Andrew Keeling said he’s “just a guy who loves golf.” An unassuming young soul who calls Kennett Square Golf & Country Club home and visits the course daily to work on his game.
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Spurred on by a reliable driver and clutch putter, the 27-year-old GAP newcomer stunned the 36th Middle-Amateur Championship field at Rolling Green Golf Club (par 70, 6,780 yards) by carding the lowest opening-round score in the event’s history, a 5-under-par 65. That record-setting performance gives the Kennett Square, Pa. resident a two-stroke advantage heading into Thursday’s second and final round.
With possible inclement weather, there will be a two-tee start beginning at 7:30 a.m.
Will Davenport of Whitemarsh Valley Country Club, in his first Mid.-Am, and Jeff Osberg of Pine Valley Golf Club are tied in second place at 3 under.
The final grouping of Keeling, Davenport and Osberg begins on No. 1 at 9:20 a.m.
The cut line fell at 9 over with 72 players advancing.
Defending champion Michael Hyland of Little Mill Country Club carded a 2-over 72 and is tied for ninth. This was Hyland’s first competitive event since lumbar discectomy surgery on March 15.
“I’m just a guy who loves golf [and] had a record day for myself,” said Keeling of posting his lowest career score. “My goal was to get a Top 15. I thought it was out there. The course is playing to my strong suits with me putting well. I think I hit every fairway with my driver today, so when you have that and a wedge in, it shouldn’t be all that tough.”
Keeling, who made the cut in last year’s Mid.-Am. on the number, stated his intentions early and often.
He started the day on No. 1 (par 4, 417 yards) by jarring a 50-degree wedge from 120 yards for an eagle two. He added a second red figure on No. 5 (par 4, 418 yards) with a 10-foot birdie and then, on No. 7 (par 5, 520 yards), knocked a 5-iron from 200 yards onto the green before eventually converting a five-footer for birdie. He turned in 4 under.
On the challenging No. 10 (par 3, 237 yards), Keeling drained a six-foot par save to keep his round going before adding to his total on No. 11 (par 4, 431 yards). He rapped a 54-degree wedge from 115 yards to 20 feet and made the putt to go 5 under.
His lone blemish came soon thereafter on No. 14 (par 3, 203 yards) when he missed the green short and made bogey but he responded a few holes later on the reachable No. 17 (par 5, 501 yards) when Keeling launched a 6-iron from 190 yards to 40 feet and two-putted for birdie.
“My driver is usually my strong point and I usually struggle with the short game stuff,” said Keeling. “I’ve tried to spend more time putting this year. My ball striking has kind of stayed where it’s been for a long time, but my putting has really come around. I’ve been working on distance control a lot this year and it’s really paying off well with the wedges.”
Keeling missed four greens in his round. He made two sand saves and got up-and-down three out of four times, the lone miss coming on the aforementioned 14th.
Davenport, 26, of Philadelphia, Pa., just completed his first year in The Wharton School MBA Program. The Palm City, Fla. native made a birdie and eagle in his final five holes to shoot up the leaderboard. Finishing on the front nine, Davenport drained a 30-foot eagle on No. 7 to get to 3 under.
Osberg, a two-time William Hyndman, III Player of the Year, is a Middle-Amateur victory short of completing the career grand slam. He thrusted himself into the fray with three straight birdies on Nos. 15-17. On No. 15 (par 4, 380 yards), he knocked a 9-iron from 135 yards to four feet for birdie; on No. 16 (par 3, 162 yards), clipped an 8-iron that stopped just a roll or two shy of going in; and on No. 17, ripped a 6-iron from 195 yards to 50 feet and two putted for birdie.
“Obviously I want to win all of them,” said Osberg, 34, of Bryn Mawr, Pa. “It’s extremely important for me to play well in this event and hopefully today put me in contention for tomorrow.”
GAP
Celebrating Amateur Golf since 1897, GAP, also known as the Golf Association of Philadelphia, is the oldest regional or state golf association in the United States. It serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. The Association’s 274 Full Member Clubs and 75,000 individual members are spread across the Eastern half of Pennsylvania and parts of New Jersey and Delaware. The GAP’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.
