PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. — Even though the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s Father & Son (Younger) is a riding-only event, Michael Gregor walked a lot Thursday. And it wasn’t to search for countless lost golf balls. He let his son Jack operate the golf cart as a last-minute preparation for his driver’s license test.
Although the Huntingdon Valley Country Club members used different modes of transportation for most of the day, they collectively navigated Plymouth Country Club (par 72, 6,388 yards) with precision and power. Michael and his son Jack carded a 2-under-par 70 to take the tournament’s 55th edition. The North Wales, Pa. residents captured the Father & Son (Younger) Junior-Junior Division in 2006 and 2009.
“He’s getting better with scoring and understanding not always to hit driver,” Michael said. “He hits fairway woods off tees to keep himself under the hole sometimes. He’s figuring out that pars are just fine and you don’t have to hit it at every flag and try to birdie every hole. He’s working harder at it. That’s what I’ve noticed the most.”
Starting on the back nine, the Gregors opened their championship quest with a birdie. Jack crushed a drive on No. 10 (par 4, 296 yards) to the end of the fairway. Michael knocked a wedge 60 yards to five feet. The Gregors fired consecutive red figures on Nos. 12 (par 3, 170 yards) and 13 (par 5, 493 yards). Jack, an incoming junior at La Salle High School, hit a 7-iron to 20 feet and Michael executed the birdie putt on the first. Jakc’s powerful 5-iron shot on No. 13 traveled 210 yards and stopped 20 feet from the flagstick. A two-putt for birdie moved the duo to 3 under.
Before the pedal reached the floor, however, the Gregors swerved a bit on No. 15 (par 4, 400 yards). A pair of errant tee shots led to a double bogey.
“It was a community of bad shots on the entire hole,” Michael, 49, said.
The downhill par 5, 523-yard 17th marked another bump in the road. Michael tried to punch a 4-iron along the right, but pulled it left into the hazard. After taking a drop, Jack nestled a wedge onto the green to 15 feet, but Michael couldn’t convert the par putt. The Gregors avenged the error with a birdie on No. 18 (par 5, 503 yards). Jack again hammered a drive, leaving Michael with a 180-yard 7-iron shot that reached the putting surface. Two putts for a 4 gave the Gregors subpar status to begin their inward trek.
Jack’s length again boosted the team on No. 6 (par 4, 322 yards). A “perfect” 3-wood from the youngster put Michael 50 yards from the flagstick. He knocked a wedge to 10 feet, and Jack cleaned up the birdie putt. The Gregors detoured from their red figure road after a three-putt bogey on the par 3, 146-yard No. 7, but returned to the pavement with a birdie on No. 9 (par 4, 389 yards). Standing underneath a tree, Jack punched a pitching wedge 100 yards to 30 feet below the hole location.
“I had no fear and got lucky on that one,” Michael said of the birdie putt. “We talked about it and went with the straight read. Luckily, it hit the back of the hole and stayed in.”
A rash of injuries have hampered Jack’s golf game over the last year. At the outset of the 2011 tournament season, he suffered an upper-back/shoulder injury that doctors couldn’t diagnose. (“It was kind of a freak accident that sort of healed itself,” Jack said). Lower back problems later that year limited his effectiveness on the course. Jack dislocated his shoulder last month to add injury to, well, injury.
Health-wise, Jack now appears to be back on track. He qualified for match play in the First Flight of the GAP Junior Boys’ Championship earlier this week. Thursday’s victory alongside his dad Michael is perhaps a sign that the physical setbacks are long gone.
“I’m better now, so hopefully it stays that way,” Jack said.
Junior-Junior Division
Colman and Randy Mitchell of Wilmington Country Club and Louis and Louis John Giovi of Yardley Country Club carded respective 5-over-par 77s to finish as co-champions in the Junior-Junior Division.
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 145 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.
