| Scorecards | Rd. 2 Tee times | Notebook | Silver Cross Award standings | History | Day 1 Video |
MALVERN, Pa.–Jeff Osberg, a multiple-time Major Champion, questioned the sanctity of his game prior to the opening of the 113th Joseph H. Patterson Cup on Thursday at Chester Valley Golf Club (par 70, 6,660 yards). So much so, he arrived two hours before his 9 a.m. tee time to work out the kinks.
When Osberg completed Round 1 a few hours later, the wrongs were all right. He turned in a blemish free 6-under 64 to shatter the prior competitive course record (since 2008 renovation) of 67 registered last, ironically, by John Brennan when Chester Valley hosted the Association’s 2012 Middle-Amateur Championship.
Michael Hyland, 36, of Little Mill Country Club, a two-time BMW Philadelphia Amateur Champion, closed with three birdies in the final five holes for 65. Michael McDermott, 40, of Bryn Mawr, Pa., also a two-time BMW Philadelphia Amateur Champion and the 2007 Patterson Cup victor, posted a 68. That threesome is paired together in the final grouping on Friday at 11:20 a.m.
The cut for the low 60 players and ties fell at 76. A total of 72 players advanced to Day 2.
“This week I had some back issues starting off and didn’t get a lot of practice in. I played yesterday and didn’t play well. So I woke up early this morning and figured I needed to work on everything,” said Osberg, winner of the 2010 Patterson Cup and Silver Cross Award. “I worked on the putting, and that didn’t go too well. I worked on some chipping and went to the range and got hitting it OK. I came back and putted some more.
“Starting the first hole I wasn’t overly confident with the putter. I hit it on the front of the green and putted it up to three or four feet left of the hole and started off with a solid two putt. That sort of got things rolling.”
Osberg birdied Nos. 2 (par 5, 574 yards), 3 (par 4, 339 yards) and 5 (par 3, 196 yards) to state his intentions immediately. He knocked in a tricky right-to-left breaker from 10 feet for a 3 on No. 2; knocked a chip shot from 40 yards to five feet on No. 3 and converted a short birdie putt on No. 5 after launching a 6-iron to four feet. On No. 9 (par 4, 380 yards), he hit 2-iron, 9-iron from 160 yards to 20 feet and made the putt to turn in 4 under.
“On the second hole I hit it in the right bunker in two [shots],” Osberg said. “I hit a good bunker shot on the green but had 10 feet sliding a foot right to left and hit it dead center. That when I thought maybe my day wasn’t going to be as bad with the putter as when I woke up.”
Osberg added birdies on Nos. 11 (par 4, 385 yards) and 14 (par 5, 495 yards). On No. 11, he hit a 138-yard pitching wedge to 10 feet and on No. 14 came up short of the green in two shots before knocking a chip up-and-over the bunker from 40 yards to five feet. Osberg finished with solid midrange par saves on Nos. 17 (par 4, 379 yards) and 18 (par 4, 440 yards).
Osberg, 31, of Bryn Mawr, Pa., has dealt with a balky back for some time. He had a second surgery in October 2013. Two weeks ago, the back problems resurfaced after a car accident on Broad Street in Philadelphia, Pa.
“The [back] issue was bad, really bad,” said Osberg. “I couldn’t play on Tuesday of this week. I got in a really significant car accident a couple weeks ago, my car was totaled, and my back has gotten progressively worse. I really couldn’t move on Tuesday. I was telling John [Leighton] my caddie that every morning I wake up I really don’t know how it’s going to be.”
Osberg’s torrid pace on Thursday all but secured a second Silver Cross. Osberg, who led Cole Berman of Philadelphia Cricket Club by three shots entering the day, holds a 12-shot lead on second-place. The Silver Cross is awarded to the player with the lowest aggregate score in the qualifying rounds of the Amateur Championship and the Patterson Cup.
Hyland, who won the BMW Amateur in 2000 and 2011, is gunning for his first Patterson Cup victory. His best finish prior was a second-place showing in 2012, when he carded an opening 68 at Philadelphia Country Club. The second round was rained out.
Hyland’s battled the lefts the last three years and just recently returned to his former swing coach Mike Mack, Burlington’s professional, for a retooling. All the work resulted in today’s showing.
