#GAPMidAm Qualifying: Five Ponds

Anderson medals in #GAPMidAm Qualifying at Five Ponds

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WARMINSTER, Pa. – GAP is back.

The GAP (Golf Association of Philadelphia) Major circuit officially teed off Saturday at Five Ponds Golf Club (par 71, 6,464 yards). After a year hiatus from conducting Qualifying events, medalist honors were back up for grabs in the first of four Middle-Amateur Championship Qualifying events.

That honor went to LedgeRock Golf Club’s Josh Anderson, who fired a 1-under 70 — the day’s lone sub-par round — to secure the top spot.

A windy, overcast day hosted 95 players vying for the championship proper, set to be played May 26-27 at Lookaway Golf Club. The cut line stopped at 4-over 75, meaning 26 players punched tickets to the 38th #GAPMidAm.

Anderson, 41, of Morgantown, Pa., began his debut GAP event on No. 10 (par 4, 375 yards) with “one of the worst tees shots I’ve ever hit in my life.” Despite the miscue, he scrambled for an up-and-down par after a flushed 4-iron approach that settled the swift swinger. Anderson then got his first birdie to fall on the par-4, 357-yard 13th after his approach wedge shot nestled to 10 feet and was jarred. Next up was a birdie on the par-5, 540-yard 15th which dropped from 25 feet. Before the turn, another birdie fell after a wedge from 85 yards nestled up to three feet and was knocked in. A 7-iron dart on the par-3, 167-yard 7th hole led to another 20-foot red digit and his last of the day. Despite a bogey on Five Ponds’ finisher, it all equaled the impressive 1-under 70 round for Anderson.

“After the shaky start with the tee shot, I knew I needed to grab a birdie and I was able to,” said Anderson. “Once that fell, I knew that if I made a few more, that I would have some comfort coming in. I was able to kind of just focus on pars and avoiding creeks and things like that once I made the turn. I was kind of cheering on the rest of my group because they were all right around par. It was really fun out there.”

The GAP neophyte, who moved to Morgantown from Ohio in 2019, made a big splash in his first competitive season in the Keystone State. Anderson captured both the Berks Country Golf Association Amateur and Public Links Championships in 2020. He was unable to compete in GAP events due to no Qualifying events on tap in 2020. However, 2021 is a different story, as evidenced by today’s medal performance.

“When I moved here, I was trying to figure out what I was going to compete in. Obviously, I wasn’t able to do any Qualifying events for GAP last year. So I’m excited for that chance this season,” said Anderson.

Now, after today’s medal honors, he’ll turn his attention to chasing a GAP Major trophy. His debut will come at Lookaway in a few weeks, a course he’s never seen before. However, after joining LedgeRock in November, he’s more than familiar with Rees Jones-designed courses. It fits his style — and his scores.

“I’ve played a lot at LedgeRock so I know that style well,” said Anderson. “I played well today without seeing the course beforehand. Plus it’s always nice to have your name at the top of the leaderboard. I’m excited to play in a few weeks at Lookaway now.”

GAP
Celebrating Amateur Golf since 1897, GAP, also known as the Golf Association of Philadelphia, is the oldest regional or state golf association in the United States. It serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. The Association’s 300 Member Clubs and 80,000 individual members are spread across the Eastern half of Pennsylvania and parts of Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey. The GAP’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.