Jericho National GC’s McCorriston claims Chapman Cup (Net)

  MALVERN, Pa. – Jericho National GC’s Michael McCorriston prevented his play from falling into a golf abyss Wednesday to claim the Frank H. Chapman Cup (Net) at a polished White Manor CC (par 71, 5,982 yards).

  “I got it up-and-down out of the trash can,” he said. “Recovery shots were huge for me.”

  McCorriston, of Newtown, Pa., posted 40 points to top the 80-player field. Clutch par saves and flatstick effiency sustained his productivity. McCorriston rescued his scorecard from potential bogeys on Nos. 3 (par 3, 194 yards) and 16 (par 4, 366 yards). On the first, he steered his 5-wood far left of the green and ran his chip to within three feet. On the latter, he nuked a 9-iron from 110 yards out over the green, but knocked his ensuing wedge to within inches of the jar.

  McCorriston, 61, also registered four red figures (gross) on the day. On the uphill No. 4 (par 4, 371 yards), he launched a 6-iron 140 yards and executed a 20-footer. His wedge on No. 8 (par 3, 105 yards) settled three feet from the flagstick. McCorriston rifled his 7-iron to 30-feet on No. 12 (par 3, 140 yards) and drained a right-to-left curler. And on No. 15 (par 4, 297 yards), he whacked his wedge 100 yards to 40 feet and watched his under-par chance change directions twice before diving into the cup.

  “Everything I hit today had a lot of pace on it, so I kind of felt that if it hadn’t gone in, there was no guarantee I was going to make the comebacker,” McCorriston said. “Sometimes it just goes that way.”

  The final two holes threatened to keep McCorristion out ofthe winner’s circle. A critical two-putt for par on No. 17 (par 5, 475 yards) gave McCorristion the needed 40 points. That’s because on the par 4, 344-yard 18th hole, McCorriston encountered perhaps the “worst lie he’s had all year” for his second shot. With one leg resting above the other, he topped a fairway wood, then pumped his third shot to the rear left of the green. McCorriston went on to card a triple bogey, but it didn’t matter as he edged clubmmate Brian Jasperse and John Siegrist of Philadelphia Publinks GA by a point.

  Wednesday’s victory marked McCorriston’s first on the GAP circuit. In 2005, he and teammate Richard White, also of Jericho National, lost in a scorecard playoff to David Brookreson and Craig Scott of Huntingdon Valley CC in the Senior Four-Ball Stroke Play at Stone Harbor GC.

  “I’m really happy to do it (win) on my own,” McCorriston said. “It feels gratifying. The course is in great condition. The putts rolled really well. If you missed it, it was your fault. I felt pretty good on the greens.”

  The Chapman Memorial Net was changed to an individual Stableford format in 2008 after two years as an individual net stroke play event. Chip Lutz of LedgeRock GC won the gross portion of Chapman Memorial Cup held at Burlington CC this past July.

  The Chapman Memorial Cup is named for Frank H. Chapman, who served as the Association’s Secretary-Treasurer for 23 years. Players with a USGA Handicap Index of 7.1 and above were eligible to compete in today’s tournament.

Overall
1. Michael McCorriston, Jericho National GC, 40 points
T2. Brian Jasperse, Jericho National GC, 39 points
John Siegrist, Philadelphia Publinks GA, 39 points

7-10 Handicap
1. Richard Turner, Edgmont CC, 38 points
T2. Ed O’Brien, Links GC, 37 points
Donald Galbraith, Stonewall, 37 points

11-14 Handicap
1. Conrad Gack, Five Ponds GC, 38 points
2. Gary Tiller, Talamore CC, 37 points

15 & Over Handicap
1. Robert Elker, Talamore CC, 38 points
2. Ernest Eichenberg, III, Waynesborough CC, 37 points