He made the turn in 1 under with a lot of solid, steady play, and when his putter warmed up on the back nine, Hyland, of Medford, N.J., rocketed up the leaderboard. The highlight was a 30-foot birdie putt on No. 15 (par 3, 189 yards). His last red figure came on No. 16 (par 3, 427 yards) when he knocked a wedge from 143 yards to 15 feet. A read from fellow competitor John Samaha’s putt assisted.
“I worked really hard on revamping the golf swing, almost completely. This is the first time [for it] under pressure,” said Hyland. “[Mike Mack] got me out of the snap hooks, which has killed me for the last three years. We’ll see how it works tomorrow.”
Golf Association of Philadelphia
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 151 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.
NOTES–Five players broke par on Thursday, including Michael Davis of Aronimink Golf Club. Davis is fresh off a runner-up finish in the 2015 BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship at Llanerch Country Club where he fell in the final to Cole Berman of Philadelphia Cricket Club … five of seven former Patterson Cup Champions in the field made the cut. Joining Osberg and McDermott moving onto Day 2 were Berman (2014), Smeraglio (1998, 2008) and Brad McFadden (1992).
Name, club | Score |
Jeff Osberg, Huntingdon Valley Country Club | 64 |
Michael Hyland, Little Mill Country Club | 65 |
Michael McDermott, Merion Golf Club | 68 |
Michael Davis, Aronimink Golf Club | 69 |
Michael Johnson, Talamore Country Club | 69 |
Alexander Hicks, Wildwood Golf & Country Club | 70 |
Christopher Crawford, Spring Mill Country Club | 70 |
David Hicks, Wildwood Golf & Country Club | 70 |
John Brennan, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 70 |
Sam Soeth, White Manor Country Club | 70 |
Alex Blickle, LedgeRock Golf Club | 71 |
Justin Hare, Five Ponds Golf Club | 71 |
Mark Farley, Lu Lu Country Club | 71 |
James Gillespie, Wedgwood Country Club | 72 |
Jonathan Radick, Northampton Valley Country Club | 72 |
Marc Oliveri, Jr., Lancaster Country Club | 72 |
Matthew Mattare, Saucon Valley Country Club | 72 |
Nicolas McCook, Applecross Country Club | 72 |
Rodney James, Golden Oaks Golf Club | 72 |
Scott McLaughlin, Commonwealth National Golf Club | 72 |
Benjamin Smith, Huntingdon Valley Country Club | 73 |
Bill Jeremiah, Bidermann Golf Club | 73 |
Daniel Furman, Commonwealth National Golf Club | 73 |
Jack Wallace, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 73 |
Jalen Griffin, Talamore Country Club | 73 |
Kevin Conners, Jr., Whitford Country Club | 73 |
Luke McKeogh, Commonwealth National Golf Club | 73 |
Michael R. Brown, Jr., Links Golf Club | 73 |
P.J. Acierno, Sandy Run Country Club | 73 |
Raymond Thompson, Overbrook Golf Club | 73 |
Robert Savarese, Jr., Philadelphia Cricket Club | 73 |
Russell Hill, Old York CC at Chesterfield | 73 |
Benjamin Cooley, Huntingdon Valley Country Club | 74 |
Brandon Raihl, Heidelberg Country Club | 74 |
Chris Lange, Jr., Overbrook Golf Club | 74 |
David Liotta, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club | 74 |
David West, Whitford Country Club | 74 |
Evan Thornton, LedgeRock Golf Club | 74 |
Grant Skyllas, LedgeRock Golf Club | 74 |
J.B. Bradbeer, Merion Golf Club | 74 |
James O’Connor, Penn Oaks Golf Club | 74 |
Kevin Kramarski, Riverton Country Club | 74 |
Mac Ryan, Overbrook Golf Club | 74 |
Michael Kania, Overbrook Golf Club | 74 |
Nick Calabrese, Edgmont Country Club | 74 |
Patrick Ross, Huntsville Golf Club | 74 |
Ryan Gelrod, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 74 |
Scott McNeil, Bala Golf Club | 74 |
Brian McDermott, Llanerch Country Club | 75 |
Carey Bina, Radnor Valley Country Club | 75 |
Cole Berman, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 75 |
Conor McGrath, Huntingdon Valley Country Club | 75 |
