49th Senior Amateur: Senior Division

Fieger dominates 49th Senior Amateur at LMCC

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It was clear from the beginning that Chris Fieger, Sr. was the best player in the 49^th Senior Amateur Championship. Wednesday, Fieger capped one of the most impressive and dominant performances in recent memory, recording a five-shot victory at Little Mill Country Club (par 71, 6,670 yards). Fieger finished the 36 holes with an even-par total of 142 to hoist the Allan Sussel Trophy, his first GAP victory. Host-club hopeful Tom Hyland carded rounds of 74 and 73 to place second.

Fieger began Day 2 with a five-shot lead after an opening 68. He maintained that advantage throughout. The margin of victory equaled David Brookreson’s mark set in 2005.

“It’s the biggest Senior event in the area. I definitely wanted win it,” said Fieger, 56, of Denver, Pa. “It’s a great feeling, especially after last year.”

Fieger three-putted the final green in last year’s Senior Amateur at Riverton Country Club to miss forcing a playoff by one shot as a Senior rookie.

Any lessons learned from that experience a year ago?

“I remained aggressive for most of the day. I was trying not to get caught up with what everyone else was doing. I just wanted to keep hitting good solid golf shots.”

Fieger, playing out of Philadelphia Publinks GA, is a bit of a GAP revelation. If last year’s Senior Amateur runner-up finish announced his arrival, this week’s performance was an awakening. The challenging Little Mill with its required driving accuracy and fierce greens forced the field to its knees at times. The course average was 82.8 on Day 1 and 81.5 on Day 2. Fieger would have none of it.

He followed his first-round 3-under 68 up with 11 pars, a bogey and a birdie in his first 13 holes of Round 2. At one point, his lead was seven shots. Managing his game accordingly down the stretch, Fieger finished with three bogeys over the final five frames. He solidified the win on No. 17 (par 3, 200 yards) when after finding the right greenside bunker with a 5-iron, he splashed out to three feet to save par.

Fieger entered the Senior Amateur fresh off a career performance in the U.S. Senior Amateur (Aug. 24-29) at Old Chatham Golf Club in Durham, N.C. He carded rounds of 73 and 72 in stroke-play qualifying. Fieger was seeded 10^th for match play before falling in 21 holes to Victor Minovich of Thornton, Colo. in the Round of 64.

Family and work obligations kept Fieger off the competitive circuit for decades. With his children out of the house, golf has found a second-life. He does have some pedigree, though. He qualified for a pair of PGA Junior Championships at ages 14 and 17 before playing at Temple University for four years. He also is the brother of Gene Fieger, the one-time Overbrook Golf Club professional, who won the Philadelphia Open in 1993 and 1995.

For Hyland, 63, of Marlton, N.J., this was his best showing in a Senior Amateur. Playing with Fieger, he knew second place was the ceiling, though. He is most proud of the way his club represented itself.

“The club is a proud member of GAP. It means a lot to host any GAP event here. We think this place is incredibly underrated,” said Hyland. “I think this week showed how its conditions stack up against some of the best.”

NOTE: In the Senior Silver Cross race, Oscar Mestre of Overbrook Golf Club hung up for a one-shot victory over foe and friend Jeff Allen of Wild Quail Golf & Country Club. Mestre, 59, of Berwyn, Pa., finished with a 292 total. It’s Mestre first Senior Silver Cross. The Senior Silver Cross Award is presented to the player with the lowest aggregate score in the Chapman Cup (Gross), Warner Cup (Gross) and two rounds of the Senior Amateur Championship.

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 274 Full Member Clubs and 75,000 individual members are spread across the Eastern half of Pennsylvania and parts of New Jersey and Delaware. The GAP’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.