Name, club | Score |
Andrew Keeling, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club | 65 |
William Davenport, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club | 67 |
Jeff Osberg, Pine Valley Golf Club | 67 |
Stephen Dressel, St. Davids Golf Club | 70 |
Ben Feld, Green Valley Country Club | 70 |
Gregor Orlando, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 70 |
Andy Beittel, Manufacturers’ Golf & Country Club | 71 |
Matthew Finger, DuPont Country Club | 71 |
Michael Hyland, Little Mill Country Club | 72 |
Bryan Keeling, Spring Mill Country Club | 72 |
Matthew Mattare, Saucon Valley Country Club | 72 |
Michael McDermott, Merion Golf Club | 72 |
Zach Arsenault, Little Mill Country Club | 73 |
Scott Ehrlich, Waynesborough Country Club | 73 |
Scott Forrester, Lu Lu Country Club | 73 |
Andrew Mason, Huntingdon Valley Country Club | 73 |
David Shields, Flourtown Country Club | 73 |
Eric Williams, Honesdale Golf Club | 73 |
Ashley Brasfield, Rolling Green Golf Club | 74 |
William Jeremiah, Bidermann Golf Club | 74 |
Marc Mandel, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 74 |
Sean McMonagle, Tavistock Country Club | 74 |
Steve Skurla, White Manor Country Club | 74 |
Thomas Timby, Jr., Mercer Oaks Golf Course | 74 |
Stephen Barry, Running Deer Golf Club | 75 |
Dwight Diorio, Rolling Green Golf Club | 75 |
Joseph Fabrizio, Jr., Aronimink Golf Club | 75 |
Brian McDermott, Llanerch Country Club | 75 |
Scott McNeil, Bala Golf Club | 75 |
Rich Owsik, Rolling Green Golf Club | 75 |
Glenn Smeraglio, Lu Lu Country Club | 75 |
Jason Troutman, Frosty Valley | 75 |
Jason Wilson, Philadelphia Publinks GA | 75 |
Christopher Ault, Yardley Country Club | 76 |
Robert Bechtold, Fieldstone Golf Club | 76 |
Brendan Borst, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 76 |
John Brennan, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 76 |
Michael Carr, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 76 |
Geoffrey Cooper, North Hills Country Club | 76 |
Matthew Crescenzo, Philmont Country Club | 76 |
Chris Esbenshade, Bent Creek Country Club | 76 |
John Lalley, Llanerch Country Club | 76 |
John Samaha, Old York Road Country Club | 76 |
Sean Seese, Huntingdon Valley Country Club | 76 |
Garrett Basalyga, Cedarbrook Country Club | 77 |
Daniel Charen, Makefield Highlands Golf Club | 77 |
Marc Fillari, Pennsauken Country Club | 77 |
Thomas Gramigna, Tavistock Country Club | 77 |
Oscar Mestre, Overbrook Golf Club | 77 |
Michael Moffat, Lu Lu Country Club | 77 |
Kevin O’Brien, Cedarbrook Country Club | 77 |
Regan Papariello, St. Davids Golf Club | 77 |
James Sullivan, Jr., Lu Lu Country Club | 77 |
Lodie Van Tonder, Sakima Country Club | 77 |
Todd Vonderheid, Huntsville Golf Club | 77 |
P. Chet Walsh, Philadelphia Country Club | 77 |
Scott Bergson, Little Mill Country Club | 78 |
Daniel Feeney, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 78 |
Scott McLaughlin, Lu Lu Country Club | 78 |
Benjamin Smith, Huntingdon Valley Country Club | 78 |
Conrad Von Borsig, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 78 |
Brandon Capone, Mercer Oaks Golf Course | 79 |
Benjamin Cooley, Huntingdon Valley Country Club | 79 |
Brandon Dalinka, The Ridge at Back Brook | 79 |
