20th GAP/AGA Stroke Play Championship

Mecca downs Cordaro in playoff at Scranton

Glen Oak Country Club’s David Mecca defeated Saucon Valley Country Club’s Anthony Cordaro in a sudden-death playoff to win the 20th GAP/AGA Stroke Play Championship at Country Club of Scranton (par 72, 6,785 yards) Monday.

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Both players finished regulation tied at 2-under-par 70. On No. 11 (par 3, 161 yards), the third playoff hole, Mecca stuffed a pitching wedge to two feet for a tap-in birdie. Cordaro missed a 15-footer to match.

“I knew what the number was playing. Earlier in the day, it was a 9-iron. In the afternoon, the wind died down, so it was a perfect pitching wedge for me,” Mecca said.

Perhaps momentum aided Mecca’s Stroke Play Championship conquest. He joined forces with Christopher DeMarco to capture Glenmaura National Golf Club’s Member-Guest over the weekend.

“I shot in the 60s on my own ball all three days,” Mecca, 30, of Clarks Summit, Pa., said. “Every part of my game is clicking right now. I’m regretting not signing up for the Philadelphia Open.”

Mecca, the reigning GAP Middle-Amateur Champion, clicked into contention thanks to an eagle on Scranton’s closer (par 5, 530 yards). Feeling confident in his driver, Mecca unleashed one downwind to arrive at a yardage of 158. He then drilled a 9-iron to three feet.

The 18th hole nearly deflated Mecca hours later. He logged three putts there to tie Cordaro at 5. On No. 10 (par 4, 406 yards), the second playoff hole, both Mecca and Cordaro saw identical 110-yardages into the green. Cordaro knocked a wedge to five feet for a surefire birdie. Mecca, with a good lie in the rough, left a sand wedge 12 feet from the back-left hole location. He sunk the slider to match Cordaro.

Elmhurst Country Club’s Edward Knight (pictured above right alongside Mecca) carded a 2-over-par 74 to win the event’s Senior Division (par 72, 6,372 yards). Olde Homestead Golf Club’s Larry Pritchard took the Super-Senior Division (par 72, 6,032 yards) by posting a 74 as well.

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 100,000 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.