Barkley, Coassolo, Lavin, Moran go low for Four-Man Team title

WEST CHESTER, Pa. — The self-proclaimed Golf Association of Philadelphia Major “bubble boys” came together Thursday to claim the Four-Man Team title at Penn Oaks Golf Club (par 71, 6,190 yards).

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  Peter Moran of Whitford Country Club, Jason Barkley of Moselem Springs Golf Club, Shawn Lavin of Rolling Green Golf Club and Mark Coassolo of Brookside CC of Allentown finished with an impressively-low combined back nine of 6-under 64 to finish with a 9-under-total of 133 in a two-best balls of four, stroke-play format. The winners, who says they became friends while waiting around for Major Qualifying playoffs, topped a scoreboard of 20 competing teams.

  Last year’s champions, Riverton Country Club’s David Gall, Kevin Kramarski, Ben Litt and Phil Villari, fell short of a repeat by two strokes at 7-under 135.

  The par-5, 465-yard 3rd hosted the first birdie party for the team. Coassolo steadied the hole with a standard two-putt birdie from 30 feet after a 7-iron approach landed safely. Moran, who posted six birdies on the day, pulled his tee shot 40 yards left, then hooked a 5-iron into a greenside bunker. He blasted out of the sand and drained the 8-foot look to card a double-birdie hole.

  Moran’s hot streak – which eventually propelled the foursome to the winner’s circle – arrived on Penn Oaks’ second side. A short wedge approach left him with a challenging downhiller from 12 feet on No. 11 (par 4, 330 yards), which he stepped up and drained. Then Moran stuck a pitching wedge within two feet on the par-3, 120-yard 12th for red number No. 4.

  Soon after, Barkley joined the scoring attack. Moran again birdied No. 13 (par 5, 514 yards) with an up-and-down birdie save from the right greenside rough. Barkley’s drive found the left fairway bunker off the tee, followed by a 5-wood that left him with 50 yards out. He also got up-and-down from there for the hole’s second four.

  The final push came on No. 15 (par 3, 149 yard), where Barkley and Moran both came to play again. Each pulling 8-irons off the tee, Barkley went on to sink a 15-footer with two feet of break while Moran lipped out for an ace, leading to another tap-in.

  “The ball disappeared for a second right behind the flagstick, and we all thought it went in. It was that close,” said Barkley, 49, of Kutztown, Pa.

  “We really just had fun out there, but there were a good amount of short par putts that we needed to make and we did,” said Coassolo, 45, of Macungie, Pa. “We were a little sketchy at the beginning but then we got it together. We were a great team.”

  Back when the Association’s Major events did not take qualifying ties for championship propers, the friendly foursome found themselves in playoffs together more than a handful of times.   This year, Moran called up Barkley, Lavin and Coassolo to form a squad of “middle-aged players” that not only could vie for a Four-Man title, but also have fun while doing so.

  “Making sure you get a group of guys that you like together is most important out here,” said Moran, 48, of Chester Springs, Pa.

  Today’s title was also important due to the fact that it arrives just a day before a rather big date for one of the winners. Barkley will be getting married tomorrow evening on the 16th tee at Moselem Springs.

  “Today is like my batchelor party,” said Barkley post-round.

  Next up on the GAP schedule for the familiar faces? Hopefully another GAP Major.

  Both Coassolo and Lavin played in the season’s first, the #GAPMidAm at Overbrook Golf Club, while Lavin was scheduled to play in the #BMWPhillyAm at Philadelphia Cricket Club before having to withdraw at the last minute.

  None have punched their ticket yet for the #GAPOpen, to be played July 17-18 at Philadelphia Country Club, but there is still more opportunity left on the schedule.   “I missed the GAP Open in yesterday’s Qualifier (at Blue Bell Country Club) by two shots, unfortunately, and so did Mark. At least today was way more fun for us,” said Lavin, 45, of Drexel Hill, Pa.

  “But at least if you shoot 9-under in today’s [Four-Man Team] event, that means we’re exempt for the [Joseph H. Patterson Cup], right?” said Barkley.

  NOTE- Philadelphia Country Club’s Mike Barton recorded his sixth career ace on the par-3, 149-yard 15th with a 6-iron.

Golf Association of Philadelphia
Founded in 1897, the Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) is the oldest regional golf association in the United States and serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. Its 150 Member Clubs and 57,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. As Philadelphia’s Most Trusted Source of Golf Information, the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.