Andy Kerestesy, Running Deer Golf Club | 79 |
Keith Matt, Talamore Country Club | 79 |
Kevin McDermott, Llanerch Country Club | 79 |
Rand Mendez, Fieldstone Golf Club | 79 |
Philip Potter, Radley Run Country Club | 79 |
Rich Pruchnik, Downingtown Country Club | 79 |
Cory Reighard, Llanerch Country Club | 79 |
Samuel Sherrill, Downingtown Country Club | 79 |
Connor Vanin, Philadelphia Publinks GA | 79 |
Failed to qualify | |
Gregg Angelillo, Moselem Springs Golf Club | 80 |
Mark Czerniakowski, Lu Lu Country Club | 80 |
Gary Daniels, Applebrook Golf Club | 80 |
James Gardas, Glenmaura National Golf Club | 80 |
Eddie Johnson, Llanerch Country Club | 80 |
Chris Lange, Jr., Overbrook Golf Club | 80 |
Brendan May, North Hills Country Club | 80 |
James O’Connor, Penn Oaks Golf Club | 80 |
Michael Stamberger, Manasquan River Golf Club | 80 |
Scott Storck, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 80 |
Michael Tash, The Springhaven Club | 80 |
Jarred Texter, Conestoga Country Club | 80 |
David Waxman, Little Mill Country Club | 80 |
Adam Bracy, Tavistock Country Club | 81 |
Doug Fedoryshyn, Concord Country Club | 81 |
Carlo Fitti, Llanerch Country Club | 81 |
Mark Lowrie, Rolling Green Golf Club | 81 |
Brandon Murdock, Llanerch Country Club | 81 |
James Berenato, Llanerch Country Club | 82 |
William Breskman, Rolling Green Golf Club | 82 |
Luis Diaz, Rancocas Golf Club | 82 |
Zach Dilcher, Hartefeld National | 82 |
Shawn Lavin, Rolling Green Golf Club | 82 |
Nick Madden, Lu Lu Country Club | 82 |
Michael Olson, Medford Village Country Club | 82 |
Jamie Slonis, Tavistock Country Club | 82 |
Ryan Barnett, The ACE Club | 83 |
Todd Baron, Philadelphia Publinks GA | 83 |
David Blichar, Olde Homestead Golf Club | 83 |
Neil Gordon, Five Ponds Golf Club | 83 |
Ryan O’Donnell, Rolling Green Golf Club | 83 |
Jh Park, Blue Bell Country Club | 83 |
Cory Calvert, Country Club of Scranton | 84 |
Robert Harrington, Merion Golf Club | 84 |
Jonathan Radick, Spring Mill Country Club | 84 |
Joe Zulli, Trump National Golf Club – Philadelphia | 84 |
Dan Bernard, Aronimink Golf Club | 85 |
Brett Cybulski, Merchantville Country Club | 85 |
Doug Gordon, Rolling Green Golf Club | 85 |
Taylor Kellogg, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 85 |
Chris Meares, Running Deer Golf Club | 85 |
Steve Oh, Philadelphia Publinks GA | 85 |
Michael Rogers, Overbrook Golf Club | 85 |
Joseph Russo, Laurel Creek Country Club | 85 |
Joe April, Waynesborough Country Club | 86 |
Kenneth Matt, Talamore Country Club | 86 |
David West, Philadelphia Publinks GA | 86 |
Dan Ayars, Running Deer Golf Club | 87 |
Dan Rudershausen, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club | 87 |
James Gillespie, Little Mill Country Club | 88 |
Dan Close, Woodcrest Country Club | 89 |
Brett Wallace, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club | 89 |
Rick James, Doylestown Country Club | 90 |
Francis Nattle, Philadelphia Publinks GA | 91 |
Kyle Pritchard, Olde Homestead Golf Club | 92 |
Clay Davidson, West Shore Country Club | NC |
Tom Grady, Radley Run Country Club | WD |
Philip Mortell, III, Honeybrook Golf Club | WD |
Grant Skyllas, LedgeRock Golf Club | WD |
Richard Umani, Honeybrook Golf Club | WD |
NC-no card; WD-withdrawal |