Ault tops Amateur Championship Qualifier

HAVERTOWN, Pa.–Chris Ault of Levittown, Pa., cruised to medallist honors and Chris Lange of Bryn Mawr, Pa., survived a two-for-one playoff to head a contingent of nine players advancing into the 105^th U.S. Amateur Championship at Merion GC on Aug. 22-28.

Ault, Lange and the other seven qualifiers advanced to the Championship field from the two-day, 36-hole qualifier held at both Llanerch CC (par 71, 6,720 yards) and Rolling Green GC (par 70, 6,697 yards) on Monday and Tuesday. Players competed over 18 holes at each golf course.

Other qualifiers heading to Merion GC are: Bryant Reyes of West Chester, Pa.; Billy Stewart of Devon, Pa.; Christopher Gold of Haddonfield, N.J.; Cole Willcox of Berywn, Pa.; Tim Hager of Ivyland, Pa.; Adam Cohan of Wayne, Pa and John Pelet of Atglen, Pa.

Ault had an adventurous even-par (35-36) day. Still reeling somewhat from his 7-under-par, course record-tying 63 on Monday at Rolling Green GC, he said that as he stepped up to the 10th tee, his first, at Llanerch CC on Tuesday, “I didn’t know what to think.”

He parred Nos. 10 and 11, but promptly double-bogeyed the par 3, 179-yard 12^th. “I hit it over the green, then hit it over the green again, then missed a 10-footer for bogey,” he said. He then bogeyed the short No 15 (par 4, 312 yards) to go 3-over-par after six holes.

But the best was soon to come. Starting with a birdie four on the par 5, 503-yard No. 15, Ault, who plays out of Spring Mill CC, had an incredible 11 one-putt greens in a row, canning putts from all over the place, from five to 40 feet, including a 30-footer for par on No. 1 and a 40 footer for par on No. 2. He missed a two-footer for birdie on No. 9 to end the streak.

He was 3-under par during the stretch, with four birdies and a bogey. He had four birdies, two bogeys and a double for the day, finishing his round with 25 putts after needing only 26 at Rolling Green GC.

Ault, 19, a sophomore at East Carolina University from Levittown, Pa., said it will be “exciting” to play in the Amateur, his first, “especially at Merion.”

Reyes, 23, too, will be heading to his first Amateur Championship. Playing out of Hartefeld National, the recent California transplant carded seven birdies, four bogeys and a double bogey.

“The history at Merion is unbelievable,” said Reyes. “I’m a huge Ben Hogan fan and I can’t wait to see the clubhouse and history.”

Stewart, a 21-year-old St. Joseph’s senior-to-be, will be making his second trip to the U.S. Amateur. He competed in the U.S. Amateur in 2001 at East Lake GC in Georgia. Stewart, who last year failed to clinch a berth with a subpar second round, carded an even-par 70 at Rolling Green GC to assure himself of an invite.

Gold, 18, who carded nine birdies, five bogeys and four pars in his round yesterday, posted an even-par 70 on Tuesday with just two birdies and two bogeys.

The member of Little Mill CC made his first U.S. Amateur Championship last summer at Winged Foot GC.

For Wilcox, playing in the Amateur, his first, will be an “awesome experience.” As he qualified with a 3-under-par 68 at Llanerch CC for a two-day total of 3-under 138, his last three holes – 3-3-3 – also were awesome.

After playing steady golf on the back nine, his front side, to card a bogey-free 1-under-par 35, he bogeyed the par 4, 403-yard No. 1 and the par 4, 464-yard No. 3 with errant drives into trees to go to 1-over for the day. He got one back with a birdie on the 208-yard, par 3 No. 4, but he still believed he needed a finishing flourish to qualify.

He birdied the 399-yard, par 4 No. 7 from 25 feet; parred the 222-yard, par 3 8^th hole and laced a drive down the middle of No. 9 (par 5, 483 yards), setting up a 223-yard second shot into a breeze and over a yawning bunker. He scorched a 3-iron to eight feet and sank the curling, side-hill putt for an eagle 3.

