McDermott heads tight pack at Middle-Amateur Championship

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.-Michael McDermott of Llanerch CC will look to dispose the demons of a year ago when he begins the final round of the 21^st Middle-Amateur Championship tomorrow. McDermott, who carded a 2-under-par 69 in Wednesday’s opening round at Gulph Mills GC (par 71, 6,322 yards), was atop the leaderboard after Day One last May when his game decided it needed a vacation.

  McDermott floundered with a second-round 77 on Philadelphia Cricket Club’s Wissahickon Course and finished fifth.

  “Last year’s second round was about as low [a point] in a round [of golf] as I can remember,” said McDermott, 29, of Havertown, Pa. “Hopefully, I learned from that and [tomorrow] can make the [field] play well to catch me.”

  McDermott heads a tightly-bunched group. A total of 34 players are within five shots of the leader. Also carding red figures were Jamie Slonis of Tavistock CC, Gui Costin of Merion GC and P. Chet Walsh of Philadelphia CC. All three players registered 1-under-par 70s.

  Four players are at even-par 71.

  Defending champion Rob Savarese, Jr., of Philadelphia Cricket Club carded a 76, 5-over-par.

  McDermott appeared to be heading for a round deep in the 60s. After the first 12 holes (he started on the back nine), the reigning Golf Association of Philadelphia Player of the Year was 4-under-par. He posted a birdie on both No. 13 (par 4, 405 yards) and No. 16 (par 4, 392 yards) – with a 4-wood and sand wedge to eight feet – before carding a three on the par 5, 18^th (428 yards). Straight uphill, McDermott rifled a 4-wood and 7-iron to a couple feet.

  “When I got to 4 under, I started to get a little nervous and tentative,” said McDermott. “I really hadn’t played that much tournament golf [before today].” McDermott stated he’s only played in two invitationals and one team match prior to Wednesday.

  Those nerves equated to a bogey and double-bogey on the ensuing two holes. But a birdie on the seventh (par 5, 468 yards), got McDermott back to his finishing number of 2 under.

  And when asked about atoning for last year’s uncharacteristic struggles. “I’m ready to go.”

  McDermott is a former champion of the event. He captured the Middle-Amateur Championship in 2001.

  Slonis and Costin, who played in the same group in the morning, netted 1-under-par 70s, as did Walsh.

  Slonis, 35, of Sewell, N.J., 2002 Patterson Cup champion, carded a bogey, a double bogey and four birdies in his round. Costin, 37, of Radnor, Pa., like McDermott, was 4 under after 12 holes before a string of bogeys. Walsh, 39, of Wayne, Pa., carded two birdies, an eagle and three bogeys, including a 6-iron on No. 18 (his ninth hole) to three feet.

  Both players are looking for their first Middle-Amateur Championship titles.

  The Middle-Amateur Championship is open to players 25 or older who have a handicap index of 7.0 or less.

  This is the third year the event is 36 holes. From its inception in 1984 through 2000, it had been just a one-day, 18-hole test.

  A total of 71 players made the cut from the initial field of 132.