PHOENIXVILLE, Pa. —Chip Lutz added a second jewel in as many days to his burgeoning treasure chest Thursday. Nearly 24 hours removed from winning the Pennsylvania Golf Association’s Senior Better-Ball Championship alongside Robin McCool, the LedgeRock Golf Club member captured the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s Frank H. Chapman Memorial Cup (Gross) at RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve (par 71, 6,425 yards) Wednesday. Lutz, the three-time reigning GAP Senior Player of the Year, continues to build upon his staggering success in the division.
“It was a challenging day for me,” Lutz, 58, of Reading, Pa., said. “I’m starting to find my game a little more so. I’m more comfortable. I was looking forward to today. I wasn’t tired or rung out. I really didn’t have any concerns there. I started out really well. I was really excited, thinking I may be able to keep the pedal down. I had a couple of derailments, and the next thing you know, you have to get your head back around this thing and try to finish.”
Birdies on two of his first four holes represented Lutz’s hot start. He reached a pair of par 5s (No. 2, 495 yards and No. 4, 525 yards) in two strokes and totaled four putts. Lutz, the three-time reigning GAP Senior Player of the Year, executed a routine wedge to seven feet on No. 7 (par 4, 412 yards) to move to 3 under. The wheels began to tilt on the difficult par 4, 310-yard No. 9. After his drive barely held onto the green’s collar, Lutz three-putted for 4.
“I make a bogey where I think I have to two-putt for birdie,” he said. “It ended up being a big swing of emotions at that moment. I’m sort of backing up a bit.”
The backpedaling continued on No. 12 (par 4, 377 yards) as Lutz, thinking he gained 20 yards with a dropdown approach from 100 yards, left his L wedge short. His ensuing pitch bolted 12 feet past the jar, and Lutz missed the comebacker. Clutch par saves on Nos. 13 (par 3, 182 yards) and 14 (par 4, 425 yards), however, kept Lutz in the round. On the latter, he lifted a 6-iron from 185 yards out of the rough and onto the green’s front edge. Lutz then guided a chip to eight feet. An uncharacteristic misfire on the par 3, 140-yard 17th hole exemplified the self-diagnosed mental challenges Lutz faced at RiverCrest. He stopped a pitching at three feet but pulled the birdie putt left. Lutz returned to character on No. 18 (par 4, 425 yards) with a fist-pumping finish. He hit a pitching wedge 130 yards to six feet for a sly 3.
“The course played tough,” Lutz, a GAP Executive Committee member, said. “It’s a lot of local knowledge here and a lot of interesting lines off the tee. There’s a lot of local knowledge with these greens, too.”
As a Senior Division rookie in 2010, Lutz defeated fellow newcomer Michael Domenick of Phoenixville Country Club in a sudden-death playoff to win the Chapman (Gross). He’s missed the event since because of the R&A Seniors Open Amateur Championship, an event that heralds Lutz as its two-time defending champion. This year, in an effort to increase participation, the Golf Association of Philadelphia moved the Chapman (Gross) to the first week of June.
Overbrook Golf Club’s Raymond Thompson carded a 1-under-par 70 to finish a shot back. He deposited a four-footer for birdie on No. 12 (par 4, 377 yards) to move to 2 under, but bogeyed the par 4, 425-yard 14th hole. Thompson’s performance, however, put him at the top of the Senior Silver Cross Award Standings. The Senior Amateur Championship, set for Sept. 3-4 at Huntingdon Valley Country Club, is the award’s final scoring event.
Frank H. Chapman, a Whitemarsh Valley Country Club member, served as the Association’s secretary-treasurer for 23 years. He died on June 7, 1955 at the age of 88. The Gross tournament, now in its seventh year, is held in his honor.
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.