“This just feels awesome,” he smiled. “I haven’t played as well this summer as I would have liked to, but this more than makes up for it.” Playing out of Philadelphia Country Club, he also feels he’ll have a home court advantage in one of the two qualifying rounds for match play in the Amateur at Merion.

Wilcox, 17, of Berwyn, is entering his senior year at Malvern Prep.

Hager, of Ivyland, Pa., said playing in the Amateur will be “a dream come true.” After a 3-under-par 67 at Rolling Green, he said his game plan for Llanerch CC was “to make as many pars as I could.” It worked. He made 14.

But starting the round at No. 10, he missed the first three greens, got up-and-down twice, and was 1-over. Steadying himself, he carded four straight pars, then birdied the 148-yard, par 3 No. 17, to get back to even-par.

He bogeyed the 425-yard, par 4 No.2, but “got it right back” with a deuce on the tough, 208-yard, par 3 No. 4. Then, “even par was what I wanted to do.” And he did.

His only other national championship was competing last year in the American Junior Golf Association’s Polo Junior Classic in Sea Island, Ga. “But the U.S. Amateur, at Merion, really is a dream come true.”

Hager, 19, who graduated this year from Council Rock High School North and plays out of Lookaway GC, is headed to the Georgetown University Hoyas in the fall on a golf scholarship. This also will be his first U.S. Amateur.

Cohan, 19, of Wayne, Pa., a redshirt sophomore at Georgia Tech, started strong, with three 3s and a bogey five in the first four holes to go 1-under, but he bogeyed No. 7 to make the turn in even-par 36, and struggled somewhat on the back, with no birdies and bogeys on Nos. 11 and 17 for a 2-over 37. His 73, coupled with his 2-under 68 at Rolling Green, left him at even-par 141 and in qualifying. This will be his first U.S. Amateur and third national championship.

Cohan made the Publinks Championship twice (2001, 2003) and the U.S Junior (2003) once.

Pelet, 21, posted an impressive 68 in one of the final groups to finish at Llanerch CC on Tuesday to secure his initial U.S. Amateur Championship bid. He birdied four of the final five holes and tallied eight birdies in all.

“I knew I had to shoot 68 to have any chance and I did,” said Pelet, a junior at University of Richmond.

Lange, 50, who posted a par on the first playoff hole, to outlast Mike Danner of Chalfont, Pa., will be heading to his seventh U.S. Amateur and second in a row. Lange, the reigning Golf Association of Philadelphia Player of the Year, will be looking for his first trip to match play.

In all, a field of 213 players competed at the two golf courses.

Qualifiers
Name	City, State	Rd. 1		Rd. 2		Total
Chris Ault	Levittown, PA	63	RG	71	LCC	134
Bryant Reyes	West Chester, PA	67	LCC	69	RG	136
Billy Stewart	Devon, PA	67	LCC	70	RG	137
Christopher Gold	Haddonfield, NJ	67	LCC	70	RG	137
Cole Willcox	Berwyn, PA	70	RG	68	LCC	138
Timothy Hager	Ivyland, PA	67	RG	71	LCC	138
Adam Cohan	Wayne, PA	68	RG	73	LCC	141

John Michael Pelet	Atglen, PA	73	RG	68	LCC	141
*Chris Lange	Bryn Mawr, PA	72	RG	70	LCC	142
Alternates (in order)
Mike Danner	Chalfont, PA	71	RG	71	LCC	142
George Marucci, Jr.	Malvern, PA	70	LCC	73	RG	143

Failed to qualify
James White	Horsham, PA	72	LCC	71	RG	143
Jamie Slonis	Sewell, NJ	71	LCC	72	RG	143
Michael McDermott	Havertown, PA	69	RG	74	LCC	143
Mu Hu	Celebration, FL	72	LCC	71	RG	143
Thomas Gramigna	Haddonfield, NJ	72	LCC	71	RG	143
Darrell Clayton	Wilmington, DE	71	LCC	73	RG	144
Drew Panebianco	Dresher, PA	71	LCC	73	RG	144

