WEST CHESTER, Pa. — Michael Heidler, an assistant professional at Berkshire Country Club, and Glenn Smeraglio, an amateur out of Mercer Oaks Golf Course, carded respective 3-under-par 68s to share medalist honors in a Golf Association of Philadelphia Open Championship Qualifier at Penn Oaks Golf Club (par 71, 6,527 yards). Both players led a field of 156 players hoping to earn one of 31 qualifying positions available for the Championship proper, set for July 17 at Waynesborough Country Club.
A conservative philosophy allowed Heidler to excel.
“Keeping it in play and out of trouble were the keys,” Heidler, 24, of Gilbertsville, Pa., said. “I didn’t three-putt anything.”
An eagle on the par 5, 478-yard No. 3 granted Heidler with subpar status — a label he would never relinquish. Heidler hit an 8-iron 160 yards to 30 feet above the hole location and sunk a slight left-to-right slider. He moved to 3 under with a birdie on No. 6 (par 4, 379 yards), thanks to a 150-yard 9-iron shot to five feet. A bogey on the downhill par 3, 207-yard No. 8 temporarily skewed his round. Heidler caught the right greenside bunker with a 3-hybrid and failed to get up-and-down. He immediately rebounded with a 3 on No. 8 (par 4, 379 yards), knocking a 9-iron 140 yards to five feet. Heidler entered his inward tour hoping to add another red figure to the scorecard; instead, he settled for nine consecutive pars, one of which was a scramble of sorts. On the par 4, 333-yard 16th hole, Heidler deposited his 7-iron approach into the front left bunker and blasted out to five feet for a sharp sand save.
Monday’s qualifier marked Heidler’s competitive debut in 2013. When asked why he decided to audition, the Eastern Kentucky University graduate replied: “to play in tournaments that mean something.” Heidler was equally straightforward regarding his expectations for Waynesborough.
“To win,” he said.
Heidler will also attempt to qualify for the Pennsylvania Golf Association Open Championship next month at Whitford Country Club.
A trio of back nine birdies boosted Smeraglio onto the medalist platform. On No. 10 (par 4, 421 yards), he cranked a wedge 140 yards to a foot.
“The ball was really traveling far with the heat,” Smeraglio, 53, of Newtown, Pa., said. “A couple times I hit my irons farther than I expected. I had it dialed in a little bit to take a little bit off.”
Smeraglio inked back-to-back red figures on Nos. 14 (par 4, 439 yards) and 15 (par 3, 165 yards). On the first, he again hit a downhill wedge 145 yards to 12 feet below the hole location. Smeraglio stopped an 8-iron at 25 feet on the latter and proceeded to convert a right-to-left breaker.
“I made a lot of four and five footers,” he said. “To make all of those was really a bonus. All and all it was a very good day.”
Smeraglio, who qualified for match play in last week’s Amateur Championship at Aronimink Golf Club, began his qualifying bid with a birdie, knocking a 60-degree wedge to 12 feet on No. 1 (par 4, 330 yards). He returned that stroke with a bogey on No. 2 (par 4, 440 yards) thanks to a drive that found the fairway bunker. The weather delays, as it turns out, actually help Smeraglio’s play down the stretch.
“When we first started, I was a little weak,” he said. “I ate [during the delay] and it alleviated me a little bit. I was hanging in there in the beginning. It was a long day but very satisfying.”
Smeraglio will next compete in a U.S. Senior Open Qualifier in Garden City, N.J. Thursday.
“I’d like to have this score for there,” he said.
The cut line stopped at 75 with 13 players competing for the final seven qualifying positions.
NOTES—Inclement weather caused two delays yesterday. Play was suspended two hours and 22 minutes in the afternoon. Players were again called off the course at 6:36 p.m. They returned at 8:25 p.m. before stopping 30 minutes later.
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 143 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.
