dropping before a tap-in birdie. The other red digit arrived on the par-5, 549-yard 15th, where Frazier chipped up to eight feet and made an eight-footer for birdie.

“I played really solid today. Very solid,” said Frazier, 56, of Mechanicsburg, Pa. “This course, it just fits my eye. I was excited to get here this week, not only just to defend the trophy, but also to play Huntingdon Valley again.”

Smith, playing in the first group out, wasted no time in making an impression on the leaderboard. His four birdies on the day (Nos. 5, 8, 11, 15) set the mark at level early on before Frazier matched it. His 9-iron tee shot on the par-3, 150-yard 5th hole was where things began getting good. After making the turn at 1 under, Smith settled in and played less aggressively. Game plan executed.

“I’ve been playing a lot of golf. And a lot of good golf. This is my ninth round in the past eight days alone,” said Smith. “They key was just hitting fairways and greens today. For most of the day, I was able to do that. I’m hoping to continue that. I didn’t play very aggressive today, but when you get to match play, that will change.”

Connections to the Brewer Cup, and Huntingdon Valley for that matter, are aplenty for Smith. O. Gordon Brewer, Jr., the championship’s namesake, was Smith’s father-in-law for 25 years. He’s also a former member of Huntingdon Valley, where he was for 37 years.

“The Brewer Cup is special to me because of that relationship. [Gordon] and I have a good relationship. And this place, Huntingdon Valley, I was here for a long time, so I wasn’t missing it,” said Smith, 61, of Huntingdon Valley, Pa. “Hopefully the rest of the week is just as good as today. I’m excited.”

For Frazier, defending his Brewer title was the obvious motivation today. He loves Huntingdon Valley, having competed here in last season’s Pennsylvania Golf Association Mid-Amateur Championship.

“I’m excited for the next few days now,” said Frazier. “I think my game is in a good state, so we’ll see what happens. I’m hoping to change the [no wins this year].

As the top-two seeds in the bracket, Frazier and Smith are both looking forward to the championship’s match-play portion beginning Tuesday morning. Will it be one of the medalists bringing home the ultimate prize this week, or an underdog challenger from the bottom of the bracket?

As its been doing since 1897, Huntingdon Valley will surely provide a true champion.

Overbrook’s Lange cruises to Supers medal

Chris Lange of Overbrook Golf Club, who boasts a Hall-of-Fame playing résumé including three BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship titles (1984, 1993, and 1994) and the GAP career grand slam achievement, came to play once again.

Lange earned medalist honors in the Super-Senior Division Monday at Huntingdon Valley Country Club (par 70, 6,062 yards) thanks to a 4-under 66.

The cut line for the eight available match play spots stopped at 4-over 74. In a 3-for-1 playoff, Applebrook Golf Club’s Chuck Dowds advanced on the first playoff hole to secure the final spot.

The Overbrook legend fired his first of six birdies of the day on No. 11 (par 4, 357 yards) thanks to a wedge shot to two feet, setting the 66-year-old up for an easy birdie putt.

“I started right from the get-go and continued to hit the ball well all day,” Lange, of Bryn Mawr, Pa., said. “It was the first time I got to shoot my age ‘which is 66,’ and it’s always a privilege to play at Huntingdon Valley.”

Another birdie was soon to follow, as Lange tossed a 7-iron to 15 feet on No. 14 (par 4, 357 yards). Lange’s momentum continued throughout the front nine as he carded four more birdies on Nos. 1 (par 4, 355 yards), 3 (par 3, 165 yards), 5 (par 3, 143 yards), and 8 (par 4, 332 yards). On No. 1, Lange hit a lob wedge to 20 feet, setting him up for the birdie putt. On No. 3, Lange hit a 7-iron from 160 yards to four feet and sank a putt for 2. On No. 8, Lange’s birdie was jarred after a 9-iron approach nestled up to five feet, and on No. 8, he hit a wedge from 120 yards to 10 feet, setting him up for the birdie putt.

“I had a good mentality throughout the day and was able to execute,” Lange said. “It was fun to coming back to Huntingdon Valley because I haven’t been played here in a while.”

Lange has had a long career of success in GAP as he’s a two-time William Hyndman, III Player of the Year (1994 and 2004). While Lange took the 2010 Senior Amateur title at Sunnybrook Golf Club, Lange has never won a Brewer Cup.

In 2010, Lange finished as the runner-up to Saucon Valley Country Club’s Robin McCool at Sandy Run Country Club. However, this time around, Lange plans to stay mentally strong as he looks to win his first Brewer Cup title.

“It’s a nice golf tournament honoring Gordon Brewer because he has done so many great things for the game of golf,” Lange said. “Anything can happen in match play. You have to take everything hole by hole and see what happens from there.”

Lange will face No. 8-seeded Dowds in the Quarterfinals at 9 a.m. Tuesday.

The Brewer Cup is named in honor of O. Gordon Brewer, Jr., the former president of Pine Valley Golf Club. He is a two-time U.S. Senior Amateur Champion and veteran of 42 USGA Championships. He’s captured two Golf Association of Philadelphia Amateur Championship titles (1967, 1976), a GAP Senior Amateur Championship crown (1997) and a Senior Player of the Year (1997) as well as countless invitational titles. Seven years ago he was recognized for his contributions to the game with the USGA’s Bob Jones Award.

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 Association’s 300 Member Clubs and 80,000 individual members are spread across the Eastern half of Pennsylvania and parts of Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey. The GAP’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.