Mike Moffat	Warrington, PA	73	RG	71	LCC	144
Robin McCool	Bethlehem, PA	72	LCC	72	RG	144
Roc Irey	Warrington, PA	72	LCC	72	RG	144
Christopher Kaspar	North Wales, PA	75	RG	70	LCC	145
Douglas Schroer	Malvern, PA	76	LCC	69	RG	145
Glenn Smeraglio	Newtown, PA	71	RG	74	LCC	145
Tug Maude	Rosemont, PA	71	LCC	74	RG	145
Clint Deibert	Doylestown, PA	76	LCC	70	RG	146

James Donnelly	Wayne, PA	72	LCC	74	RG	146
Jesse Dixon	La Jolla, CA	71	RG	75	LCC	146
Paul Polinsky	Abington, PA	75	LCC	71	RG	146
Robert Galbreath, Jr.	Huntingdon Valley, PA	72	RG	74	LCC	146
Mark Miller	Levittown, PA	75	RG	72	LCC	147
Michael Lebow	Royersford, PA	73	RG	74	LCC	147
Eric Williams	Honesdale, PA	72	LCC	76	RG	148

John Sawin	Haverford, PA	78	LCC	70	RG	148
Thomas Timby, Jr.	Doylestown, PA	77	LCC	71	RG	148
Trevor Pleasant	Forestville, MD	75	LCC	73	RG	148
Brian Casey	Madison, NJ	75	LCC	74	RG	149
Brian Myers	Horsham, PA	74	LCC	75	RG	149
David Liotta	Lansdale, PA	72	RG	77	LCC	149
Jeff Huntzinger	Dresher, PA	75	RG	74	LCC	149
Michael Soowal	Blue Bell, PA	75	LCC	74	RG	149

Robert Savarese, Jr.	Lafayette Hill, PA	72	RG	77	LCC	149
Steven Owens	Philadelphia, PA	76	LCC	73	RG	149
Ajai Sirohi	W Windsor, NJ	79	RG	71	LCC	150
Bertus Wessels	South Africa	74	LCC	76	RG	150
Greg Carver	Hopewell, NJ	72	LCC	78	RG	150
James Douglass	New Cumberland, PA	75	RG	75	LCC	150
Matthew Mattare	Bethlehem, PA	71	RG	79	LCC	150

Michael Tash	Glassboro, NJ	72	LCC	78	RG	150
Mike Anderson	Horsham, PA	77	RG	73	LCC	150
Pat Garrison	Folsom, PA	72	RG	78	LCC	150
Pat Tallent	Vienna, VA	73	LCC	77	RG	150
Brian Gillespie	Wayne, PA	76	RG	75	LCC	151
Brian Rothaus	Huntingdon Valley, PA	77	RG	74	LCC	151
Charles Jones	Collegeville, PA	74	LCC	77	RG	151
Daniel Pinciotti Jr	Churchville, PA	77	RG	74	LCC	151

David Ryan Frantz	Easton, PA	74	LCC	77	RG	151
Don Erickson III	Dubois, PA	72	RG	79	LCC	151
Donny Wessner	Temple, PA	76	RG	75	LCC	151
Jamie Wallace	Moorestown, NJ	75	LCC	76	RG	151
Shawn Lavin	Drexel Hill, PA	72	LCC	79	RG	151
Trey Best	Washington, DC	75	RG	76	LCC	151
Bill Jeremiah	West Grove, PA	75	RG	77	LCC	152
Derek Oakey	Lagrange, GA	73	RG	79	LCC

