53rd Senior Amateur Championship: Round Two - The Golf Association of Philadelphia

Sep 06, 2023

53rd Senior Amateur Championship: Round Two

LedgeRock’s Lutz captures third title

VILLANOVA, Pa. — Chip Lutz made it clear. When entered in a championship, he’s still the man to beat.

Lutz took the 53rd Senior Amateur Championship in a walk on Wednesday, equaling his own scoring record – in relation to par – en route to a third title (2014, 2021). The nine-time GAP Senior Player of the Year (2010-18) finished at 5 under for the two-day, 36-hole championship at Overbrook Golf Club (par 70, 6,281 yards), including a tournament-best, closing-round 67. Jeff Frazier of Carlisle Country Club, the reigning Senior Player of the Year, was runner-up at 2 under. Frazier was the only other player to finish in red figures. Lutz established the scoring record two years ago in his victory at the Country Club of Scranton.

Scoring portal | Photos | History | Round One Video | Round One Notebook | Senior Silver Cross Results | Senior Silver Cross History | Round Two Video

Intense heat, with temperatures in the mid-to-upper 90s, and a treacherous track (78.29 was the second-round scoring average), provided the most challenging of Senior canvases.

“Amazing,” said a euphoric, and emotional, Lutz. “You know, I mentioned earlier that my aunt and uncle [Jo and John Miller] were lifelong members here at Overbrook. [As are] dear friends Chris Lange, the Thompson boys [Ray and Andy] and [GAP President] Oscar [Mestre]. These are all people I grew up playing golf with. So it was pretty special of a win here, particularly because of my connection with the club. So I’m absolutely thrilled beyond imagination.”

Lutz joins Chris Fieger, Sr. of Heidelberg Country Club in second place on the Senior Amateur victory board with three. Allan Sussel, of Squires Golf Club, holds a record six victories.

In addition to winning at a place fond to the Lutz heart, the 2022 GAP Hall of Famer had a special guest in attendance. Brother Putter made a rare on-site appearance.

“I’ve got a most wonderful picture when I won the Philadelphia Amateur in 1977 at [Manufacturers’ Golf & Country Club]. Putter was behind the green,” said Lutz, 68, of Reading, Pa. “He just got his driver’s license at age 16. He drove down to Mannies and found me on the course. He was cheering me on in a pair of blue jeans and a sport shirt. I cherished that moment. It was so nice of him to show up [today].”

Ironically, it was Chip’s material putter that resulted in a championship hug with the brother Putter.

Lutz entered the day as a co-leader, tied with Frazier at 2 under. The pair exchanged birdies and bogeys in their first three holes before Lutz’s blade started to percolate.

On No. 6 (par 4, 460 yards), Lutz stunned his groupmates with a 25-foot uphill, sidehill birdie drop. Frazier made bogey. The scoreboard went from the two tied to Lutz two strokes ahead.

On No. 7 (par 3, 194 yards), Lutz put his soft hands on display again. This time with a wedge. He toed a 6-iron into the left greenside bunker. A smooth sand splash out landed softly on the green and all watched as his ball gently rolled into the cup. His lead was now three.

The next two holes sealed the two frontrunner fates in similar fashion.

On No. 8 (par 4, 415 yards), Lutz’s second shot came up short right of a back right hole location. A check-stop chip stopped four feet from the hole. He saved par. Frazier had eight feet for birdie to cut into the lead. He watched in disbelief as the effort broke right.

On No. 9 (par 4, 434 yards), Lutz again came up short right of the hole location, but on the green, some 40 feet below and right of the cup. Frazier stuck an 8-iron from 155 yards to 12 feet above the hole. Lutz cozied his lengthy effort to a couple feet. A stress-free par. Frazier again stood in horror as his birdie try failed to break to the right as much as he thought.

At the turn, Lutz held a three-shot lead.

Frazier bogeyed the next (No. 10) and when Lutz made back-to-back birdies on Nos. 12 (par 5, 500 yards) and 13 (par 4, 250 yards) – two good putts – the tournament was over.

So where goes Lutz go from here?

“Yeah, well you never know when it’s going to be your last certainly,” said Lutz of his future and possibilities of winning. “I’m 68 at this point, pushing 69. I’m blessed to be able to have my health and to continue to play my game competitively enough to be able to, you know, match up with some of these great players. And GAP has such an amazing breadth as it continues to grow, it’s particularly thrilling at my age, to be able to, once again be successful in this event.”