Daniel Rexon, Tavistock Country Club | 75 |
Glenn Smeraglio, Mercer Oaks Golf Course | 75 |
Jason Loehrs, Philadelphia Publinks GA | 75 |
Michael Rogers, Overbrook Golf Club | 75 |
Oliver White, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club | 75 |
Sean Semenetz, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 75 |
Zachary Falone, Rolling Green Golf Club | 75 |
Anthony Sebastianelli, Glen Oak Country Club | 76 |
Ben Feld, Green Valley Country Club | 76 |
Brad McFadden, Overbrook Golf Club | 76 |
Dan Arison, Applebrook Golf Club | 76 |
Evan Notaro, Woodstone Country Club | 76 |
Joe April, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 76 |
Johan van Schalkwyk, Mercer Oaks Golf Course | 76 |
John Samaha, Old York Road Country Club | 76 |
Joseph Russo, Laurel Creek Country Club | 76 |
Mark Benevento, Jr., Greate Bay Country Club | 76 |
Matt Keim, Brookside Country Club | 76 |
Matthew Ade, Riverton Country Club | 76 |
Peter Bradbeer, Merion Golf Club | 76 |
Failed to qualify | |
Aaron Fricke, Lancaster Country Club | 77 |
Bobby Svigals, Radnor Valley Country Club | 77 |
Brian Gillespie, St. Davids Golf Club | 77 |
Brock Kovach, Berkshire Country Club | 77 |
Erik Reisner, The ACE Club | 77 |
Geoffrey Cooper, North Hills Country Club | 77 |
Liam McAnally, Applecross Country Club | 77 |
Mark Hill, Rolling Green Golf Club | 77 |
Matthew Livingston, Lu Lu Country Club | 77 |
Michael Carr, Plymouth Country Club | 77 |
Oscar Mestre, Overbrook Golf Club | 77 |
Peter Barron, III, Stone Harbor Golf Club | 77 |
Alex Bauman, The Ridge at Back Brook | 78 |
Blaine Lafferty, Burlington Country Club | 78 |
Brian Fischer, Commonwealth National Golf Club | 78 |
Evan Galbreath, Philmont Country Club | 78 |
Jack Melville, Lu Lu Country Club | 78 |
Jack Russell, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 78 |
John Barone, Glenmaura National Golf Club | 78 |
Marc Mandel, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 78 |
R.J. Wren, Applecross Country Club | 78 |
Robert Wurtz, Jr., Philadelphia Cricket Club | 78 |
Roland Massimino, Jericho National Golf Club | 78 |
Connor Sharp, Union League Golf Club at Torresdale | 79 |
Evan Brown, Hartefeld National | 79 |
Jack Gregor, Huntingdon Valley Country Club | 79 |
Kyle Henofer, Indian Valley Country Club | 79 |
Mark Kosko, Sea Oaks Golf Club | 79 |
Michael Cook, Applebrook Golf Club | 79 |
Robby Rowe, Bent Creek Country Club | 79 |
Sean Coyle, Llanerch Country Club | 79 |
Adam Warner, Tavistock Country Club | 80 |
Ben Keyser, Woodcrest Country Club | 80 |
G. Patrick Dougherty, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 80 |
Matthew Crescenzo, Philmont Country Club | 80 |
Max Hirsh, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 80 |
Scott McKean, Chester Valley Golf Club | 80 |
William Naylor, Applebrook Golf Club | 80 |
Greg O’Connor, Bellewood Country Club | 81 |
John Murphy, II, Wildwood Golf & Country Club | 81 |
Matt Kocent, White Manor Country Club | 81 |
Fraser Graham, Rolling Green Golf Club | 82 |
Gerard Rosato, Plymouth Country Club | 82 |
Leland Weaver, Hartefeld National | 82 |
Troy Thierolf, Commonwealth National Golf Club | 82 |
Fran Begley, Wedgwood Country Club | 83 |
Matthew Gaffney, Little Mill Country Club | 83 |
Thomas Fisher, North Hills Country Club | 83 |
Chris Esbenshade, Bent Creek Country Club | 84 |
James Robertson, Llanerch Country Club | 84 |
Kyle Ginty, Talamore Country Club | 84 |
Quinn Dolan, Rolling Green Golf Club | 85 |
Brian Dempster, Mercer Oaks Golf Course | 86 |
David Gall, Riverton Country Club | 86 |
Robert Dietrich, Loch Nairn Golf Club | 86 |
Patrick O’Brien, North Hills Country Club | 87 |
Jamie Slonis, Tavistock Country Club | WD |
Max Siegfried, Aronimink Golf Club | WD |
Roc Irey, Lookaway Golf Club | DQ |
Troy Vannucci, Little Mill Country Club | WD |
DQ-disqualification; WD-withdrawal |