Little Mill CC’s Hyland nabs Marston Cup

  MOHNTON, Pa.– Thomas Hyland of Little Mill CC fires five birdies under spectacular course conditions to take the third edition of the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s Marston Cup Wednesday at LedgeRock GC (par 72, 6,765 yards) with a 1-under-par 71.

 “I made more birdies today than I usually make,” Hyland said. “That’s pretty unusual for me.”

  Hyland edged out the 83-player field, which included the 2007 GAP Mid-Am Champ and LedgeRock Club President Chip Lutz, by one-stroke. Lutz finished tied for second with Kenneth Phillips of Lancaster CC with an even par 72.

  “It was just one of those days that I didn’t have it all going, but I played well and played steady,” said Lutz of playing on is own track. “Whenever you play on your home turf I think it’s added pressure rather than home course advantage. I think it’s sometimes a deterrent.”

  Hyland, who never stepped foot on the course before Wednesday, didn’t have that distraction and started with a birdie out of the gates. From 180-yards out, he left a 5-iron just short and made 30-foot, right-to-left breaking putt from the fringe for birdie.

  “That was great to get off to a good start after having a rough day yesterday,” said Hyland, referring to his disappointing round at yesterday’s USGA Mid-Am qualifier run by the Metropolitan Golf Association where he missed the cut by one stroke.

 Hyland was also able to card birdies on hole Nos. 6 (par 4, 396 yards), 10 (par 3, 194 yards), 12 (par 4, 270 yards) and 16 (par 4, 330 yards) to finish with the only sub-par round of the day.

  “I was never in any real trouble off the tee today,” he said. “I kept it in play all day and that was one of the keys [to my round] along with my putting, because the greens were very challenging.

  The course was absolutely spectacular and the greens were firm and fast,” Hyland said. “It was tough.”

Max Marston
  For four months in the summer of 1923, Marston was America’s best amateur golfer. Between mid-May and mid-September, Marston was virtually unstoppable through a series of club, state, national and international events.

  It began with the Walker Cup Matches where Marston won two matches as the Americans successfully retained the Cup. Marston returned home to capture the Patterson Cup and Amateur Championship in successive weeks and, in doing so, earned the Silver Cross Award. In July, he took the Pennsylvania Amateur title and finished as the low amateur in the Philadelphia Open.

  In September, Marston traveled to Floosmoor Country Club outside Chicago for the U.S. Amateur. He rallied in the second round to defeat tournament favorite Bob Jones, 2&1, before knocking off Francis Ouimet in the semifinals. He stopped defending champion Jess Sweetser in the final on the 38^th hole.

  In that four month span, he also captured the Merion Cricket Club championship and Pine Valley GC’s Crump Cup.

  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 135 Member Clubs and 60,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. The purpose of the Association is simple: To promote, protect and preserve the game of golf in the region.

Results
+4 to 3 handicap
1. Douglas Zelner, Coatesville CC 73
2. John Carullo, Penn Oaks GC 74
3. Charles Dowds, III, Applebrook GC 75

4 to 11 handicap
1. Jim Gavaghan, Torresdale-Frankford CC 77
T2. Michael Ryan, Coatesville CC 78
T2. William Thornton, Jr., Berkshire CC 78