| Scorecards | History | Notebook | Video | Silver Cross Standings | Silver Cross History |
WILMINGTON, DEL.–Peter Bradbeer is a bull market. Every year around this time, he said, his game trends upward. Wednesday in the 115th Joseph H. Patterson Cup at Wilmington Country Club’s South Course (par 71, 7,172 yards), Bradbeer showed the field his horns. The 19-year-old Bucknell University Bison rising sophomore carded a 3-under-par 68 to headline the tournament’s opening round. A field of 144 began the day with the cut line for the low 60 players and ties landing at 6 over.
“My game peaks around the end of the summer. Today was a culmination of a lot of practice and playing and a lot of confidence. I’ve been working on my swing a lot lately and my putting has really come around,” said Bradbeer of Merion Golf Club and Rosemont, Pa. “I’ve played solid in everything but nothing spectacular. I think this is my time to show what I have.”
In Golf Association of Philadelphia Majors this year, Bradbeer has shown flashes. In the 117th BMW Philadelphia Amateur he qualified as the No. 16 seed before losing a dazzling match to fellow clubmate and multiple Major Champion Michael McDermott in 19 holes. In the Philadelphia Open, Bradbeer posted a solid score of 5 over to finish in a tie for 25th. He also finished as the Merion Club Championship runner-up, falling to decorated Mid.-Amateur John Sawin.
“To play with [Michael McDermott in the Amateur] really helped me realize where my game needs to go and it showed me I can hang with some of the best players in Philadelphia,” said Bradbeer, a Friends’ Central School graduate. “I felt confident the past couple days. I can’t wait to get out there tomorrow.”
Bradbeer opened with a bogey on No. 2 (par 4, 420 yards), three putting from 40 feet, but responded with a birdie on No. 6 (par 4, 384 yards) by knocking a wedge from 90 yards to 15 feet. His round really gained traction on No. 9 (par 4, 445 yards), albeit after a poor tee shot found the left tree line. His second shot, an 8-iron from 183 yards from a flyer lie, stopped a foot short of going in for a 2. He made the turn in 1 under.
“That’s when I knew I was going to get it going,” said Bradbeer.
On the back nine, Bradbeer exchanged a birdie on No. 12 (par 4, 411 yards) with a bogey on No. 13 (par 3, 200 yards) before carding two more red figures to close his round. On No. 14 (par 5, 547 yards), he knocked his second shot, a 3-wood from 263 yards, to 25 feet for an easy two-putt birdie. On the next hole, No. 15 (par 4, 394 yards), Bradbeer lifted a wedge from 95 yards to 15 feet and made the ensuing putt for a 3. He ended with three straight pars.
The game plan for tomorrow?
“Make some pars on the front and tear it up on the back,” said Bradbeer. “It’s a big, strong golf course. It fits my game. I like to hit the driver; it’s one of my best clubs.”
Bradbeer is joined in the final group of the day, starting at 11 a.m., with Chris Ault of Yardley Country Club and Chris Crawford of Spring Mill Country Club. Both Ault and Crawford finished with 2-under 69s. Ault, 31, of Yardley, Pa., started on the back nine and made the turn at 3 under. His highlight was a 4-iron strike on the lengthy No. 17 (par 3, 229 yards) that stopped a foot from the cup. Ault made two bogeys and a birdie on his inward nine.
Ault is coming off a strong second-place showing in the Pennsylvania State Amateur at White Manor Country Club last week.
“I’ve been playing well the last couple of weeks. I started to work on my golf swing after the Philly Am. and I saw some improvement at the Philly Open even though my scores may not have reflected it. I played really well last week and sort of carried [the momentum] over to here.
“[Wilmington’s] a big golf course where you hit a lot of drivers. It certainly fits my eye. I don’t know if I missed a fairway off the tee today. When you are in the fairway the game’s a lot easier. You can hit the shots you want.”
Ault missed just one fairway in his round.
Crawford, who competed in the U.S. Open Championship for a second straight year, and has played in a bunch of national invitationals this summer, saw his round unfold in almost the exact fashion as Ault. He made the turn in 3 under after birdies on Nos. 12, 15 and 16 (par 5, 560 yards).
He made eight pars and one bogey coming home.
“I felt like I struck it pretty decent. I putted the ball well, too. I just didn’t get that many putts to go,” said Crawford, 23, Bensalem, Pa. “I’m pretty happy with the round. It’s a big good test of golf.”
Crawford is a former Patterson Cup champion. He won the 2015 edition at Chester Valley Golf Club.
There are 17 players within four shots of the lead.
The Patterson Cup also serves as the final two rounds of the Silver Cross. 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.
