CNGC’s Teesdale holds Round 1 lead of Patterson Cup

*Round 2 Tee Times | *Scorecards | *Day 1 photos | *VIDEO: Matt Teesdale interview | *VIDEO: Braden Shattuck interview | *Patterson Cup History *Silver Cross Award Standings | *Silver Cross Award History

HADDONFIELD, N.J.–Matt Teesdale is no longer an Association revelation. The rising Temple University senior has morphed into a scintillating sensation.

  Teesdale, of Commonwealth National Golf Club, posted a Tavistock Country Club (par 72, 6,818 yards) competitive course record of 6-under-par 66 on Wednesday in the opening round of the 112th Joseph H. Patterson Cup. He leads by one stroke heading into tomorrow’s final 18 holes.

  Tee times start at 7:30 a.m. with the leaders; Teesdale, Braden Shattuck of the Golf Course at Glen Mills and Cole Berman of Philadelphia Cricket Club beginning at 10:50 a.m.

  Teesdale entered the Patterson off a victory in the 110th Open Championship exactly two weeks ago, his first in the Golf Association of Philadelphia. A win tomorrow opens a chest of treasures. It would be Teesdale’s first Patterson victory; it would secure the Silver Cross Award and likely result in a coronation atop the William Hyndman, III Player of the Year. In a bit of an oddity, a triumph would mirror the 2013 accomplishments of Owls’ teammate Brandon Matthews.

  “I’m just trying to keep playing good golf,” said Teesdale, 23, of Maple Glen, Pa. “I figured if I could take advantage of the par 5s, I would definitely have a good chance to shoot a good number. My game plan was to birdie the par 5s and par everything else.”

  Teesdale, who started at 8:40 a.m., opened his round with a bogey. He finished with seven birdies and 10 pars.

  He responded to the first-hole bogey with a two-putt birdie on No. 2 (par 5, 544 yards) after hitting the green from 219 yards with a 5-iron and stopping the ball 25 feet from the hole. He added another two-putt birdie on the par 5, 552-yard 5th and then another on No. 6 (par 4, 426 yards) after dropping a 6-iron from 180 yards to five feet.

  On the back nine, Teesdale, who finished second to Matthews a year ago, heated up. He knocked a wedge from 20 yards to two feet on No. 10 (par 4, 341 yards); lofted an 80-yard sand wedge to eight feet on No. 12 (par 4, 415 yards) and on No. 15 (par 5, 542 yards) drove over the left trees before knocking a pitching wedge from 124 yards to 15 feet, where he two putted. On the final hole, Teesdale closed it out in style. He soared a 9-iron from 140 yards to 20 feet left and below the hole. He drained the putt from the right side door.

  Teesdale’s birdie on No. 15 was a bit of good fortune. And indicative of the roll he’s been on. Initially, his ball appeared destined for a woody grave. Instead it cleared the trees and found the left rough with a perfect angle to the flag.

  “I thought if I couldn’t find it I was going to give at least two back to the field,” said Teesdale. “I knew that was the play though because I hit 2-iron in the practice round yesterday. There is a lot more real estate down there than the top right of the fairway.”

  No. 15 is a dog-leg left of almost 90 degrees.

  Shattuck was a late entrant into Thursday’s final grouping.

  Playing in the afternoon, the 19-year-old Aston, Pa. resident birdied three of his final four holes for a closing 31 (he played the front nine last). The highlight, a chip-in on No. 6 (par 4, 426 yards) from 20-yards out in the right rough for a 3. He closed with a 5-iron to seven feet on No. 8 (par 3, 211 yards) and a 115-yard sand wedge to 20 feet on No. 9 (par 4, 357 yards) for red figures.

  The cut line fell at 76 with 61 players advancing to Day 2.

  As previously stated, Teesdale remains a strong candidate to take 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 both rounds in the Patterson Cup.

  He holds a five-shot lead on Aaron Fricke of Honeybrook Golf Club and six-shot edge on Michael McDermott of Merion Golf Club.

  A total of 22 players finished at even-par or better.

  Berman’s 4-under 68 could have huge Junior Division implications. The two-time reigning Junior Player of the Year will find a third straight season-ending honor with a top finish.

  Lurking three shots back is Jeff Osberg of Huntingdon Valley Country Club. Osberg won the 2010 Patterson Cup.

  “I played well enough to shoot a good score like Matt did but clearly you don’t want to leave yourself out of the tournament on the first day,” said Osberg, 30, of West Chester, Pa. “I’d say it’s good to be in the hunt. It’s going to be tough to make up three strokes on [Matt].”

Golf Association of Philadelphia
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