Golden Oaks GC duo wins Father & Son (Younger)

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. – Bob Fair and his stepson Daniel Lee of Golden Oaks GC carded a 2-over-par 74 at Sunnybrook GC (par 72, 6,532 yards) Wednesday to win the 52nd Father & Son (Younger) Championship.

   “We fit together like a puzzle,” Lee, 16, said.

   “We just didn’t leave each other in any bad places,” Fair, 45, added.

   The Fleetwood, Pa. residents agreed that consistent and complimentary play dictated their round.

   “He hit some really solid approach shots,” Fair said.

   “And he took care of the putting,” Lee added.

   Collectively, Fair and Lee fired birdies on Nos. 5 (par 3, 126 yards), 7 (par 5, 520 yards) and 13 (par 4, 387 yards). Fair stuck his 7-iron to about seven feet, and Lee converted the birdie putt on No. 5.

   “That’s kind of the way the day went,” Fair said.

   After Lee’s tee shot – a driver – on No. 7 found the fairway, Fair knocked a hybrid about 185 yards. With 80 yards left to the flagstick, Lee again stuck his approach – a lob wedge – to about two feet.

   “He left me with an easy birdie putt,” Fair said.

   “That was one of the major ones, too,” Lee added.

   On No. 13, Fair poked an 8-iron to about six feet, and Lee cleaned up the putt. The duo took advantage of the opportunity to play in this year’s event. Lee usually spends his summers away from home with his grandparents.

   “He only has one year left to play younger,” Fair said. “Since he’s home, I wanted him to play in the Berks County and Philadelphia stuff.”

   Jack and Michael Gregor of Huntingdon Valley CC won the Junior-Junior Division with a score of 1-under-par 71.

   “He was the horse. He was the star, that’s for sure,” Michael, 46, said.

   The Gregors, of North Whales, Pa., fired birdies on Nos. 8 (par 3, 167 yards), 12 (par 4, 344 yards), 15 (par 3, 144 yards) and 16 (par 5, 504 yards). On No. 8, Michael drove his 8-iron to about 15 feet, and Jack converted the birdie putt. Michael’s 8-iron again tested Jack’s putting on No. 12 as his approach landed about 25 feet from the flagstick. Jack drained the birdie putt.

   Jack, 13, stuck his 6-iron to five feet, and his dad cleaned up the birdie putt on No. 15. The very next hole, Michael knocked his wedge 100 yards to leave Jack with a 6-footer for birdie.

   This is the second Junior-Junior title for the Gregors. The duo won in the Father & Son (Younger) in 2006 at Trenton CC.

   Randy and Davis Mitchell of Wilmington CC placed second by registering a 1-over-par 73.

   “We just played very consistent golf,” Randy, 48, said. “We started with nine straight pars. We played well all day. We were in the fairway all day. We weren’t chipping all day. We weren’t in any trouble.”

   The Wilmington, Del. residents registered birdies on Nos. 3 (par 5, 488 yards) 5, par 3, 126 yards) and 8 (par 3, 167 yards). Standing about 125 yards from the flagstick, Randy stuck his 9-iron to about three feet, and Davis, 11, cleaned up the putt. Davis returned the favor on No. 5 by knocking his 6-iron to three feet.

   This marks the Mitchell’s first appearance in the Father & Son Younger. The duo almost didn’t participate. Randy wasn’t aware of the event until friends and tee-mates Andrew and Mortan Hobbs, also of Wilmington CC, brought it to his attention.

   Needless to say, the Mitchells were glad they entered.

   “We love to play together. It’s just great,” Randy said. “He makes up for my mistakes. He’s pretty good for his age.”

   The Father-Son (Younger) tournament is for those father and son teams with sons up to the age of 17. It’s the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s biggest one-day event of the year. Wednesday’s field at Sunnybrook GC consisted of 238 players.