Bradbeer and Aaron Fricke of Lancaster Country Club are tied for the lead at 214. Standing two shots back are BMW Philadelphia Amateur Champion Gregor Orlando of Philadelphia Cricket Club and defending Patterson Cup and two-time reigning Silver Cross Champion Jeff Osberg of Huntingdon Valley Country Club.
Osberg finished even in the Patterson’s opening round. The 33-year-old Osberg opened in 4 over, but made four birdies coming in to finish level. His final birdie coming on the treacherous No. 17 (par 3, 229 yards), where he ripped a 2-iron and drained the 25-foot birdie putt.
“After the first nine holes, I started thinking about the Silver Cross and not the tournament,” said Osberg, the two-time reigning William Hyndman, III Player of the Year. “I told myself to keep it under control and try to hit better shots.”
NOTES–Thursday’s final round will feature Wilmington Country Club’s South Course playing at a total of 7,160 yards. Just 12 yards shorter than Day 1, the course will feature two 600-plus par fives. No. 3 will play at 634 yards and No. 16 will play at a length of 610 yards. This will be the first time in Golf Association of Philadelphia history that two par fives will be played at greater than 600 yards.
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 151 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.
Name, club | Score |
Peter Bradbeer, Merion Golf Club | 68 |
Christopher Ault, Yardley Country Club | 69 |
Christopher Crawford, Spring Mill Country Club | 69 |
Benjamin Smith, Huntingdon Valley Country Club | 70 |
James Kania, Jr., Overbrook Golf Club | 70 |
Danny Harcourt, Mercer Oaks Golf Course | 71 |
Gregor Orlando, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 71 |
Jeff Osberg, Huntingdon Valley Country Club | 71 |
Michael McDermott, Merion Golf Club | 71 |
Austin Barbin, GAP Junior eClub | 72 |
John Barone, Glenmaura National Golf Club | 72 |
Peter Barron, III, Stone Harbor Golf Club | 72 |
Mark Benevento, Jr., Greate Bay Country Club | 72 |
David Hicks, Wildwood Golf & Country Club | 72 |
William Jeremiah, Bidermann Golf Club | 72 |
Cole Berman, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 72 |
Aaron Fricke, Lancaster Country Club | 72 |
Jarred Texter, Conestoga Country Club | 72 |
Thomas Dzwonczyk, Country Club of Scranton | 73 |
Brian Gillespie, St. Davids Golf Club | 73 |
Brock Kovach, Berkshire Country Club | 73 |
Max Siegfried, Aronimink Golf Club | 73 |
Michael R. Brown, Jr., Lu Lu Country Club | 73 |
Conrad Von Borsig, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 73 |
Jay Whitby, Wild Quail Golf & Country Club | 73 |
P.J. Acierno, Lu Lu Country Club | 74 |
Dan Bernard, Aronimink Golf Club | 74 |
Carey Bina, Radnor Valley Country Club | 74 |
Robert Firth, Jr., Commonwealth National Golf Club | 74 |
J.D. Hughes, LedgeRock Golf Club | 74 |
Glenn Smeraglio, Lu Lu Country Club | 74 |
Dawson Anders, Indian Valley Country Club | 74 |
Michael Cook, Applebrook Golf Club | 74 |
Doug Ergood, Tavistock Country Club | 74 |
David Liotta, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club | 74 |
Paul Mauer, Stonewall | 74 |
Scott McNeil, Bala Golf Club | 74 |
Patrick McRae, West Chester Golf & Country Club | 74 |
Daniel Altieri, Makefield Highlands Golf Club | 75 |
Geoffrey Cooper, North Hills Country Club | 75 |
Matthew Davis, Aronimink Golf Club | 75 |
Thomas Gramigna, Tavistock Country Club | 75 |
Sam Soeth, White Manor Country Club | 75 |
Nicholas Biondi, Glenmaura National Golf Club | 75 |
Steve Cerbara, Jericho National Golf Club | 75 |
Matthew Mattare, Saucon Valley Country Club | 75 |
Erik Reisner, The ACE Club | 75 |
Michael Davis, Aronimink Golf Club | 76 |
Ben Feld, Huntingdon Valley Country Club | 76 |
Ryan Gelrod, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 76 |
Kevin Kramarski, Riverton Country Club | 76 |
Ben Litt, Riverton Country Club | 76 |
Connor McNicholas, Lu Lu Country Club | 76 |
Brendan Bacskai, Applebrook Golf Club | 76 |
Gary McCabe, Jr., RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve | 76 |
Adam Mistretta, Silver Creek Country Club | 76 |