Overall results
Name, club
Scores
Chip Lutz, LedgeRock Golf Club
69
Raymond Thompson, Overbrook Golf Club
70
Steve Javie, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
71
Brian Rothaus, Five Ponds Golf Club
73
Steven Walczak, Wilmington Country Club
74
Christopher Lange, Overbrook Golf Club
75
Frank Corrado, Jr., Jericho National Golf Club
75
Joseph Russo, Laurel Creek Country Club
75
Mark Leaman, Honeybrook Golf Club
75
Marlin Detweiler, Lancaster Country Club
75
Robert Wagner, Merion Golf Club
76
Francis McFadden, Overbrook Golf Club
76
Michael Nilon, Philadelphia Country Club
76
David Richards, Bent Creek Country Club
77
J. Kirk Luntey, Merion Golf Club
77
Rocky Dare, Running Deer Golf Club
77
John Gonsior, Limekiln Golf Club
77
Tom DiCinti, Little Mill Country Club
77
Christopher Clauson, Sandy Run Country Club
78
Jon Lavin, Rolling Green Golf Club
78
Mark Walker, Laurel Creek Country Club
78
Marty Dorminy, Golden Oaks Golf Club
78
George Henninger, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
78
Andrew Harmer, The Springhaven Club
79
Jim Gavaghan, Jericho National Golf Club
79
Mike Owsik, Philadelphia Publinks GA
79
Rich Thon, The Springhaven Club
79
Robert Lodovici, Little Mill Country Club
79
David Smith, Doylestown Country Club
80
John Ward, Greate Bay Country Club
80
Drew Panebianco, Five Ponds Golf Club
81
Gary Daniels, Applebrook Golf Club
81
Richard Custer, Five Ponds Golf Club
81
Richard Lownes, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
81
Richard Umani, Honeybrook Golf Club
81
Robert Billings, Rolling Green Golf Club
81
Alan Wagenschnur, Back Creek Golf Club
82
John Vergari, Tavistock Country Club
82
Michael Domenick, Phoenixville Country Club
82
Robin McCool, Saucon Valley Country Club
82
Kurt Meyers, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
83
Michael Moser, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
83
Michael Vassil, Country Club of Scranton
83
Stan Zabytko, Loch Nairn Golf Club
83
Buck Jones, Philadelphia Publinks GA
83
Ed Chylinski, Chester Valley Golf Club
83
Michael Quinn, Edgmont Country Club
83
Mark Szilagyi, Brookside Country Club
84
James Prendergast, Philadelphia Publinks GA
84
Pierce Herbst, Greate Bay Country Club
85
Michael Dougherty, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
85
Rich Colaguori, Talamore Country Club
85
Frank Kovalcheck, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
86
Mark Metaxas, Jericho National Golf Club
86
Donald Ashley, Philadelphia Country Club
86
Joe Olin, Little Mill Country Club
86
John Reuter, Great Bear Golf Club
87
Steve Meyer, Rolling Green Golf Club
87
Alan Van Horn, Sandy Run Country Club
87
Thomas Mallouk, Lookaway Golf Club
87
Bill Turner, Philadelphia Publinks GA
88
Bill Vostinak, Lehigh Country Club
88
Richard Speranza, Jericho National Golf Club
88
Thomas Hyland, Little Mill Country Club
89
Mike Miklinevich, Greate Bay Country Club
89
Anthony Kondracki, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
90
Fred Giblin, Little Mill Country Club
90
Larry Silk, Greate Bay Country Club
91
Dave Jacobson, Medford Village Country Club
91
Mark Quigley, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
92
James Pickens, Plymouth Country Club
96
Chuck Kraatz, Talamore Country Club
100
Ron Clark, Tavistock Country Club
100
Roc Irey, Lookaway Golf Club
DQ
Arthur Kania, Jr., Merion Golf Club
NC
Gerald Henderson, Blue Bell Country Club
NS
Robert Arthur, Tavistock Country Club
WD
Bob Majczan, Lookaway Golf Club
WD
James Muller, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
WD
Raymond Pawulich, Little Mill Country Club
WD
Robert Dietrich, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
WD
Thomas Mairone, Philadelphia Publinks GA
WD
WD – withdrawal; NC – no card; NS – no show
