Another Mason masterpiece puts him atop 109th Patterson Cup

MALVERN, Pa.–Andrew Mason of Huntingdon Valley CC continues to craft a season for the ages. Mason, winner of the 107th Open Championship as well as the 98th Pennsylvania State Amateur Championship earlier this summer, maneuvered himself into prime position for a prominent title yet again. The 22-year-old Mason snared the lead in Thursday’s 109th Joseph H. Patterson Cup by a stroke after equaling White Manor CC’s (par 71, 6,922 yards) competitive course record.

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 Mason navigated the perilous White Manor CC track on a perfect summer day to the tune of 5-under-par 66. He enters the second and final round of the Association’s last Major of the season with a one-stroke lead. Steve Seiden of Llanerch CC carded a 4-under 67 in the morning. Three players, G. Patrick Dougherty of Philadelphia Cricket Club; Chris Fuga of Phoenixville CC and Matthew Teesdale of Commonwealth National GC are tied for third at 1 under.

Tomorrow’s second round begins at 8 a.m. with the final threesome of Mason, Seiden and Fuga starting their journey at 11 a.m.

When asked the reason for his successful string of tournaments, Mason offered a quick response.

  “I have a better mental approach [than in the past],” said Mason, a former Temple University standout. “In college I came close to a few wins but never sealed the deal. I decided to take a more conservative mental approach. I began to realize that you really don’t need to go at every flag, 15 footers for birdie or 10 footers for par aren’t always that bad.”

  Mason is looking to become the fourth player to win both the Open and Patterson Cup in the same year. William Hyndman, III (1968 and 1969) and R. Jay Sigel (1980 and 1986) each turned the feat twice and James McHale, Jr. of Whitemarsh Valley CC was the first to do so in 1948.

  A victory would also make Mason the first player to win two Golf Association of Philadelphia Major’s titles since Michael McDermott of Merion GC took the 2008 Mid-Am and Amateur championships.

 Mason again displayed an affinity for speedy greens and red figures.

  He carded seven birdies against two bogeys on a day where the scoring average was 77.94.

  Mason birdied No. 2 (par 4, 430 yards) after knocking an 8-iron from 150 yards to four feet; drained a 10-footer on No. 5 (par 4, 469 yards) for 3; knocked a lob wedge from 80 yards to four feet on No. 6 (par 5, 555 yards) and chipped up from just short of the green on No. 7 (par 4, 306 yards) to a couple feet. He three-putted No. 9 (par 4, 409 yards) from 30 feet away and the lethal back right of the green to make the turn in 3 under.

  Another three-putt bogey on No. 10 (par 4, 414 yards) had Mason steaming a bit, but as he’s done time and time again this summer, the Huntingdon Valley resident bounced back in birdie bunches. On No. 11 (par 5, 525 yards), Mason reached the green in two with a 2-iron and eventually tapped in for 4; on No. 15 (par 4, 330 yards), he lofted a lob wedge from 60 yards to 15 feet away and on No. 17 (par 5, 552 yards) made a crafty up-and-down from the left greenside bunker.

  “I played real solid today. I missed one green and had two three putts,” said Mason. “I made a few 15 footers. I’m sticking to my game plan of playing pretty conservative and taking my chances when I get them.”

  Standing one back of Mason is White Manor’s biggest course fan.

  Seiden, who finished at 4 under, the low score of the morning wave, seems to always play well at his home away from home.

  In the last two Golf Association of Philadelphia administered events at White Manor in which Seiden participated, the Chadds Ford, Pa. resident posted a 74 in a U.S. Mid-Am. Qualifier last year (he missed the cut by one stroke) and posted a 1-under 70 in the Amateur Championship Qualifier in 2007. He entered match play as the fifth seed that year.

  “I’m ecstatic I put a good round together on a very difficult golf course. For some reason, at this golf course, I always play well. Anytime I tee it up at a tournament here I always seem to play solid. There are some hard holes out there and difficult par 3s. It’s comfortable for me,” Seiden said.

  Seiden carded a spiffy 67 with five birdies against one bogey.

  He posted red circles on four of his final six front-nine holes to ascend the leaderboard.

  On No. 4 (par 4, 410 yards) after blocking a drive right, he ripped a 5-iron from 178 yards, uphill and into the wind, to 15 feet; on No. 6, Seiden chipped up to three feet after coming up 30 yards short of the green; on No. 7 drained a 20-footer from right of the hole; and on No. 8 (par 3, 142 yards) almost jarred a pitching wedge before settling for an easy 2.

  Seiden bogeyed No. 10 when his drive found a divot in the fairway, but gained that stroke back on No. 17 when he hit his wedge from 100 yards to 15 feet behind the hole and made the putt.

NOTES–Rich Thon of The Springhaven Club aced the par 3, 142-yard eighth hole with a 9-iron. It was the second hole-in-one for the 56-year-old Golf Association of Philadelphia regular. He drained his tee shot, ironically, on No. 8 at Llanerch CC last year with a 2-iron … The cut line for the low 60 players and ties fell at 7-over 78. A total of 64 players made the cut … The Patterson Cup also serves as the final two rounds of the Silver Cross Award. The Silver Cross is awarded to the player with the lowest aggregate score in the qualifying rounds of the Amateur Championship and the Patterson Cup. Amateur Championship medalist Mike Meisenzahl of Little Mill CC carded a 75 and leads Mason and Robert Galbreath, Jr. of Huntingdon Valley CC by a shot. Meisenzahl stands with a three-round total of 213.