J. P. Glynn	Philadelphia, PA	80	RG	72	LCC	152
Mark Czerniakowski	Montgomeryville, PA	75	RG	77	LCC	152
Michael Domenick	Phoenixville, PA	78	LCC	74	RG	152
Nicholas Verrecchio	Havertown, PA	78	LCC	74	RG	152
Raymond Thompson	Springfield, PA	81	LCC	71	RG	152
Sam Varano	Mohnton, PA	79	LCC	73	RG	152
Sean Glynn	Philadelphia, PA	76	RG	76	LCC	152
Thomas DiCinti	Voorhees, NJ	78	RG	74	LCC	152

Tom Carter	Sicklerville, NJ	73	RG	79	LCC	152
Tom Finn	Chadds Ford, PA	76	LCC	76	RG	152
Brian Corbett	Shavertown, PA	80	LCC	73	RG	153
Chris Gallagher	West Chester, PA	75	LCC	78	RG	153
Gary Daniels	Berwyn, PA	76	RG	77	LCC	153
Jordan Wycoff	Fort Washington, PA	77	LCC	76	RG	153
Logan Terry	Plymouth Meeting, PA	71	RG	82	LCC	153
Michael Meisenzahl	Medford, NJ	75	LCC	78	RG	153

Nicholas Ryder	Rosemont, PA	77	LCC	76	RG	153
Rich Pruchnik	West Chester, PA	74	RG	79	LCC	153
Sean Seese	Huntingdon Valley, PA	72	RG	81	LCC	153
Warren Smith	Wilmington, DE	76	RG	77	LCC	153
Conor Casey	Madison, NJ	77	RG	77	LCC	154
Conrad Von Borsig	Swarthmore, PA	74	LCC	80	RG	154
Dominic Frassinelli	Allentown, PA	75	RG	79	LCC	154
Gary Roberts	Newtown, PA	74	RG	80	LCC	154

Gerard Ascolese	Blue Bell, PA	76	RG	78	LCC	154
James Kania, Jr.	Haverford, PA	80	LCC	74	RG	154
Jason Cohan	Wayne, PA	75	LCC	79	RG	154
Jim Rattigan	Deer Lake, PA	75	LCC	79	RG	154
Jimmy Finnerty	West Chester, PA	71	RG	83	LCC	154
Joe April	Sewell, NJ	79	LCC	75	RG	154
John Robinson	North Wales, PA	77	RG	77	LCC	154
Michael O’Keefe	Medford, NJ	74	LCC	80	RG	154

Oscar Mestre	Berwyn, PA	76	LCC	78	RG	154
Thomas Dell	Leola, PA	79	RG	75	LCC	154
Bill Mecca	Clarks Summit, PA	77	RG	78	LCC	155
Billy Mullen	Norristown, Pa	83	LCC	72	RG	155
David Derminio	Center Valley, PA	80	LCC	75	RG	155
J. Joseph McClatchy	Bryn Mawr, PA	80	RG	75	LCC	155
Jay Desjardins	Malvern, PA	78	RG	77	LCC	155
John LeBoeuf	Rosemont, PA	77	RG	78	LCC	155

Kevin Kelly	Horsham, PA	75	RG	80	LCC	155
Patrick Hardin	Bethlehem, PA	82	LCC	73	RG	155
Reed Valutas	Newtown Square, PA	78	LCC	77	RG	155
Rob Ockenfuss	Perkasie, PA	78	RG	77	LCC	155
Santo Lafoca	Pittson, PA	79	LCC	76	RG	155
Stephen Arnold	Langhorne, PA	77	LCC	78	RG	155
Vince Yost	Harleysville, PA	78	LCC	77	RG	155
Christopher Caimano	Newtown, PA	82	LCC	74	RG	156

Leonard Pearson	Elkins Park, PA	77	RG	79	LCC	156
Matthew Moroz	Philadelphia, PA	76	RG	80	LCC	156
Stephen Dressel	Malvern, PA	79	RG	77	LCC	156
William Gallagher	Wagontown, PA	80	LCC	76	RG	156
Daniel P. Delaney	Boothwyn, PA	71	RG	86	LCC	157
David West	Downingtown, PA	77	RG	80	LCC	157
David Williams	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada	80	LCC	77	RG	157
Jimmy Kieserman	Blue Bell, PA	78	RG	79	LCC	157

