Hunter bags medalist honors at Open Championship Qual. at Woodstone

DANIELSVILLE, Pa. – Scott Hunter, an assistant professional at Overbrook GC, carded an even-par 72 to earn medalist honors at Monday’s Open Championship qualifier at Woodstone CC (par 72, 6,870 yards).

   Not bad, considering he made the turn at 3-over par.

   “I’m usually a better finisher than a starter for some reason,” Hunter, of Collegeville, Pa., said. “It was just a question of learning the golf course. I only had 11 putts on the backside.”

   After registering pars on his first four holes (Nos. 10-13), Hunter, 35, bogeyed Nos. 14 (par 5, 600 yards), 16 (par 3, 233 yards) and 18 (par 4, 400 yards). He turned things around on his back nine by firing birdies on Nos. 2 (par 4, 394 yards), 4 (par 4, 397 yards), 6 (par 4, 303 yards) and 8 (par 3, 201 yards).

   On No. 4, his 8-iron traveled about 140 yards and landed 12-feet from the flagstick. Hunter teed off No. 8 with a 4-iron, knocked it to about 25 feet and converted the putt for birdie.

   Hunter, who’s been with Overbrook for two years, is anxious to compete in the Open Championship, which will be held at Bent Creek CC on July 22.    “I’m new to the Section here,” he said. “I hear it (the Open Championship) is a great tournament.”

   Adam Condello, an assistant professional at Aronimink GC, and Greg Jarmas of Philadelphia Publinks GA each carded a 1-over-par 73 to finish second. Condello, of Havertown, Pa., felt that he “could’ve hit the ball a lot better than he did.”

   “My chipping and putting really saved me,” he said.

   Condello, 26, fired birdies on Nos. 2 (par 4, 394 yards), 4 (par 4, 397 yards), 13 (par 3, 180 yards) and 17 (par 5, 540 yards). On No. 2, he hit a wedge to about seven feet and drained the ensuing birdie putt. He used an 8-iron for his second shot on No. 4 and hit it to about 20 feet. Condello knocked his 8-iron to about 10 feet on No. 13.

   On No. 17, after knocking his 3-wood to the edge of the green, Condello chipped up to about seven feet and made the birdie putt. Condello anticipates playing among a tough field in the Open Championship.

   “I’m looking forward to the competition,” he said. “It’s a great tournament.”

   Jarmas, of Wynnewood, Pa., indicated that his short game kept him steady at the hill-stricken Danielsville, Pa. venue.

   “I hit the ball really well. I hit a lot of greens,” Jarmas said. “I only had 33 putts, but I felt like I putted a little better than that. This course is hard. It was soft and the greens are fast.”

   The 17 year-old netted 15 pars and one birdie, which he fired on No. 9 (par 5, 483 yards). After driving it into the first leftside hill, Jarmas knocked a hybrid 200 yards and then pitched it to about 10 feet.

   “I barely touched the putt and it rolled down the hill and went in,” he said.

   Jarmas looks forward to competing in this year’s Open Championship.

   “This would be the biggest GAP event that I’ve ever played in,” he said. “I didn’t qualify for the Amateur Championship at Coatesville CC.”

   Jarmas will next try to win this year’s Junior Boys’ Championship, which begins tomorrow at Riverton CC. He reached the quarterfinals last year at Huntingdon Valley CC.

   Fifteen players in the field of 83 qualified for the Open Championship Monday. At the end of the day, the cutline fell to 77.

   The second and final qualifier will be held at Penn Oaks GC on Tuesday, June 30.