Lu Lu’s Danner, Sand Barrens’ Savarese top Amateur Qualifier

LAFAYETTE HILL, Pa.–Mike Danner of Lu Lu Country Club called his medallist-earning total of 5-under-par 138 in the Amateur Championship Qualifier, a progression. Rob Savarese, Jr., of Sand Barrens Golf Club, who finished a shot back, viewed his effort as a means to complete some “unfinished business.”

  Whatever the plot line or self-motivation, those two, and 30 others, begin the quest for the 108th Amateur Championship tomorrow at 8 a.m. at Whitemarsh Valley Country Club with the first and second rounds.

  On Tuesday, the 121-player Amateur field faced blazing heat and humidity as they began the quest for the J. Wood Platt Amateur Championship Trophy with Whitemarsh Valley CC and Philadelphia Cricket Club (Wissahickon) playing hosts.

  The low 31 players (defending Champion Phil Bartholomew automatically is seeded No. 1) advanced to match play. Danner is the No. 2 seed and Savarese the three seed.

  A four-man playoff for the final three qualifying spots fell at 151. That playoff will be completed tomorrow at 7:45 a.m. In the playoff so far, James Kania, Jr. of Overbrook Golf Club and Eric Schmehl of Moorestown Field Club parred the first hole to advance. David Liotta of Whitemarsh Valley CC and Kevin Genuardi of Cedarbrook Country Club, the other two participants, will continue the playoff, which was called due to inclement weather.

  Both Danner and Savarese entered Tuesday’s qualifier with tempered expectations.

  Danner was carding only his seventh and eighth rounds of the year.

  He finished the day with a 4-under-par 68 in the morning at Whitemarsh and a 1-under 71 at Cricket.

  “It’s been a progressions since I was a kid,” said Danner, 34, of Chalfont, Pa. “I keep trying to get better but it keeps getting harder. I have a 2 ½-year-old and a 1-year-old. I’ve been working a lot. I just haven’t had the chance to play. This was totally unexpected coming out and playing this well.”

  Danner opened his day with a 5-under 31 on his initial front nine at Whitemarsh. He posted four birdies, an eagle and a bogey. His eagle came on No. 5 (par 5, 494 yards) when he rocketed an 8-iron from 171 yards to a couple feet. He finished his initial 18 holes with a birdie, seven pars and a double bogey on No. 18 (par 4, 462 yards). At Cricket, Danner was up-and-down as the heat intensified, carding six birdies and five bogeys.

  “It was a battle out there,” said Danner of playing in the hot weather on two difficult golf courses. “With each swing I just tried to stay in the moment. And with putts, too. It was so hot on the greens. I would just say to myself strike it solid and hit it on-line.”

  Danner’s top finish in the Amateur came two years ago at Torresdale-Frankford Country Club. That year he fell in the semifinals to Paul Rogowicz of Yardley Country Club.

  Savarese has only played a handful of rounds this year himself. The two-time Amateur finalist (1991, 1997) is 42 years old with three young children, a situation similar to Danner.

  “”The smartest thing I did a few years ago was I started taking lessons with John Spina [at Philadelphia Cricket Club],” said Savarese. “It’s taken a few years to work but it’s starting to click. I don’t really need to practice or play much. The nice part is when I miss a shot I know why and I can make adjustments on the fly.”

  Savarese opened with a 3-under-par 69 at Whitemarsh Valley and finished with a 1-under 70 at Cricket. He’s a former member of both.

  At Whitemarsh he was 1-under after nine holes but used an eagle on No. 11 (par 5, 516 yards) to springboard to 3 under when he launched a 2-iron from 224 yards to three feet. A later birdie and bogey put Savarese at 69. At Cricket, four birdies and three bogeys put the Lafayette Hill, Pa., resident in good shape.

  Cole Willcox of Philadelphia Country Club was the only other player in red figures. He posted a two-round total of 2-under-ar 141 (70 at Whitemarsh, 71 at Cricket).

  Bartholomew, the reigning Amateur Champion, finished at 6-over par.—
  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 136 Member Clubs and 56,000 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.