HUNTINGDON VALLEY, Pa.–Longtime friends David Brookreson of Huntingdon Valley CC and O. Gordon Brewer, Jr., of Pine Valley GC captured their respective divisions of the inaugural Brewer Cup on Thursday. Brookreson defeated clubmate Craig Scott in 20 holes for the Senior Division title while Brewer, the tournament’s namesake, stopped a gritty Charles McClaskey of Wyncote GC, 3&2, for the Super-Senior Division crown at a steamy Huntingdon Valley CC.
“It’s not easy to describe,” said Brewer, a former seven-time Huntingdon Valley club champion. “Winning any tournament is great. Winning the inaugural Brewer Cup is extra special. And to do it here at Huntingdon Valley adds to that.”
McClaskey did all he could to challenge Brewer. He hit 15 of 16 greens en route to shooting even par in those 16 holes.
“It’s always tough to beat your friends,” said McClaskey, 69, of Elkton, Md. “Gordon and I play together in a lot of team events together. We both played solid golf today.”
Both Brewer and McClaskey pointed to the sixth hole (par 4, 392 yards) as the turning point of the match. Brewer was 1-up at the time when he smacked his drive into the right hazard. McClaskey found the green in two but was left with a difficult 25 footer downhill putt. Brewer took a penalty stroke and rocketed a fantastic cut shot from 173 yards just to the back edge of the green and managed to get up-and-down for bogey. McClaskey rolled his speedy putt 10 foot past and missed the comebacker.
Two holes later Brewer registered another birdie to go 2-up and McClaskey was in trouble.
“I don’t know what happened,” said Brewer, 71, of Pine Valley, N.J., talking about his game. “You can’t explain or understand it. I couldn’t have had any less confidence coming in here. I wasn’t even sure I could even qualify. I began to hit it pretty good in the qualifying round. Then I just kept playing better in each round.”
In the Senior Division final, neither Brookreson nor Scott held more than a 1-up advantage at any time. A Scott par on No. 13 (par 3, 166 yards) gave him a 1-up edge heading into the final stretch.
The two then halved the next three holes before a poor hybrid tee shot on No. 17 (par 3, 205 yards) found the creek on the left side. Brookreson safely found the green with his long iron and the two were All Square with a hole to play.
On No. 18 (par 4, 428 yards), both registered unforced bogeys after both played approaches from the middle of the fairway. On the first extra hole, No. 1 (par 4, 382 yards), Brookreson made a fantastic up-and-down from the back left fringe and Scott two putted for par to keep the match going.
On the second playoff hole (No.2, par 4, 432 yards), Brookreson found the fairway and ripped a 7-iron from 162 yards to 20 feet. Scott’s tee ball found the right trees but got a fortunate kick back into the fairway. He launched a 3-wood from 260 yards that stopped about 20 yards short of the green. However, his par save missed and Brookreson two-putted for the win.
“It was just weak legs,” said Scott, 59, of Marshalls Creek, Pa., about his final tee shot. “On any day, any one can beat the next one. I played good enough golf to make the final. It was a treat.”
Scott turned in the highlight of the semifinals earlier in the day, when he drained a 25-foot, right-to-left sweeping putt on No. 18 to defeat Michael Dougherty of Huntingdon Valley CC, 1-up.
Back to Brewer for a moment. In addition to his USGA accomplishments, Brewer won Golf Association of Philadelphia Amateur titles in 1967 and 1976 as well as the 1997 GAP Senior Amateur Championship title, which earned him Player of the Year honors in that year.
The Brewer Cup was open to Senior players with a handicap index of 7.0 or less and Super Seniors with an index of 12.0 or less.
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 136 Member Clubs and 60,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. The purpose of the Association is simple: To promote, protect and preserve the game of golf in the region.
Senior Division
Final
15. David Brookreson, Huntingdon Valley CC, d. 4. Craig Scott, Huntingdon Valley CC, 20 holes
Semifinals
4. Scott d. 16. Michael Dougherty, Huntingdon Valley CC, 1-up
15. Brookreson d. 3. Gary Daniels, Saucon Valley CC, 4&3
Super-Senior Division
Final
1. O. Gordon Brewer, Jr., Pine Valley GC, d. 3. Charles McClaskey, Wyncote GC, 3&2
