GAP’s 2025 Major swing gets underway with the 42nd Middle-Amateur Championship presented by NJM Insurance Group at Riverton Country Club May 21-22. This year marks Riverton’s first appearance on the GAP Major championship schedule since 2002 when the club hosted the BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship.
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The Mid.-Am. is open to individuals 25 years of age or older. Last year, the Mid.-Am. and the Joseph H. Patterson Cup expanded from 36 to 54 holes. The low 48 players and ties after 18 holes on Day 1 will advance to the 36-hole Day 2. Both the Mid.-Am. and the Patterson Cup are listed on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) and are eligible for points.
“It’s a great chance for [Riverton] to get back on GAP’s radar,” Riverton’s Head Golf Professional Michael Ferguson, 38, of Yardley, Pa. said. “The golf course has been in great condition. While it may not be long, it’s certainly challenging. It has that old-school feel of front-to-back greens. Drew (White, Riverton’s Superintendent) and his team do a great job of maintaining the greens and surrounding areas. It’s going to be a very challenging test for all players coming in, and we’re excited to host.”
Riverton Country Club, founded in 1900 by Philadelphia Quaker businessmen, became the first club from New Jersey to join GAP. By 1915, after some early success, the golf course was expanded to 18 holes under the direction of Donald Ross. Over time, the club has been home to players of both local and national acclaim including Dorothy and Nancy Porter, Ann Laughlin and Robert “Beetle” Beirne.
Riverton’s championship-hosting resume is robust. In addition to the aforementioned Amateur in 2002, Riverton played host to the 1990 edition of the event as well. Joseph H. Patterson Cup champions were crowned at the club on four occasions (1964, 1987, 1993, 1997). The Senior Amateur Championship was contested at Riverton in 2018.
In 2017, Riverton hired architect Tyler Rae to restore the golf course to reflect the original Ross blueprints.
“We had a bunker project to put the old-school feel back into the course, and relocate some bunkers to where they originally were,” Ferguson said. “There are some bunkers in the landing areas that make you want to challenge them and be aggressive, or you can certainly lay back and just have longer approaches.”
Last year, two tee boxes were added on No. 15 (par 4, 460 yards).
Fred Philipps, Riverton’s golf professional emeritus, spent 47 years on staff at the club. Now a member, he knows the course better than most.
“The challenge is in the greens. Back when Donald Ross designed the golf course, the drainage was nothing like it is today, so everything was front to back and side to side.” Philipps, 80, of Riverton, N.J. said. “If you lip one out, it could run pretty far.”
Philipps recognizes Riverton’s lack of length compared to other championship host sites. He advises players to prioritize prudent shotmaking and to remain patient on the greens.
“I think holes 14, 15 and 16 are going to be the key,” Philipps said.
Qualifying for the Championship proper was conducted at Conestoga Country Club (April 21), Green Pond Country Club (April 25), Coatesville Country Club (May 5) and Ballamor Golf Club (May 8).
During last year’s edition of the event, contested at Commonwealth National Golf Club, Zak Drescher of Bent Creek Country Club secured a two-shot victory with a birdie on his final hole.
He is defending his title this year.
“With the new format last year, the first round just feels like a qualifier in a sense,” Drescher, 36, of Lancaster, Pa., said. “Anything can happen when you’re playing 36 holes in one day. It seemed like it was a war of attrition towards the end … You just try to minimize as many mistakes as possible.”
Drescher will meet Riverton for the first time during Round 1 of the Championship.
“I would love to play Thursday (Round 2 and 3),” Drescher, a partner at Stewardship Advisors, LLC, said. “I don’t have too many expectations, which may be a good thing.”
Round 1 tee times begin at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday. Drescher is set to tee off No. 1 at 12:25 p.m.
In addition to Drescher, past champions in the field include: David Mecca of Wemberly Hills Golf Club (2023); Troy Vannucci of Little Mill Country Club (2022); Scott McNeil of The 1912 Club (2021, 2015); Ben Feld of Green Valley Country Club (2017); Matthew Mattare of Saucon Valley Country Club (2016); John Brennan of Philadelphia Cricket Club (2012); Oscar Mestre of Overbrook Golf Club (2002) and Neil Gordon of Doylestown Country Club (1999).
Live scoring will be available on gapgolf.org. Stay up to date with tournament news via GAP social media channels by following @gaofphilly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X and YouTube.
All media inquiries should be directed to GAP Director of Communications/Operations Martin D. Emeno, Jr. at memeno@gapgolf.org or by phone at 610-687-2340, ext. 0027.
A William Hyndman, III Player of the Year points event, the Middle-Amateur started in 1984, three years after the USGA created the U.S. Mid.-Am.ateur as a formal championship for post-college amateurs. GAP followed suit with the USGA in creating a Middle-Amateur, but initially differed in its administration of the tournament in a couple of respects.
The most obvious difference was the age requirement. Prior to 2001, the GAP Middle-Amateur was only available to players 30 years of age or older.
The GAP Executive Committee reviewed and revised that age requirement in 2001 to match the USGA’s guidelines of 25 years of age or older for eligible individuals. It also, as previously mentioned, changed the format of the event to a two-day stroke play tournament with a cut to the low 70 players and ties after the first round. Furthermore, GAP lowered the handicap index requirement from 7.0 to 5.0 in 2023.
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 125,000 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.