Qualifiers
Name, Club
Score
(a) Glenn Smeraglio, Mercer Oaks Golf Course
68
Michael Heidler, Berkshire Country Club
68
(a) Matthew Crescenzo, Philmont Country Club
71
(a) Jim Rattigan, Schuylkill Country Club
71
(a) Kavian Bina, Radnor Valley Country Club
71
(a) Andrew Lawson, Waynesborough Country Club
72
(a) Grant Skyllas, Moselem Springs Golf Club
72
(a) Michael Carr, Plymouth Country Club
72
(a) Brian Gillespie, St. Davids Golf Club
72
(a) Greg Jarmas, Overbrook Golf Club
72
(a) Ryan Fogel, Penn Oaks Golf Club
72
(a) Cory Siegfried, Aronimink Golf Club
73
Billy Stewart, Golf Galaxy
73
(a) Tim Freeh, Back Creek Golf Club
73
(a) Austin Smith, Huntsville Golf Club
73
(a) Carey Bina, Radnor Valley Country Club
74
(a) Ryan Gelrod, Philadelphia Cricket Club
74
Mark Summerville, Philadelphia Country Club
74
Michael Little, Rolling Green Golf Club
74
Shawn Hall, Radley Run Country Club
74
Anthony Napoletano, Golftec King of Prussia
74
(a) Dan Bernard, Aronimink Golf Club
74
(a) Michael Kania, Overbrook Golf Club
74
Daniel Bolstein, Riverton Country Club
74
(a) *Eric Slawter, St. Davids Golf Club
75
(a) *Mike Amole, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
75
(a) *David West, Whitford Country Club
75
(a) *Blayze DiPasquale, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
75
*Joseph Kogelman, Waynesborough Country Club
75
(a) *Jake Goldenring, Sea Oaks Golf Club
75
(a) *P. Chet Walsh, Philadelphia Country Club
75
Alternates (in order)
(a) *Jeffrey Griest, Waynesborough Country Club
75
(a) *Kevin Conners, Jr., Whitford Country Club
75
(a) *Shawn Lavin, Rolling Green Golf Club
75
*Michael Paukovits, St. Davids Golf Club
75
Failed to qualify
(a) *Simon Hagger, Fieldstone Golf Club
75
(a) *Scott McNeil, Bala Golf Club
75
John Allen, Edgmont Country Club
76
(a) Daniel Myers, French Creek Golf Club
76
(a) Vincent Sirianni, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
76
(a) Robert Dziak, The Springhaven Club
76
(a) Kevin Kramarski, Riverton Country Club
76
(a) Mark Coassolo, Brookside C.C. of Allentown
76
(a) Jake Van Arkel, Merion Golf Club
76
(a) Chuck Lynch, Jr., Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
76
(a) Jimmy Taylor, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
76
(a) Mac Ryan, Overbrook Golf Club
76
John Spina, Philadelphia Cricket Club
77
(a) Daniel Furman, Commonwealth National Golf Club
77
(a) Rodney Anders, Indian Valley Country Club
77
(a) Tom Watchko, Plymouth Country Club
77
(a) Christopher Chizauskie, Concord Country Club
77
(a) Sean Seese, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
77
Greg Matthias, Brandywine Country Club
77
(a) Kyle Ginty, Talamore Country Club
77
Colin Corrigan, Saucon Valley Country Club
77
(a) Tim Godshalk, Whitford Country Club
77
Jordan Gibbs, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
77
(a) Brian Todaro, Rolling Green Golf Club
77
Eric Figueroa, McCall Golf & Country Club
77
(a) Brad McFadden, Overbrook Golf Club
77
(a) Walt Lucki, Golden Oaks Golf Club
77
(a) Jeffrey Shanahan, Applebrook Golf Club
78
(a) Liam Lafferty, Links Golf Club
78
(a) Jimmy Pokorny, Golf Course at Glen Mills
78
Doug Delaney, Sand Barrens Golf Club
78
(a) Robert Coyne, Downingtown Country Club
78
Wesley Hollis, Meadowbrook Golf Club
78
(a) Kenny Engel, Jr., North Hills Country Club
78
Shawn Matthews, Squires Golf Club
78
(a) Tanner Swanson, Penn Oaks Golf Club
78
Hugh Reilly, Jr., Twining Valley Golf Club
78
(a) Dominic Foti, Yardley Country Club
78
(a) David Liotta, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
78
(a) Patrick Murray, North Hills Country Club
79
(a) Tom Horgan, Plymouth Country Club