Lance Oberparleiter	Blenheim, NJ	79	RG	78	LCC	157
Mark Powers	Washington, DC	73	RG	84	LCC	157
Bob Bechtold	West Grove, PA	78	LCC	80	RG	158
Carlos Ochoa	Marlton, NJ	83	RG	75	LCC	158
Douglas Nardella	Moscow, PA	80	LCC	78	RG	158
Grant Hockman	Jacksonville, AL	79	RG	79	LCC	158
Matt Berkowitz	Havertown, PA	80	RG	78	LCC	158
Matt Shevlin	Drexel Hill, PA	81	RG	77	LCC	158

Patrick Marshalek	Chester Springs, PA	85	LCC	73	RG	158
Scott Deakins	Wayne, PA	76	LCC	82	RG	158
Alexander Maguire, Jr.	Philadelphia, PA	83	RG	76	LCC	159
Andrew Guaraldo	Berywn, PA	77	LCC	82	RG	159
Craig Tallent	Haverford, PA	80	LCC	79	RG	159
Josh Richards	Wescosville, PA	81	RG	78	LCC	159
Mark Coassolo	Limerick, pa	78	RG	81	LCC	159

Matthew Raudenbush	Pine Valley, NJ	78	RG	81	LCC	159
Mike Gross	Clarks Green, PA	80	LCC	79	RG	159
Rich Thon	Swarthmore, PA	77	RG	82	LCC	159
Steve Scarpetta	Moosic, PA	83	LCC	76	RG	159
Steven Dubarry	London, Ontario, Canada	77	RG	82	LCC	159
Ted Smith	Jacksonville, FL	79	RG	80	LCC	159
Bill Gropp	Media, PA	76	RG	84	LCC	160
Chester Pasek	Levittown, PA	77	LCC	83	RG	160

LCC	83	RG	160
David Fazzini	Phoenixville, PA	74	LCC	86	RG	160
Marc Mandel	Lafayette Hill, Pa	79	RG	81	LCC	160
Mark Vanadia	Mendham, NJ	82	LCC	78	RG	160
Tom Lane	Cinnaminson, NJ	80	RG	80	LCC	160
Vince Scarpetta	Moosic, PA	81	LCC	79	RG	160
Clark Hargrove	Haverford, PA	81	LCC	80	RG	161
Cory Siegfried	Villanova, PA	75	RG	86	LCC	161
Craig Labarbera	Bryn Mawr, PA	82	RG	79	LCC	161

Dan Rexon	Haddonfield, NJ	79	LCC	82	RG	161
James Robertson	Center Valley, PA	80	RG	81	LCC	161
Patrick Dougherty	North Wales, PA	82	RG	79	LCC	161
Rick Piger	Orefield, PA	79	LCC	82	RG	161
Ryan Beck	Maple Glen, PA	80	RG	81	LCC	161
Brad Sokol	Pottstown, PA	81	LCC	81	RG	162
Christopher Sturgell	Palm Beach Gardens, FL	77	RG	85	LCC	162
Devin O’Connor	Seven Valleys, PA	80	RG	82	LCC	162

Grant Skyllas	Shillington, PA	81	LCC	81	RG	162
Michael Bieler	Pottstown, PA	82	LCC	80	RG	162
Patrick O’Brien	Glenside, PA	78	RG	84	LCC	162
Peter Lansinger	Rosemont, PA	86	LCC	76	RG	162
Burton McHugh	Philadelphia, PA	81	RG	82	LCC	163
Christian Davis	Scranton, PA	84	LCC	79	RG	163

