17th Parent/Child–Middle

Kellys, Sanborns prevail at Heidelberg

BERNVILLE, Pa. – By now, Ryan and Kevin Kelly know the rules for the scorecard tiebreaker by heart.

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Thursday at Heidelberg Country Club (par 70, 6,030 yards), the tiebreaker fell in the Philadelphia Cricket Club duo’s favor as they claimed the 17th Parent/Child-Middle for the second time.

GAP uses the USGA-recommended tiebreaking method, which starts with the back nine. The 2019 champions, also by way of a scorecard playoff, carded 2-under-par 34 on the back nine to take the title. 

Lancaster Country Club’s John and Jack Barry, the 2017 titleholders, carded 1-over-par 37 on the closing nine. Both pairs finished at 69.

Northampton Country Club’s Joshua and Grace Sanborn captured the event’s Father/Daughter Division (par 70, 5,655 yards) with a score of 86. 

The event’s format is greensomes (selective drive/alternate shot).  

“It feels great to add another one to our trophy case,” Ryan Kelly, 28, of Conshohocken, Pa., said. “It also feels great to win the match of cards and not lose it. We love playing in this tournament. We play a lot of casual golf together so it is nice to play as a team for once.”

Last year at Bala Golf Club, the Kellys made a triple-bogey 7 on the last to lose a scorecard playoff. They didn’t hold on to that disappointment for long.

“Ryan was a closer in baseball at St. Joseph’s University, so he needed a short memory,” Kevin Kelly said. “The same thought process applies in golf. Once we left the parking lot at Bala last year, we forgot about it.”

A 1 over front nine left a lot to be desired for the past champions but they found footing thanks to Ryan’s ball striking. 

On No. 10 (par 4, 420 yards), Ryan jammed a pitching wedge from 155 yards to seven feet and the elder Kelly buried the putt.

Seeing Heidelberg for the first time, Ryan throttled his tee shot onto the green on No. 13 (par 4, 368 yards) for an easy two-putt birdie.

“Playing a course for the first time, you hope that what you see is what you get and there are no gimmicks,” Ryan Kelly said. “My dad goes first because he always gets the ball in play. It allows me to be a little more aggressive. We used more of his drives than we usually do today but we still were able to play well.”

They mixed a bogey on No. 14 (par 4, 356 yards) with a birdie on No. 17 (par 4, 275 yards). Sitting on the green in two at the last (par 5, 520 yards), the duo 3-putted for par. 

“We figured we needed to get to 2 under,” Ryan Kelly said. “When we 3-putted the last hole for par, we felt like we were doomed.”

When the Barrys missed an 8-footer on the last for par, the scorecard was once again in favor of the Kellys.

“We always circle this event on the calendar each time the GAP schedule comes out,” Ryan Kelly said. “This is something that as long as we are eligible, we won’t miss it. The event means so much to us.”

“This day is one of my favorites,” Kevin Kelly, 58, of Horsham, Pa., said. “Ever since Ryan moved out and isn’t living at home, golf is what bonds and ties us together.”

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 340 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.