55-59 Years
Name, club
Scores
Chip Lutz, LedgeRock Golf Club
69
Steve Javie, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
71
Brian Rothaus, Five Ponds Golf Club
73
Steven Walczak, Wilmington Country Club
74
Christopher Lange, Overbrook Golf Club
75
Frank Corrado, Jr., Jericho National Golf Club
75
Joseph Russo, Laurel Creek Country Club
75
Mark Leaman, Honeybrook Golf Club
75
Marlin Detweiler, Lancaster Country Club
75
Robert Wagner, Merion Golf Club
76
David Richards, Bent Creek Country Club
77
J. Kirk Luntey, Merion Golf Club
77
Rocky Dare, Running Deer Golf Club
77
Christopher Clauson, Sandy Run Country Club
78
Jon Lavin, Rolling Green Golf Club
78
Mark Walker, Laurel Creek Country Club
78
Marty Dorminy, Golden Oaks Golf Club
78
Andrew Harmer, The Springhaven Club
79
Jim Gavaghan, Jericho National Golf Club
79
Mike Owsik, Philadelphia Publinks GA
79
Rich Thon, The Springhaven Club
79
David Smith, Doylestown Country Club
80
John Ward, Greate Bay Country Club
80
Drew Panebianco, Five Ponds Golf Club
81
Gary Daniels, Applebrook Golf Club
81
Richard Custer, Five Ponds Golf Club
81
Richard Lownes, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
81
Alan Wagenschnur, Back Creek Golf Club
82
John Vergari, Tavistock Country Club
82
Michael Domenick, Phoenixville Country Club
82
Kurt Meyers, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
83
Michael Moser, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
83
Michael Vassil, Country Club of Scranton
83
Stan Zabytko, Loch Nairn Golf Club
83
Mark Szilagyi, Brookside Country Club
84
Pierce Herbst, Greate Bay Country Club
85
Frank Kovalcheck, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
86
Mark Metaxas, Jericho National Golf Club
86
John Reuter, Great Bear Golf Club
87
Steve Meyer, Rolling Green Golf Club
87
Bill Turner, Philadelphia Publinks GA
88
Thomas Hyland, Little Mill Country Club
89
Anthony Kondracki, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
90
Fred Giblin, Little Mill Country Club
90
Larry Silk, Greate Bay Country Club
91
Chuck Kraatz, Talamore Country Club
100
Ron Clark, Tavistock Country Club
100
Arthur Kania, Jr., Merion Golf Club
NC
Gerald Henderson, Blue Bell Country Club
NS
Robert Arthur, Tavistock Country Club
WD
60 & Over
Name, club
Scores
Raymond Thompson, Overbrook Golf Club
70
Francis McFadden, Overbrook Golf Club
76
Michael Nilon, Philadelphia Country Club
76
John Gonsior, Limekiln Golf Club
77
Tom DiCinti, Little Mill Country Club
77
George Henninger, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
78
Robert Lodovici, Little Mill Country Club
79
Richard Umani, Honeybrook Golf Club
81
Robert Billings, Rolling Green Golf Club
81
Robin McCool, Saucon Valley Country Club
82
Buck Jones, Philadelphia Publinks GA
83
Ed Chylinski, Chester Valley Golf Club
83
Michael Quinn, Edgmont Country Club
83
James Prendergast, Philadelphia Publinks GA
84
Michael Dougherty, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
85
Rich Colaguori, Talamore Country Club
85
Donald Ashley, Philadelphia Country Club
86
Joe Olin, Little Mill Country Club
86
Alan Van Horn, Sandy Run Country Club
87
Thomas Mallouk, Lookaway Golf Club
87
Bill Vostinak, Lehigh Country Club
88
Richard Speranza, Jericho National Golf Club
88
Mike Miklinevich, Greate Bay Country Club
89
Dave Jacobson, Medford Village Country Club
91
Mark Quigley, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
92
James Pickens, Plymouth Country Club
96
Bob Majczan, Lookaway Golf Club
WD
James Muller, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
WD
Raymond Pawulich, Little Mill Country Club
WD
Robert Dietrich, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
WD
Roc Irey, Lookaway Golf Club
DQ
Thomas Mairone, Philadelphia Publinks GA
WD