Gui Costin	Radnor, PA	74	RG	89	LCC	163
Jarrett Kling	Radnor, PA	83	LCC	80	RG	163
Jonathan Ross	Berwyn, PA	77	LCC	86	RG	163
William McCrossan	Newtown Square, PA	82	LCC	81	RG	163
Bobby Cunningham	Wayne, PA	82	LCC	82	RG	164
Jason Bullock	Bryn Mawr, PA	87	RG	77	LCC	164
Richard Reed	Bryn Mawr, PA	82	LCC	82	RG	164

Ryan Ade	Wayne, PA	83	LCC	81	RG	164
David Taraschi	Haddonfield, NJ	83	LCC	82	RG	165
Doug Cusick	Marlton, NJ	77	RG	88	LCC	165
Drew Garis	Lansdale, PA	84	LCC	81	RG	165
James Joyce	Phoenixville, PA	83	LCC	82	RG	165
John Aloisio, Jr.	Hammonton, NJ	81	RG	84	LCC	165
Michael Billiris	Thurmont, MD	89	RG	76	LCC	165

Tom Coyne	Media, PA	81	LCC	84	RG	165
Josh Wilson	Bryn Mawr, PA	86	LCC	80	RG	166
Shane Behmer	Lancaster, PA	86	LCC	80	RG	166
George Connell	Radnor, Pa	84	RG	83	LCC	167
Jim Austin	Levittown, PA	87	LCC	80	RG	167
John Ferdinand	Bensalem, PA	82	RG	85	LCC	167

Frank Petrash	Hatboro, PA	80	LCC	88	RG	168
David Ahrens, Jr.	Delran, NJ	89	LCC	80	RG	169
Ryan Owens	Ocean City, NJ	88	LCC	81	RG	169
Adam Greitzer	Bryn Mawr, PA	84	RG	87	LCC	171
Nick Lamberti	Madison, NJ	87	RG	84	LCC	171
Thomas Kaufman	South Plainfield, NJ	83	RG	88	LCC	171
Jonathan Hewett	Sioux Falls, SD	90	LCC	82	RG	172

Robert Howell	New Cumberland, PA	87	RG	85	LCC	172
Todd Anderson	Wilmington, DE	86	RG	86	LCC	172
Andre Green	Jacksonville, FL	86	LCC	87	RG	173
Bill Turner	Mt Holly, NJ	87	RG	88	LCC	175
Chet Vienne	Columbia, MD	90	LCC	87	RG	177
Chris Hervochon	Sewell, NJ	77	RG	DQ	LCC	DQ
Frank Corrado	Washington Crossing, PA	81	RG	NS	LCC	NS

Gary Stewart	York, PA	78	RG	NS	LCC	NS
Nevin Gupta	Jacksonville, FL	84	RG	NC	LCC	NC
Patrick Fillian	Tinton Falls, NJ	80	LCC	WD	RG	WD
Peter Barron	Mays Landing, NJ	80	LCC	WD	RG	WD
Sean Davy	Moorestown, NJ	82	LCC	WD	RG	WD
Sean Leonard	Voorhees, NJ	79	RG	WD	LCC	WD

Stephen Boerner	Bethlehem, PA	85	RG	WD	LCC	WD
Tom Lusto	Saylorsburg, PA	84	RG	WD	LCC	WD
Tripp Bailey	Gladwyne, PA	83	LCC	WD	RG	WD
Max Muller	Huntingdon Valley, PA	77	RG	WD	LCC	WD
Alan Borowsky	Bala Cynwyd, PA	75	LCC	WD	RG	WD

B. J. Jaworski	Voorhees, NJ	85	LCC	WD	RG	WD
Bill McGuinness	Woodbury, NJ	76	LCC	WD	RG	WD
Britton Murdoch	Bryn Mawr, PA	79	RG	WD	LCC	WD
*advanced in playoff
RG-Rolling Green GC; LCC-Llanerch Country Club
WD-withdrawal; NC-no card; NS-no show; DQ-disqualification

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Ault tops Amateur Championship Qualifier

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