VILLANOVA, Pa.– The 53rd Senior Amateur Championship is shaping up to be a legacy builder for a pair of GAP’s most respected elder statesmen. Jeff Frazier, the reigning Senior Player of the Year, and Chip Lutz, who won nine-straight Senior POYs (2010-18), each carded impressive 2-under-par 68s at Overbrook Golf Club (par 70, 6,404 yards) Tuesday to forge ahead after the first round of the Association’s premier 55-and-older event in sauna-scorching conditions.
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Perry Landis of Moselem Springs Golf Club posted the only other under-par opening round with a 1-under 69.
Those three will be in the final Day Two grouping. They begin at 12:10 p.m. The field was cut to the low 70 players. The cutline fell at 10 over.
Frazier birdied three of his final four holes to turn an average round into something special.
On No. 15 (par 3, 165 yards), he nailed an 8-iron to 15 feet right of the cup and made the putt; on No. 17 (par 4, 360 yards), he launched a 9-iron from 133 yards to 15 feet above the hole and rolled it in; and on No. 18 (par 4, 376 yards) lifted an 8-iron from 136 yards uphill and into a little breeze to 20 feet for another red circle.
“I hit it good all day. I just had to figure out the putting,” said Frazier, 58, of Mechanicsburg, Pa., who three-putted twice earlier in his round. “I hit a lot of greens and had a lot of looks. They finally started falling down the stretch.”
Lutz needed a red-hot flagstick on this sultry day to keep his name in contention. He only hit three of his final nine greens but managed to get up-and-in every time except on No. 18. He missed the green short left and watched a six-foot par try scoot to the right of the cup.
“The GAP Senior Amateur is always special. I’m kind of getting up there [in age]. I’m 68 and I’m playing against the 55 year olds and not feeling like I’m not hitting it as far as some of the guys I’m playing against [anymore],” said Lutz, of Reading, Pa. “I have to remember it comes down to chipping and putting and all-around game. I’m happy to be able to continue to compete.”
Lutz is a two-time tournament champion (2014, 2021). Allan Sussel of Squires Golf Club holds a record six Senior Amateur titles.
Lutz and Frazier played with John Barry of Lancaster Country Club. All three competed in the U.S. Senior Amateur, Aug. 26-31, at Martis Camp Club in Truckee, Calif.
Barry, 57, of Lancaster, Pa., currently leads the Senior Silver Cross race at 1-over-par 212. Frazier sits at 213 (2 over). Chris Storck of LedgeRock Golf Club and Don Donatoni of White Manor Country Club are tied for third at 3-over 214.
The Senior Silver Cross consists of the lowest aggregate score in the Francis B. Warner Cup (Gross), Frank H. Chapman Cup (Gross) and two rounds of the Senior Amateur.
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.
Round One | |
Name, club | R1 |
Jeff Frazier, Carlisle Country Club | 68 |
Chip Lutz, LedgeRock Golf Club | 68 |
Perry Landis, Moselem Springs Golf Club | 69 |
Chris Storck, LedgeRock Golf Club | 70 |
John Guillaume, St. Davids Golf Club | 71 |
Kevin Haag, Deer Run Golf Club | 71 |
Andy Thompson, Overbrook Golf Club | 72 |
Jeff Wiedecke, Green Pond Country Club | 72 |
Christopher Vinci, Five Ponds Golf Club | 72 |
Joe Roeder, Merion Golf Club | 73 |
Don Donatoni, White Manor Country Club | 73 |
Byron Whitman, Berkshire Country Club | 73 |
John Barry, Lancaster Country Club | 73 |
David West, Philadelphia Publinks Golf Association | 73 |
Paul Rogowicz, Yardley Country Club | 73 |
Carlos Ochoa, Little Mill Country Club | 73 |
Norman Lewis, Pine Valley Golf Club | 74 |
Chris Fieger, Sr., Heidelberg Country Club | 74 |
P. Chet Walsh, Philadelphia Country Club | 74 |
Tom Bartolacci, LuLu Country Club | 74 |
Oscar Mestre, Overbrook Golf Club | 74 |
Michael Anderson, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 74 |
Alex Campbell, Cedarbrook Country Club | 75 |
Gary Roberts, LuLu Country Club | 75 |
Steve Walczak, Wilmington Country Club | 75 |
Vince Scarpetta, Jr., Nittany Country Club | 75 |
David Blichar, Olde Homestead Golf Club | 75 |
George Steinmetz, Spring Ford Country Club | 76 |
G. Patrick Dougherty, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 76 |
Adam Armagost, Little Mill Country Club | 76 |
Michael Quinn, Philadelphia Publinks Golf Association | 76 |
Jeff Hudson, Olde Homestead Golf Club | 76 |
