64th Father & Son (Younger)

Kenneth, Christian Matt tie scoring record, take title

LITITZ, Pa. — Déjà vu doused Kenneth and Christian Matt throughout the 64^th Father & Son (Younger) Monday at Bent Creek Country Club.  

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The two, on the event’s original July 8 date, played in the morning wave and set the clubhouse mark at 2 under. They drove an hour-plus home thinking their number may turn a trophy profit. Mother Nature, however, intervened that day, thereby forcing GAP officials to reschedule the event.

The decision didn’t dash the Matts’ spirits. They instead regarded it as an unexpected yet desired second chance.

“We felt like we could’ve done better. We had a lot of three putts out there,” Kenneth, 49, said.

They did better alright. The Spring House, Pa. residents carded a 5-under-par 66 to take the event’s Junior Division (par 71, 6,003 yards). In doing so, the Matts tied a Father & Son scoring record, in relation to par. Craig and Alan Kliewer also inked 65 (5 under) to win the Father & Son (Middle) in 2015.

The event’s format is greensomes (selective drive/alternate shot).

“That’s awesome,” Kenneth, a Philadelphia Publinks GA member, said of the scoring record. “I missed a birdie putt on No. 18 from 12 feet [to break the record]. That’s what I’m thinking about. But that’s golf.”

Christian is all smiles upon learning of the scoring feat. A “wow” is all he musters. Forgive the silence. Christian lost his voice over the weekend.

“Too much screaming at the (Philadelphia) Phillies game on Friday night,” he said.

Another piece of déjà vu evidence. Christian dealt with a sore throat and hoarse voice the last time at Bent Creek.

His irons proved sharper than his vocal cords Monday. A week removed from a win alongside his uncle, Keith, in The Deeg Sezna at Merion Golf Club (West), Christian remains in fine setup form.

I’ve been hitting my irons pretty well lately. When I’m in the middle of the fairway, I’m pretty confident,” he said.

Christian paved the way for three of the team’s four Bent Creek birdies. On No. 8 (par 4, 348 yards), he smacked a sand wedge 100 yards to 15 feet. The Cedarbrook Country Club member hit a gap wedge 121 yards to four feet on No. 11 (par 4, 342 yards). Even a difficult downhill lie in the rough couldn’t spoil his mojo. Per Kenneth, Christian’s “best shot of the day” — a wedge from 91 yards on No. 11 (par 4, 342 yards) — created an appetizing four-footer for birdie. On the par 5, 470-yard 12^th hole, Kenneth nearly reached the green in two with a hybrid from 210 yards. Christian knocked a chip from greenside left to a foot.

Submit No. 9 (par 5, 505 yards) as another piece of déjà vu evidence. Christian again nuked a drive into the fairway. Kenneth again almost reached the green from some 250 yards, this time clubbing up with a 3-wood. During his previous Bent Creek venture, Christian eased his wedge into tap-in birdie territory. This time, he holed it for eagle.

“It was almost the same chip. I had the same amount of green to go at,” Christian, a rising senior at Wissahickon High School, said.

The same amount of fun at Bent Creek, too.

“Thanks to Bent Creek for allowing us to come back out and play again. It’s a really nice golf course,” Kenneth said.

“I was pretty confident in our games. Coming out again, I was just excited to play a good round,” Christian added.

A round for the record books.

Junior-Junior Division
Two teams shared the event’s Junior-Junior Division (par 71, 5,603 yards) title. Merion Golf Club’s Randall and Ethan Clouser and Commonwealth National Golf Club’s Eric and Niklas Skjeveland carded respective 12-over-par 83s.

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 300 Member Clubs and 80,000 individual members are spread across the Eastern half of Pennsylvania and parts of Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey. The GAP’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.