Junior Division
Name, club
Score
Jack Gregor/Michael Gregor, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
70
Davis Mitchell/Randy Mitchell, Wilmington Country Club
71
Tom Gergel/Jack Gergel, West Chester Golf & Country Club
72
Clement Erhardt/Reilly Erhardt, Trenton Country Club/Yardley Country Club
73
Mike Beaty/Evan Beaty, Plymouth Country Club
73
Jonathan Liu/Grant Liu, Commonwealth National Golf Club
74
Frankie Brigidi/Frank Brigidi, III, Philadelphia Cricket Club
75
Kevin Conners/Kevin Conners, Jr., Applecross Country Club/Whitford Country Club
75
Donald Dissinger/Peter Dissinger, Merion Golf Club
76
Zach Wintsch/Joe Wintsch, Bellewood Golf Club
77
Paul Altieri/Steven Altieri, Hopewell Valley Golf Club
77
William Thornton, Jr./Evan Thornton, LedgeRock Golf Club/Berkshire Country Club
77
Mac Walsh/Michael Walsh, III, Aronimink Golf Club
77
Daniel Lenhardt/Stephen Lenhardt, Plymouth Country Club
77
John Quirk/Jack Quirk, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
77
Brad Ebersole/Steve Ebersole, The Ridge at Back Brook
78
Cody Smith/Gary Smith, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
78
Matthew Bastian/Matthew Bastian, Jr., Rolling Green Golf Club
79
Charles Clark/John Clark, West Chester Golf & Country Club
79
Ryan Kelly/Kevin Kelly, Philadelphia Cricket Club
80
Wally Swiger/Cole Swiger, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
80
Robert Firth/Robert Firth, Jr., Commonwealth National Golf Club
80
Kevin Melnick/Zachary Melnick, Plymouth Country Club
80
Christopher Chizauskie/Thomas Chizauskie, Concord Country Club/The Springhaven Club
81
Paul Altieri/Daniel Altieri, Hopewell Valley Golf Club
81
Hugh Farris/John Farris, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
81
Perry Landis/Tucker Landis, Moselem Springs Golf Club
81
Jay Losty/James Losty, Merion Golf Club
82
Michael Barychewsky/Michael Barychewsky, Spring Mill Country Club/Yardley Country Club
82
Eric Perez/Fernando Perez, Brookside C.C. of Allentown
82
Carlos Fullerton/Jim Fullerton, Brookside C.C. of Allentown
83
Regan Erhardt/Clement Erhardt, Yardley Country Club/Trenton Country Club
83
Chris Binet/Brian Binet, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
83
Nolan Dirienzi/Ron Dirienzi, Rolling Green Golf Club
83
Joseph Rueter, Jr./Joseph Rueter, Huntingdon Valley Country Club/Torresdale-Frankford Country Club
83
Michael Reed-Price/Robert Reed, Sunnybrook Golf Club
83
Christopher Ade/Matthew Ade, Riverton Country Club
84
Neal Levitsky/Kevin Levitsky, Wilmington Country Club
84
Jack McAleese/John McAleese, III, Aronimink Golf Club
85
Rick Studer/Eric Studer, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
85
Jeffrey Henderson/Jack Henderson, Gulph Mills Golf Club
86
Quinn Dolan/Kevin Dolan, Rolling Green Golf Club
86
Jake Mingione/Matt Mingione, Plymouth Country Club
86
Matthew Duman/Scott Duman, Laurel Creek Country Club
86
John Nabial/James Nabial, Cherry Valley Country Club
87
Douglas Gregor/Andrew Gregor, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
87
Jack Hirsh/Laurence Hirsh, Philadelphia Cricket Club
87
Hank Kaufmann/Ron Hipple, Yardley Country Club/Bensalem Township Country Club
87
Christian Portale/Joseph Portale, Concord Country Club
87
Mitchell Pinheiro/Tanner Pinheiro, Stonewall/Philadelphia Junior Tour
87
Jake Fazio/Michael Fazio, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
88
Bryan Fernandes/Victor Fernandes, Laurel Creek Country Club
88
Thomas McGrath/Liam McGrath, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
89
David Lowry/Zachary Lowry, White Manor Country Club
89
Patrick Clearkin/Brendan Clearkin, Old York Road Country Club
90
John Farris/Jack Farris, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
91
Michael Patterson/James Patterson, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
92
Tripp Davis/Owen Davis, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
92