All was not lost for Frazier. The 58-year-old from Mechanicsburg, Pa. did manage to secure his first Senior Silver Cross. Frazier amassed a total score of 283 to edge Chris Storck of LedgeRock Golf Club by two shots.

Frazier shot 74 in the Warner Cup and 71 in the Chapman Cup to go along with Senior Amateur scores of 68 and 70.

The Senior Silver Cross is awarded to the player with the lowest aggregate score over the four rounds in the three aforementioned events.

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.

Results
Name, clubR1R2Total
Chip Lutz, LedgeRock Golf Club6867135
Jeff Frazier, Carlisle Country Club6870138
Chris Storck, LedgeRock Golf Club7071141
Perry Landis, Moselem Springs Golf Club6975144
David Blichar, Olde Homestead Golf Club7570145
John Guillaume, St. Davids Golf Club7174145
Kevin Haag, Deer Run Golf Club7175146
Oscar Mestre, Overbrook Golf Club7473147
John Barry, Lancaster Country Club7374147
Byron Whitman, Berkshire Country Club7374147
Paul Rogowicz, Yardley Country Club7375148
Joe Roeder, Merion Golf Club7375148
Jeff Wiedecke, Green Pond Country Club7276148
Steve Walczak, Wilmington Country Club7574149
Chris Fieger, Sr., Heidelberg Country Club7475149
Carlos Ochoa, Little Mill Country Club7376149
Rich Pruchnik, Downingtown Country Club7773150
Michael Quinn, Philadelphia Publinks Golf Association7675151
Michael Sanfrancesco, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club7874152
Rick James, Doylestown Country Club7775152
Michael Anderson, Philadelphia Cricket Club7478152
Norman Lewis, Pine Valley Golf Club7478152
Michael Vassil, Country Club of Scranton7875153
Neil Gordon, Doylestown Country Club7875153
Bill Burke, Galloway National Golf Club7776153
Adam Armagost, Little Mill Country Club7677153
Jeff Moyher, Merion Golf Club7975154
David West, Philadelphia Publinks Golf Association7381154
Dan Brown, Manada Golf Club7778155
Robert Harrington, Merion Golf Club7778155
Tom Humphrey, Wilmington Country Club7778155
George Steinmetz, Spring Ford Country Club7679155
Gary Roberts, LuLu Country Club7580155
P. Chet Walsh, Philadelphia Country Club7481155
Gene Martin, Laurel Creek Country Club7878156
Bob Beck, Lehigh Country Club7878156
Glenn Smeraglio, LuLu Country Club7779156
Joe Jasinski, Steel Club7779156
Jeff Hudson, Olde Homestead Golf Club7680156
Mark Doughty, Fieldstone Golf Club8077157
Gary Daniels, Applebrook Golf Club7978157
Doug Fedoryshyn, Concord Country Club7681157
Christopher Clauson, LuLu Country Club7979158
Mark Walkush, Sunnybrook Golf Club7979158
Tom Soares, Lehigh Country Club7880158
Alex Campbell, Cedarbrook Country Club7583158
Don Donatoni, White Manor Country Club7385158
Ted Brennan, Makefield Highlands Golf Club8079159
Jeffrey Allen, Wild Quail Golf & Country Club7980159
Barry Cahill, Radley Run Country Club7981160
Mark Wachter, DuPont Country Club7882160
Rand Mendez, Fieldstone Golf Club7882160
Eric Meyer, Whitford Country Club7783160
Steve Meyer, Rolling Green Golf Club7783160
Denis Darragh, Olde Homestead Golf Club7685161
Matthew Smith, Regents’ Glen Country Club7884162
G. Patrick Dougherty, Philadelphia Cricket Club7686162
Tom Hyland, Little Mill Country Club8083163
Greg Mitchell, Fieldstone Golf Club7984163
John Robinson, LuLu Country Club7885163
Jason Cohen, LuLu Country Club7786163
Edward Kelly, Old York Road Country Club8085165
John Conway, Little Mill Country Club8088168
Christopher Vinci, Five Ponds Golf Club72WDWD
Andy Thompson, Overbrook Golf Club72WDWD
Tom Bartolacci, LuLu Country Club74WDWD
Vince Scarpetta, Jr., Nittany Country Club75WDWD
Bob Gill, Fox Hill Country Club77WDWD
Jimmy Muller, Manufacturers’ Golf & Country Club79WDWD
Robin McCool, Saucon Valley Country Club80WDWD
WD – withdraw

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