79
(a) Patrick Shanahan, Applebrook Golf Club
79
Ryan Gray, Honeybrook Golf Club
79
(a) Scott McLaughlin, Commonwealth National Golf Club
79
(a) Matthew Bastian, Jr., Rolling Green Golf Club
79
(a) Zachary Dilcher, Inniscrone Golf Club
79
(a) Justin Smith, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
79
(a) Braden Shattuck, Golf Course at Glen Mills
79
(a) Brian Dempster, Mercer Oaks Golf Course
79
Jason Przystup, Four Seasons GC
80
(a) Trey Swanson, Penn Oaks Golf Club
80
(a) Jimmy Johnston, Merion Golf Club
80
(a) Chris McCann, The ACE Club
80
(a) Nicholas Anderson, White Manor Country Club
80
(a) D.J. Quinn, Links Golf Club
81
Jared Cottell, Country Club at Woodloch Springs
81
(a) J. Kirk Luntey, Merion Golf Club
81
(a) Jason Barkley, Huntsville Golf Club
81
(a) Matt Baer, Broad Run Golfers Club
83
(a) Marc Mandel, Philadelphia Cricket Club
83
(a) Brian Kreamer, Bala Golf Club
83
(a) Mike Hoffman, Broad Run Golfers Club
83
(a) Justin Pak, Honeybrook Golf Club
83
(a) Steven Minnick, Jr., Bala Golf Club
84
(a) Jeff Kiczek, Golf Course at Glen Mills
84
(a) Michael Cook, Applebrook Golf Club
85
(a) Brad Sokol, Green Valley Country Club
85
(a) Joseph Markmann, Talamore Country Club
85
Jim Smith, Jr., Philadelphia Cricket Club
86
(a) Andrew Sterge, Stonewall
86
(a) Nolan Kearney, Honeybrook Golf Club
86
(a) Zach Paris, Penn Oaks Golf Club
88
(a) Gregory Lee, Middletown Country Club
88
Daniel Donohue, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
88
(a) Brendan Papariello, White Manor Country Club
91
Kevin Gainer, Applebrook Golf Club
NS
(a) John Concannon, Concord Country Club
WD
(a) Evan Notaro, Woodstone Country Club
WD
(a) Oscar Mestre, Overbrook Golf Club
WD
(a) Christopher Fuga, Phoenixville Country Club
WD
(a) Tucker Koch, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
WD
(a) Joseph Rueter, Jr., Huntingdon Valley Country Club
WD
(a) R. Morgan Dougherty, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
WD
(a) Ted Brennan, Philadelphia Country Club
DQ
(a) Alex Bauman, The Ridge at Back Brook
WD
(a) Alex Blickle, LedgeRock Golf Club
WD
(a) Paul Acierno, Sandy Run Country Club
WD
(a) Jesse Bingaman, Northampton Country Club
WD
Richard Williams, Indian Valley Country Club
WD
(a) Richard Marabella, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
WD
(a) Jack Russell, Philadelphia Cricket Club
WD
(a) Matthew Ade, Riverton Country Club
WD
(a) Jack Clough, Wilmington Country Club
WD
(a) James Barr, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
WD
(a) Ryan Carroll, Chester Valley Golf Club
WD
(a) Robert Firth, Jr., Commonwealth National Golf Club
WD
(a) Jordan Claffey, Philmont Country Club
WD
(a) Christopher Clauson, Sandy Run Country Club
DQ
(a) Tim Behl, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
WD
(a) James Donnelly, Merion Golf Club
WD
(a) Will Flood, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
WD
(a) Charles Cai, Mercer Oaks Golf Course
WD
(a) Sam Gallen, Berkshire Country Club
WD
Michael Molino, Dick’s Sporting Goods
WD
(a) Michael Beran, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
WD
(a) Jonathon Dutcher, Reading Country Club
WD
Jeff Orleski, Yardley Country Club
WD
(a) Evan Thornton, Berkshire Country Club
WD
(a) Lance Oberparleiter, Laurel Creek Country Club
WD
(a) Blake Vogdes, Wildwood Golf & Country Club
WD
(a) Robert Dietrich, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
WD
Duane Pinnock, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
WD
(a) Joseph Dulka, Bellewood Golf Club
WD
*-determined in playoff; (a)-amateur
DQ-disqualification; NC-no card; NS-no show; WD-withdrawal
