PINE HILL, N.J. — Sorry, Marni James.
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Your husband Rick needs to change dinner plans. He won a pair of matches in the 19th Brewer Cup Tuesday at Trump National Golf Club – Philadelphia (par 71, 6,431 yards).
As a result, James is now seated at the semifinals table. The VIP table, by the way. It includes Jeff Frazier (three-time Brewer Cup Champion), Jamie Slonis (two-time Brewer Cup medalist) and Adam Armagost (former Chapman Cup, Warner Cup and Senior Silver Cross Award winner).
James will face Slonis, the reigning New Jersey Senior Amateur Champion, at 8 a.m. Wednesday. The Frazier/Armagost match will follow at 8:07 a.m.
“These guys are tested winners out there, so obviously it will be a challenge. We’ll step up on the first tee and see what happens,” James, 60, of Doylestown, Pa., said. “It’s always enjoyable playing in these tournaments, but making it this far is fun. I know that sounds like a simple word. I enjoy competing, but first and foremost, I try to have fun because that’s when I play my best golf. I’m going to hit plenty of shots that I’m not expecting, and I have to deal with it.”
James certainly experienced his fair share of those Tuesday. But the Five Ponds Golf Club member never let frustration mount to anger. In the Round of 16, he lost three of the first four holes against The 1912 Club’s Matthew Mingione. James cleared the cobwebs and ultimately executed a downhill 20-footer for birdie on No. 18 (par 4, 378 yards) to prevail, 1-up.
The good began to outweigh the bad when James converted back-to-back birdies to gain a 1-up advantage over USGA/GAP GC member Louis Giovacchini in the quarterfinals. He hit a wedge 97 yards to eight feet on No. 14 (par 5, 515 yards) and a wedge 141 yards to eight feet on No. 15 (par 4, 415 yards). An unexpected drive on No. 17 (par 4, 423 yards), however, resulted in a loss for James. He and Giovacchini headed to extra holes.
Ugh. The unexpected again. Adopting a killer instinct, James ripped a 3-wood from 259 yards on No. 1 (par 5, 512 yards). Instead of finding the green, it ricocheted off a tree. James then guided a guarded wedge to a tame pasture greenside.
“I knew stopping [that chip for birdie] near the hole was going to be extremely difficult. If it goes 10, 12 feet past, then make the putt, and that’s what I did,” he said. “You learn not to get too cute sometimes. I knew he had a seven-footer for par. It’s not a gimme by any means. I knew I had to give myself a chance. It worked out.” Giovacchini missed a six-footer to match James’ par.
James, who owns a restoration and mold remediation company, is a recurring name on a GAP tee sheet. He grinds. He wants to win. He wants to perform well.
“But for me, I play better when I enjoy it and have fun. If I start taking myself too seriously, it tends not to work out so well,” James said.
Look at the James placard on the Brewer Cup table for proof.
“I’ll be slightly late for dinner,” James said. “Marni may have already eaten. Maybe I’ll stop and get something on the way home. I’ll give her a call in a second.”
Those following the Brewer Cup leaderboard at home did a double take when they saw Slonis, the event’s No. 1 seed, 3-down against Luis Diaz of Wedgwood Country Club.
“I started out fine. I hit it on the green in two on the first hole and made birdie,” Slonis, 57, of Sewell, N.J., said. “Then after that, I don’t know what I experienced. It was mistake after mistake after mistake. It was kind of uncharacteristic to the way I’ve been playing, so I figured just hang in. It’s a hard golf course. You have to put your head down. It was a nice comeback after the front nine.”
Sure was. Slonis took No. 9 (par 5, 499 yards) with a tap-in birdie. He then won Nos. 11-14 to vault into a 2-up lead. Slonis, a Tavistock Country Club member, closed Diaz out with a birdie on No. 16 (par 3, 194 yards), where he drilled a 6-iron to 12 feet.
“I’m going to try and channel the guy who played the ninth hole and the back nine, not the guy who played the front nine,” Slonis, who fell in the Brewer Cup quarterfinals a year ago, said. “On this course, it’s fairways and greens. You have to keep the ball in play, which I’ve done on several holes.”
Defending champion Frazier of Carlisle Country Club reached the semifinals in his title defense with a 3&1 victory over 2023 semifinalist and 2021 runner-up John Barry of Lancaster Country Club. He’s on the cusp of becoming the first player to win all four Senior Majors in a season.
“I played steady out there today,” Frazier, 61, of Mechanicsburg, Pa., said. “I maintained control against John, but the match was tight. There’s been a lot of golf played in the last week so I am a little worn down. I have been playing really well and am making some putts inside 10 feet. I just want to keep plodding along and continue to play my game. If someone beats me so be it.”
Armagost, a 2023 Brewer Cup semifinalist, held on to defeat Doylestown Country Club’s Neil Gordon, 1-up, to gain the semifinals. After winning No. 12 (par 4, 369 yards) to gain a 1-up advantage, Armagost, who calls Little Mill Country Club home, and Gordon matched pars the rest of the way in.
“Everyone wants to win this event because Mr. Brewer’s name is on it,” Armagost, 63, of National Park, N.J., said. “This course plays long for me, but I have a good amount of experience here. Being able to make it this far again means a lot, and I am excited to have a chance to play for the title.”
Glenn Smeraglio earned medalist honors in the Super-Senior Division of the Brewer Cup Monday at Trump Philly (par 71, 5,954 yards).