Denis Darragh, Olde Homestead Golf Club | 76 |
Doug Fedoryshyn, Concord Country Club | 76 |
Bill Burke, Galloway National Golf Club | 77 |
Joe Jasinski, Steel Club | 77 |
Rich Pruchnik, Downingtown Country Club | 77 |
Steve Meyer, Rolling Green Golf Club | 77 |
Jason Cohen, LuLu Country Club | 77 |
Tom Humphrey, Wilmington Country Club | 77 |
Glenn Smeraglio, LuLu Country Club | 77 |
Robert Harrington, Merion Golf Club | 77 |
Eric Meyer, Whitford Country Club | 77 |
Bob Gill, Fox Hill Country Club | 77 |
Dan Brown, Manada Golf Club | 77 |
Rick James, Doylestown Country Club | 77 |
Bob Beck, Lehigh Country Club | 78 |
Matthew Smith, Regents’ Glen Country Club | 78 |
John Robinson, LuLu Country Club | 78 |
Michael Sanfrancesco, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club | 78 |
Gene Martin, Laurel Creek Country Club | 78 |
Tom Soares, Lehigh Country Club | 78 |
Neil Gordon, Doylestown Country Club | 78 |
Rand Mendez, Fieldstone Golf Club | 78 |
Mark Wachter, DuPont Country Club | 78 |
Michael Vassil, Country Club of Scranton | 78 |
Mark Walkush, Sunnybrook Golf Club | 79 |
Jimmy Muller, Manufacturers’ Golf & Country Club | 79 |
Christopher Clauson, LuLu Country Club | 79 |
Jeffrey Allen, Wild Quail Golf & Country Club | 79 |
Gary Daniels, Applebrook Golf Club | 79 |
Jeff Moyher, Merion Golf Club | 79 |
Greg Mitchell, Fieldstone Golf Club | 79 |
Barry Cahill, Radley Run Country Club | 79 |
Ted Brennan, Makefield Highlands Golf Club | 80 |
John Conway, Little Mill Country Club | 80 |
Robin McCool, Saucon Valley Country Club | 80 |
Mark Doughty, Fieldstone Golf Club | 80 |
Tom Hyland, Little Mill Country Club | 80 |
Edward Kelly, Old York Road Country Club | 80 |
Failed to qualify | |
Bill Davis, Merion Golf Club | 81 |
William Chase, Regents’ Glen Country Club | 81 |
Ron Weaver, Bent Creek Country Club | 81 |
Richard Reed, Downingtown Country Club | 81 |
Brian Grant, Spring Mill Country Club | 81 |
John Alterman, Commonwealth National Golf Club | 81 |
Joseph Russo, Wedgwood Country Club | 81 |
Joe Arrante, Newark Country Club | 81 |
Andy Lykon, Wedgewood Golf Course | 81 |
Rick Atcavage, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club | 81 |
Anthony Fioretti, Riverview Country Club | 82 |
Robert Dietrich, Philadelphia Publinks Golf Association | 82 |
Clark Holle, RiverWinds Golf & Tennis Club | 82 |
Thomas Egolf, Southmoore Golf Center | 82 |
Jim Krass, Radley Run Country Club | 82 |
Rich Fryer, Southmoore Golf Center | 82 |
Jay DesJardins, Stonewall | 83 |
Michael Stanley, Aronimink Golf Club | 83 |
Don Uhrig, LedgeRock Golf Club | 83 |
Andrew Sterge, Applebrook Golf Club | 83 |
Tim McCabe, Bon Air Country Club | 83 |
Ed Kahn, Little Mill Country Club | 84 |
Alan Wagenschnur, Newark Country Club | 84 |
Fred Lening, Green Pond Country Club | 84 |
Jim Boburka, Moselem Springs Golf Club | 84 |
Tom DiCinti, Philadelphia Publinks Golf Association | 84 |
John Gosselin, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club | 85 |
John Lupica, Lookaway Golf Club | 85 |
Jason Barkley, Moselem Springs Golf Club | 85 |
Brad Jankowski, Little Mill Country Club | 85 |
Brian Sexton, Seaview Hotel & Golf Club | 85 |
James P. Gross, Glenmaura National Golf Club | 86 |
Drew Panebianco, Five Ponds Golf Club | 86 |
Bob Dorsey, Medford Lakes Country Club | 86 |
Rufino Rosal, DuPont Country Club | 86 |
John Luca, Philadelphia Publinks Golf Association | 86 |
Michael Decker, Mercer Oaks Golf Course | 86 |
Jerry Shanahan, Radley Run Country Club | 86 |
Gregory Buliga, Yardley Country Club | 86 |
David Strohl, Olde Homestead Golf Club | 86 |
Scott McIntosh, LuLu Country Club | 87 |
Jared Wills, Iron Valley Golf Course | 87 |
Kevin Wall, Old York Road Country Club | 87 |
Jon Thomas, White Clay Creek Country Club | 87 |
Bob Loftus, Overbrook Golf Club | 88 |
Bryan McClaskey, Merchantville Country Club | 88 |
Terrance Schmidt, Talamore Country Club | 88 |
William Choy, Flourtown Country Club | 88 |
Andy Mark, Stonewall | 89 |
Fran Hamm, Country Club of Scranton | 89 |
Matthew Mingione, The 1912 Club | 89 |
Jeffrey Amrhein, Briarwood Golf Club | 90 |
Ken Beard, Ed Oliver Golf Club | 94 |
Lance Oberparleiter, Trump National Golf Club – Philadelphia | WD |
Drew Eddy, Manufacturers’ Golf & Country Club | WD |
Joseph Buglio, Ingleside Golf Club | WD |
Joseph Weiscarger, Wyoming Valley Country Club | WD |
Art Kania, Merion Golf Club | WD |
WD – withdraw |