Llanerch’s Osberg does it again, tops U.S. Amateur Qualifier

  MALVERN, Pa. — It’s now safe to label Jeff Osberg a favorite when it comes to U.S. Amateur Championship Qualifiers. He’s earned medalist honors in events administered by the Golf Association of Philadelphia two of the last three years. Make that three of the last four after Wednesday’s performance.

  Osberg lived up to his reputation and didn’t disappoint. The Llanerch Country Club member carded a superlative 5-under-par 137 to finish as the low qualifier at a humid Applebrook Golf Club (par 71, 6,787 yards) and Waynesborough Country Club (par 71, 6,960 yards). Six qualifying positions were available for the Championship proper, set for Aug. 13-19 at Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, Colo.

   “I play pretty conservatively. I know that it’s a grind and I don’t get discouraged if I start off badly,” Osberg, 28, of Manayunk, Pa., said. “Making it through a few times gives the confidence in knowing how the grind is going to be. You know not to get too down on yourself or too excited. You try to control your emotions, and I was able to do that.”

  Osberg’s day was one that could’ve tempted the 2010 Patterson Cup titleholder to ride an emotional rollercoaster. He experienced all of golf’s wonders: nine birdies, three double bogeys, two bogeys an eagle and an ace. The seismic smasher started with a birdie on No. 1 (par 5, 516 yards) at Applebrook. He hammered a 5-iron to 20 feet and two-putted. He drove it left of the No. 3 (par 4, 310 yards) green and flopped out from the fescue to an inch. Osberg played his first 11 holes in 2 under and sweetened the scorecard with an eagle on No. 12 (par 4, 368 yards). He holed out for eagle with a wedge from 141 yards. Osberg posted a 6 on the par 4, 453-yard 13th hole after a lost ball. Birdies on Nos. 14 (par 4, 444 yards) and 18 (par 4, 453 yards) put Osberg at 4 under after 18 holes. Overall, ten players posted subpar scores in the morning session.

  As temperatures escalated into the 100-degree range, so did Osberg’s game. Starting on the back nine at Waynesborough, Osberg fired consecutive birdies on Nos. 11 (par 4, 415 yards) and 12 (par 4, 338 yards). He stuck a gap wedge 111 yards to eight inches on the first, a chip to 15 feet on the latter after nearly driving the green. A 4-iron into the bunker on the difficult par 3, 250-yard 17th hole led to a double bogey. Osberg responded with a birdie on the next hole. He flighted a 4-iron 225 yards over a tree-line to 35 feet and two-putted for birdie on No. 18 (par 5, 539 yards). He added another red figure on No. 1 (par 4, 363 yards), smacking a sand wedge 95 yards to three feet.

  Osberg hooked his drive into the left tree-line and eventually carded a double bogey on No. 3 (par 4, 435 yards). Then came the ace. Osberg conquered the 188-yard No. 4 with a smooth 7-iron.

  “I just wanted to make a good swing,” he said. “It took one hop and trickled right into the cup. I knew I was pretty much in control at that point.” It marked his second hole-in-one, but first in competition.

  Two hole-outs in one day.

   “I can’t remember the last time I holed out a shot that wasn’t a chip or a pitch,” Osberg said.

  Osberg will now compete in his third U.S. Amateur, hoping to make match play for the first time.

   “It’s something special to qualify for. It’s a big honor to play in it,” he said. “This year is especially great because my dad (Rick) played in the U.S. Open and PGA Championship at Cherry Hills. I was happy when I saw this on the calendar.”

  Also booking their flights to Cherry Hills Wednesday were Brandon Dalinka of The Ridge at Back Brook, Cory Siegfried of Philadelphia Country Club, Michael Johnson of Talamore Country Club and White Manor Country Club’s Brian Colbert and Cameron Liebert. Both Colbert, the reigning GAP Amateur Champion, and Dalinka, of Newtown, Pa., finished at 4-under-par 138. Colbert will be playing in his second U.S. Amateur, Dalinka his first.

   “My putter kept me in it,” Dalinka, 19, an incoming sophomore at the University of North Carolina, said. “I was very fortunate to have it going today”

   “I’m excited,” Colbert, 22, of Bryn Mawr, Pa., said. “I was just really steady all day.”

  NOTES — Play was suspended at both sites for an hour due to lighting … Osberg wasn’t the only player to have a hole-in-one. Stephen Lavenets of Roughemont, N.C. aced the par 3, 145-yard 14th hole at Waynesborough with a 7-iron.

  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.