Bernstein, Willcox survive grueling playoff for Hussey title

 SPRINGFIELD, Pa.–Cole Willcox of Philadelphia CC birdied the fourth extra hole to help he and partner Jason Bernstein of White Manor CC defeat Eric Chipin of Philmont CC and Robert Galbreath, Jr. of Huntingdon Valley CC in the most dramatic finish in the 20-year history of the Francis X. Hussey Memorial Tournament on Monday at Rolling Green GC (par 71, 6,267 yards). The four holes marked the better-ball tournament’s longest playoff rotation. In regulation, the twosomes wrote another historical chapter of sorts when paired in the same 9:20 a.m. group, each carded tournament record 8-under-par 63s to force the sudden-death session.

 Added Galbreath, 14, of Huntingdon Valley, Pa., “When [Eric and I] looked at the pairings before the tournament, I told him that if we could beat [Cole and Jason] we’d have a chance to win. It doesn’t get much better then those two.”

  All day, both teams seemingly thrived on their fellow competitor’s fantastic play.

  On the front side, Chipin and Galbreath made the turn in 4-under-par 32 while Bernstein and Willcox registered three birdies for a 3-under-par 33. Galbreath birdied No. 11 (par 4, 403 yards) and Bernstein answered on No. 12 (par 4, 333 yards) to keep the two teams just a stroke apart.

  That’s when the double-dose of cheers and fist pumps began.

  On the short par 5, 17^th hole (460 yards), Willcox, 17, Berwyn, Pa., a senior to-be at Malvern Prep, ripped a 6-iron from 180 yards to four feet for eagle. Galbreath, who found some trouble off the tee and was left with a 44-yard pitch shot over the greenside bunker for his third shot, drained his eight-foot birdie chance.

  “Walking down 17, I said to Cole how about an eagle-eagle finish and maybe we’ll win it,” said Bernstein. “He told me not to get ahead ourselves.”

  The teams headed to No. 18, a dogleg right par 5 measuring 492 yards, tied at 6-under par. On the final hole, Bernstein found himself in the front fringe 45 feet shy of the hole with Galbreath eyeing a 20-foot downhill eagle putt.

  Bernstein, the qualifying medallist at the Junior Boys’ Championship a week ago, started the final-hole craziness by sinking his eagle chance first. The putt, an uphill breaker, put the finishing touches on an inward nine 5-under-par 30.

  Galbreath, faced with a testy putt to tie, responded by finding the center of the cup. Galbreath, who repeated as the Junior Boys’ Champion last week and his partner, finished with a 4-under-par 31 on the backside.

  “That was one of the best putts I’ve ever hit under pressure,” said Galbreath. “My partner had the same putt from just an inch or some behind me and made it. I just had to hit it on the same line with the correct amount of speed.”

  Chipin, 15, lives in Pennington, N.J.

  In the playoff, a rotation of No. 1 and 18, the two teams halved the first three playoff holes with a par, birdie and par. Galbreath made a superb up-and-down for four from about 75 yards on the first extra hole to keep his team’s hopes alive and both teams never had legitimate looks at the victory over the next two holes.

  Playing No. 18 for the third time in the afternoon, Willcox knocked an 8-iron from 164 yards to the front fringe. He chipped up to three feet. Chipin, whose drive found a divot in the middle of the fairway, knocked a 6-iron from 178 yards just over. He failed to get up and down for birdie.

Junior-Junior Division (13-and-under)
  Ian Bellah of Radnor Valley CC and Austin List of Merion GC carded a 1-over-par 36 (par 35, 2,698 yards) to capture the Junior-Junior Division of the Francis X. Hussey Memorial Tournament by six strokes.

  The Junior-Junior Division competes over nine noles.

  Bellah and List carded three birdies and four bogeys.*****
  The Hussey is named in honor of the former Rolling Green GC junior member.

  Francis suffered with congenital heart disease and passed away in December of 1983 while undergoing major heart surgery. He was 13 years old when he died. Francis was a student in the Haverford Township School system, an avid sports fan and an active junior member at Rolling Green. His courage in the face of his illness was a great inspiration to all who knew him.