Tom Barbine/Anthony Barbine, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
94
Ken Jones/Timothy Jones, Riverton Country Club
94
Michael Gradisek/William Gradisek, Stonewall
95
Ernie Sims/Magnus Sims, Overbrook Golf Club
96
Ryan Brennan/Matthew Brennan, Sr., Rolling Green Golf Club
96
Daniel Yahr/Harold Yahr, Talamore Country Club
97
Trey Fallows/Ralph Fallows, Laurel Creek Country Club/Moorestown Field Club
99
Jeffrey Mehallick/Tyler Mehallick, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
101
James Anthony, V/Jim Anthony, IV , Bensalem Township Country Club
102
Chris Matteo/Nick Matteo, Lu Lu Country Club
107
Patrick Gillespie, Jr./Patrick Gillespie, III, Overbrook Golf Club
108
Junior-Junior Division
Name, club
Score
Randy Mitchell/Colman Mitchell, Wilmington Country Club
77
Louis Giovi/Louis John Giovi, Yardley Country Club/Old York CC at Chesterfield
77
Bill Civitella/Billy Civitella, Aronimink Golf Club
78
Matthew Civitella/Matthew Civitella, Waynesborough Country Club
78
Nate Menon/Sanand Menon, LedgeRock Golf Club
81
David Kottler/Andrew Kottler, Cherry Valley Country Club
81
Colin Motherway/James Motherway, Cherry Valley Country Club
82
Dan Bastian/Matthew Bastian, Rolling Green Golf Club
83
Gregg Wallace/Andrew Wallace, Green Valley Country Club
83
Stever Boham/Connor Boham, Spring Ford Country Club/Skippack Golf Club at Evansburg State Park
83
Scott Pfeiffer/David Pfeiffer, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
85
Andrew Desjardins/Jay Desjardins, Waynesborough Country Club
86
Alec Ryden/Brad Ryden, Laurel Creek Country Club
87
James Gillespie/James Gillespie, Jr., Concord Country Club
87
Mark Schoeller/Brent Schoeller, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
87
Ryan McHugh/Stephen McHugh, Philadelphia Junior Tour/Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
87
Bill Civitella/Kevin Civitella, Aronimink Golf Club
88
Rich Weise/R.J. Weise, Old York CC at Chesterfield
88
Patrick Loftus/Liam Loftus, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
89
Darren Nolan/Brendan Nolan, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
90
Thomas Finn/Patrick Finn, Cavaliers Country Club
90
Ryan Susanin/Peter Susanin, Overbrook Golf Club
91
Mark Lafond/Matthew Lafond, Blue Bell Country Club
91
Patrick Loftus/Patrick Loftus, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club/North Hills Country Club
91
Charles Hurchalla/Zachary Hurchalla, Stonewall/Philadelphia Junior Tour
91
Ernie Sims/Gavin Sims, Overbrook Golf Club
92
Rob Moses/Robbie Moses, Concord Country Club
92
Rob Sitzler/Jake Sitzler, Burlington Country Club
92
Paul Bizzaro/Paul Bizzaro, II, Deerwood Country Club
94
Mark Fuessinger/Stephen Fuessinger, Llanerch Country Club
94
George Griffaton/Ben Griffaton, Brookside Country Club
94
John Bartos/Drew Bartos, Saucon Valley Country Club
94
Cory Hunter/John Hunter, Commonwealth National Golf Club
94
James Greenhalgh/Alexander Linn, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
94
James Berg/Paul Berg, The Springhaven Club
95
Frank Gregor/Frankie Gregor, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
95
Matthew Brennan, Sr./Matthew Brennan, Rolling Green Golf Club
95
Richard Sposato/Richie Sposato, Llanerch Country Club
95
Doug Gregor/Wade Gregor, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
96
Christopher Mezzanotte/James Mezzanotte, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
98
Bruce Cowgill/Matt Cowgill, Whitford Country Club
100
Dan Lafond/Jack Lafond, Blue Bell Country Club
100
William Binder/William Binder, IV, Lookaway Golf Club
101
Chuck Clifford/Drew Clifford, Spring Ford Country Club
103
John McClatchy/Tim McClatchy, Whitford Country Club
105
Russ Bleiler/Dean Bleiler, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
105
Joe Calabretti/Joe Calabretti, Jr., North Hills Country Club
110
Stephen Phenneger/Michael Phenneger, Saucon Valley Country Club
123
