Jones, Fieger, Rothaus, Yenser combine to win Senior Four-Man

July 19, 2018

BLUE BELL, Pa. — A bad back kept Philadelphia Country Club’s Michael Nilon out of the game Thursday at Blue Bell Country Club (par 71, 5,826 yards). The injury, however, didn’t keep him from recruiting championship-caliber talent to replace him.

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  Receiving the ringer phone call was Five Ponds Golf Club’s Brian Rothaus, who jumped in with Philadelphia Publinks GA’s Buck Jones and Chris Fieger, plus Raven’s Claw Golf Club’s Jim Yenser. The fateful foursome featured 13 birdies en route to a 13-under total of 129 and a Senior Four-Man Team victory Thursday.

  The champions were decided in a match of cards between three groups. Jones, Fieger, Rothaus and Yenser edged the team of Christopher Clauson, Edward Erickson, Ray Pyontek and Greg Buliga and a Little Mill Country Club group of Bill Cregar, Thomas Hyland, Carlos Ochoa and Joseph Roeder for the victory. The USGA-recommended tiebreaking method begins with back-nine totals. The champions went 9 under on the back, while Buliga’s team fell one short at 8 under, followed by the Little Mill foursome’s 4-under stretch.

  Team totals in the event, which hosted 37 squads, are determined using the two best balls of four.

  Jones and Yenser are past champions of the event, having teamed with Nilon and John LeBoeuf to take the 2016 title at Philmont Country Club. Their experience and expertise steadied the team to the top, aided by a 4-under round by Fieger, who also was a new addition to the lineup.

   “We were a good team out there together. Communication was key,” said Jones, 67, of Collegeville, Pa., a former Blue Bell member.

  Starting on Blue Bell’s back, their day began with Fieger and Jones birdies on No. 10 (par 3, 175 yards), where Fieger fired a smooth 7-iron to 15 feet and got the putt to drop while Jones took 6-iron, put it to 25 feet and rolled it in.

   “Those were good ones to get the round going,” said Fieger, 55, of Denver, Pa. “It was the perfect way to start.”

  Double birdies arrived again on No. 14 (par 5, 487 yards). Both Jones and Rothaus had 50 yards in on their approach shots, flipping wedges onto the dance floor, where Rothaus rolled in an eight-footer on top of Jones’ 15-foot birdie make. Jones would keep the hot streak going with two more red numbers on Nos. 15 (par 4, 389 yards) and 16 (par 3, 138 yards). A 4-hybrid approach from 182 yards out on 15 skipped up to five feet leading to a red 3. On 16, Jones chose 7-iron off the tee. It was the correct call, as he’d put that to two feet and tapped in.

  Consecutive birdies from Fieger on Nos. 17 (par 5, 465 yards) and 18 (par 4, 340 yards) got the group to 9 under at the turn. Understandably so, the leaders were feeling good.

   “We felt like our [birdie streak] was going to go on forever. We made a ton of putts there on our first nine,” said Fieger.

  On No. 7 (par 5, 384 yards), the champs got two 4s to fall. Both Rothaus and Yenser narrowly missed on 12-foot eagle putts, but tapped in for their birdies. Feiger capped off the day with a birdie on No. 9 (par 5, 480 yards), after a hybrid approach from 216 yards settled on the front of the green followed by a two-putt.

  Thirteen-under par. Game, set, match.

  While only four birdies would fall on the back, compared to nine on the front, it was enough to claim the day’s top spot. Fieger finished the day at 4-under 67, Jones at 2-under 69, Rothaus at 2-over 73 and Yenser at 8-over 79. While the red-numbered rounds stick out on paper, it was the group as a whole that earned the W.

   “There weren’t a ton of putts falling on the back for us, and we had a few lip outs that should have gone in. But we also had some solid pars, so it felt good to contribute those,” said Rothaus, 62, of Huntingdon Valley, Pa.

  Also contributing, via a post-game phone call with the champions, was Nilon, once again.

   “I expected you guys to go lower than that,” said Nilon, 69, of Gladwyne, Pa., to the table.

  Fieger’s addition to the foursome, thanks to his newly-gained Senior eligibility, was a collective one that paid off. Rothaus, in result of Nilon’s keen eye for talent, helped round out the group. The chemistry clicked, early and often.

   “I was just happy to go along for the ride today,” said a laughing Yenser, 57, of Birdsboro, Pa. “The first title we won, I had a little more say in the score. Today, not so much, but it was still a great day.”

  A great day, with perfect skies overhead, it was. The Senior Four-Man may feature a “relaxed playing environment compared to the GAP Open”, running simultaneously over at St. Davids Golf Club, but it’s a trophy opportunity many have tried for.

  Few have succeeded.

   “No matter which event it is, it’s always great to win a Golf Association of Philadelphia event. We’re happy to take this one. It’s special to win it,” said Jones.

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 260 Full Member Clubs and 75,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. 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.