Michael Stamberger, Manasquan River Golf Club | 76 |
John Mikiewicz, Fox Hill Country Club | 77 |
Sean Seese, Huntingdon Valley Country Club | 77 |
Matt Smith, Wilmington Country Club | 77 |
Zachary Barbin, GAP Junior eClub | 77 |
Carlos Fullerton, Brookside CC of Allentown | 77 |
Rodney James, Five Ponds Golf Club | 77 |
Jack Melville, Lu Lu Country Club | 77 |
R.J. Wren, Applecross Country Club | 77 |
Failed to qualify | |
Chuck Briggs, Bala Golf Club | 78 |
Michael Carr, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 78 |
Scott Ehrlich, White Manor Country Club | 78 |
Brian Fischer, Commonwealth National Golf Club | 78 |
Nathan Sutherland, LedgeRock Golf Club | 78 |
Mike Sydnes, Talamore Country Club | 78 |
Jason Loehrs, Cobbs Creek Golf Club | 78 |
Stephen Barry, Running Deer Golf Club | 79 |
Danny Dougherty, DuPont Country Club | 79 |
Dan Joseph, Mercer Oaks Golf Course | 79 |
Brad McFadden, Overbrook Golf Club | 79 |
Connor Vanin, Philadelphia Publinks GA | 79 |
Ryan Carroll, Chester Valley Golf Club | 79 |
Liam McAnally, Applecross Country Club | 79 |
Ron Robinson, Commonwealth National Golf Club | 79 |
Ryan Rucinski, Fieldstone Golf Club | 79 |
Anthony Sebastianelli, Glen Oak Country Club | 79 |
Connor Sheehan, Conestoga Country Club | 79 |
Lodie Van Tonder, Sakima Country Club | 79 |
Jack Wallace, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 79 |
Corey Betham, Philadelphia Publinks GA | 80 |
Liam McGrath, Huntingdon Valley Country Club | 80 |
Greg O’Connor, Bellewood Country Club | 80 |
Todd Vonderheid, Huntsville Golf Club | 80 |
Mark Wachter, DuPont Country Club | 80 |
Chris Anderson, Wilmington Country Club | 80 |
Matthew Balcer, Bensalem Township Country Club | 80 |
Ed Brown, Wild Quail Golf & Country Club | 80 |
Buddy Hansen, IV, Blue Bell Country Club | 81 |
Mike Kacelowicz, Schuylkill Country Club | 81 |
Scott McKean, Chester Valley Golf Club | 81 |
Dan Rudershausen, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club | 81 |
Dylan Chessher, Wild Quail Golf & Country Club | 81 |
Matthew Finger, DuPont Country Club | 81 |
Clark Holle, Mercer Oaks Golf Course | 81 |
Richie Kline, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club | 81 |
Kevin Kornuszko, Spring Mill Country Club | 81 |
Chris Lange, Jr., Overbrook Golf Club | 81 |
Michael Shevlin, Sr., Philadelphia Publinks GA | 81 |
Rob Streit, Jr., North Hills Country Club | 81 |
Mark Agnew, Hartefeld National | 82 |
Matt Bierer, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve | 82 |
James Gillespie, Little Mill Country Club | 82 |
Joey Russo, Laurel Creek Country Club | 82 |
Adam Warner, Tavistock Country Club | 82 |
Alexander Butler, Bluestone Country Club | 82 |
David Kim, Commonwealth National Golf Club | 82 |
Steve Oh, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 82 |
David West, Whitford Country Club | 82 |
John Samaha, Old York Road Country Club | 83 |
Grant Skyllas, LedgeRock Golf Club | 83 |
Alex Cook, Waynesborough Country Club | 83 |
Kevin Karabin, Glen Oak Country Club | 83 |
D.J. Pinciotti, III, Huntingdon Valley Country Club | 83 |
Ronald Jamarowicz, White Clay Creek Country Club | 84 |
Stephen Seiden, Llanerch Country Club | 84 |
Chris Meares, Running Deer Golf Club | 84 |
Tom DiCinti, Old York CC at Chesterfield | 85 |
Jamie Slonis, Tavistock Country Club | 85 |
David Gall, Riverton Country Club | 86 |
Andrew Kotler, Cherry Valley Country Club | 86 |
Mark Farley, Lu Lu Country Club | 87 |
Frank Petrash, IV, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 87 |
Jacob Hanzel, Running Deer Golf Club | 88 |
Jonathan Radick, Spring Mill Country Club | 90 |
Blake Hinckley, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club | DQ |
Trey Croney, Applebrook Golf Club | NS |
Michael Moffat, Lu Lu Country Club | WD |
Marty McGuckin, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve | WD |
Sean Semenetz, Philadelphia Cricket Club | WD |
Christopher Thude, Union League Golf Club at Torresdale | WD |
John Brennan, Philadelphia Cricket Club | WD |
Scott McLaughlin, Lu Lu Country Club | WD |
NS-no show; DQ-disqualification; WD-withdrawal |