His reward? Don Donatoni of Hershey’s Mill Golf Club, a nine-time Super-Senior Player of the Year, in his quarterfinal match.
The LuLu Country Club member ousted Donatoni, 2-up, to earn a spot in the semifinals and claim the Super-Senior Player of the Year.
“I did think about this matchup and its implications on the GAP Super-Senior Player of the Year race,” Smeraglio, 66, of Oreland, Pa., said. “I thought if I beat Don, it would be fair and square. I think it was apropos that we played each other because he could have easily won this match. Don is a great player. He is so tough to beat. He’s always here to play. I give him a ton of credit.”
Smeraglio will play 2022 Brewer Cup Senior Champion Joe Roeder of Merion Golf Club at 8:15 a.m. Overbrook Golf Club’s Oscar Mestre and Applecross Country Club’s Doug Fedoryshyn are the other semifinal matchup at 8:22 a.m.
“We both played really well in the match,” Smeraglio said. “No one ever had more than a 1-up lead until I made a 25-footer for birdie on No. 16. It was a really tough match. Don is a really good player and guy. Having to play him in the first round is a tough draw. I am happy to have won the match.”
Smeraglio took a 1-up advantage after a Donatoni double bogey on No. 14 (par 5, 490 yards). The highlight of the match came on No. 16 (par 3, 176 yards). Smeraglio hit an 8-iron on the downhill par 3 to 25 feet and buried the putt to take a 2-up advantage. After three-putting No. 17 (par 4, 402 yards) for bogey to be 1-up coming down the last (par 4, 345 yards), Smeraglio two-putted from 40 feet to win. Donatoni three-putted from 35 feet after misreading the putt and missing the four-foot comebacker.
“I’ve been putting really well for the last two days, and I didn’t think I would have missed that putt,” Donatoni, 78, of West Chester, Pa., said. “But that’s golf. All in all, it was great competition, great camaraderie. I congratulate Glenn on his great play. I’m happy that I made the cut and was able to come back and play another day. Glenn’s playing at a high level right now. I knew coming into today that I was going to have to shoot even or 1 over just to be in the hunt. When I looked at the draw, I said, ‘Oh boy. We’re going to go head-to-head.’ And it was a good battle.”
Smeraglio isn’t unfamiliar with GAP titles. He’s earned two Joseph H. Patterson Cups (2008, 1998), two Francis B. Warner Cups (2018, 2016), three Silver Cross Awards (2008, 2001, 2000) and a Senior Amateur Championship (2017). He’s the reigning Pennsylvania Golf Association Super-Senior Player of the Year.
“I think my irons have been much improved,” Smeraglio said. “I’ve only missed one fairway in two days. My driver deserves a lot of credit for my success. This course doesn’t necessarily fit my eye but being able to be in the fairway gives me a lot of opportunities to hit greens in regulation and make pars. That allows me to make things difficult for my opponent.”
A possible two-match, 36-hole day awaits Smeraglio with the chance to claim his first Brewer Cup. His Top 5 finishes in the Super-Senior and Senior Amateurs have him on a nice run of form. He’s not getting ahead of himself. He said there is still a lot of work to do.
“For me, I need to keep hitting fairways,” Smeraglio said. “I am no good out of the rough. I am not strong enough. There’s a lot of trouble around here. I need to keep doing what I am doing. As each round goes by I am getting more and more comfortable with the layout since I haven’t played here in 20 years.”
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. He is a recipient of the USGA’s Bob Jones Award and a member of the GAP Hall of Fame.
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.
Senior Division
Quarterfinals
1. Jamie Slonis, Tavistock CC d. 9. Luis Diaz, Wedgwood CC, 3&2
12. Rick James, Five Ponds GC d. 13. 13. Louis Giovacchini, USGA/GAP GC, 19 holes
2. Jeff Frazier, Carlisle CC d. 10. John Barry, Lancaster CC, 3&1
14. Adam Armagost, Little Mill CC d. 8. Neil Gordon, Doylestown CC, 1-up
Round of 16
1. Jamie Slonis, Tavistock CC d. Brian Groff, Lancaster CC, 2&1
9. Luis Diaz, Wedgwood CC, d. 8. Mark Bartkowski, Pocono Farms CC, 2-up
13. Louis Giovacchini, USGA/GAP GC d. 4. P Chet Walsh, Philadelphia CC, 4&2
12. Rick James, Five Ponds GC d. 5. Matthew Mingione, The 1912 Club, 1-up
2. Jeff Frazier, Carlisle CC d. 15. G. Patrick Dougherty, Philadelphia Cricket Club, 2&1
10. John Barry, Lancaster CC d. 7. Mark Wachter, DuPont CC, 19 holes
14. Adam Armagost, Little Mill CC d. 3. Ryan Gelrod, Philadelphia Cricket Club, 2&1
8. Neil Gordon, Doylestown CC d. 11. Thomas Gramigna, Tavistock CC, 4&2
Super-Senior Division
Quarterfinals
1. Glenn Smeraglio, LuLu CC d. 8. Don Donatoni, Hershey’s Mill GC, 2-up
4. Joe Roeder, Merion GC, d. 5. Chris Clauson, LuLu CC, 5&4
7. Oscar Mestre, Overbrook GC, d. 2. Joe Russo, Wedgwood CC, 1-up
6. Doug Fedoryshyn, Applecross CC, d. 3. Thomas Egolf, Southmoore GC, 5&4
