Geoffrey Cooper heads Mid-Am Qualifier at Wedgwood CC

  TURNERSVILLE, N.J. – Geoffrey Cooper of Laurel Creek CC earned medallist honors with an even-par 72 at Wedgwood Country Club (par 72, 6,974 yards) to be the forerunner in a field of 93 attempting to earn one of 34 qualifying spots for the Middle-Amateur Championship. This qualifier is the second of two Golf Association of Philadelphia Middle-Amateur Championship qualifiers used to help determine who will play in the contest. The first qualifier was held last Thursday at Honeybrook Golf Club (par 70, 6,317 yards) with 46 players qualifying.

  Cooper, 29, of Philadelphia, is now part of the 132-player field set to compete for the Middle-Amateur Championship on May 23-24 at Commonwealth National GC.

  Cooper parred 10 holes, registered four birdies and as many bogeys to qualify in the top spot Wednesday under ideal weather conditions.

  When asked what particular hole stood out during his even-par round, Cooper immediately pointed to No. 13 (par 4, 435 yards), where he found himself in the water hazard.

  Up until that point, he was 1-under through 12 holes.

  “I went in the water and ended up making a five for bogey,” Cooper said. “I hit a 4-iron to just get it over the water, chipped it to within five feet and made a putt for bogey. That kept my round going.”

  Cooper quickly got back under par two holes later on No.15 (par 4, 449 yards) where he drilled his driver, hit a 9-iron from 160 yards out and sunk 15-foot birdie.

  “That got me back to 1-under,” Cooper said. “After that, all I wanted to do was keep it in the fairway and I thought I would be OK.”

  The other top five qualifiers were Ryan Gelrod (Commonwealth National GC) with a 74 and Dave Smith (Doylestown CC), Bill Murray (Merchantville CC) and Rand Mendez (Fieldstone GC) all carding 75s.

  As the day came to an end, the cut-line landed on 81, with a three-man playoff competing for the final qualifying position.

  Chris Lange of Overbrook GC won the 2005 Middle-Amateur Championship at Spring Mill CC last year with 145.