Meisenzahl takes Amateur Championship Qualifier medalist honors - The Golf Association of Philadelphia

Jun 14, 2011

Meisenzahl takes Amateur Championship Qualifier medalist honors

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa.–Mike Meisenzahl’s opening qualifying round in the 111th Amateur Championship was moving comfortably along at Manufacturers G&CC – he was even par thru six holes on Tuesday – when it became that day. In a flash, the round went from mundane to extraordinary as Meisenzahl carded a spectacular 5-under 66. Pretty sensational considering it was his first-ever trip to Manufacturers G&CC. Difficult afternoon conditions, occasional rain, wind and the grind of a 36-hole qualifier, slowed the 23-year-old down at North Hills CC (1-over 72), but it didn’t stop Meisenzahl from earning medalist honors and the No. 1 match play seed. He finished the two rounds of the Amateur Championship Qualifier at 4-under-par 138, two shots clear of second-place finishers Robert Galbreath, Jr. of Huntingdon Valley CC and Matt Mattare of Saucon Valley CC.

  “I have nothing other to say than it feels great,” said Meisenzahl, a Medford, N.J. resident. “I talked a lot with my dad that I just wanted to get a good number in the house. My goal was even par. I made a couple good up-and-downs early and then the putter got hot. All of a sudden I started hitting it real close and giving myself opportunities for birdie. I left myself almost the easiest birdie putt on every green.”

  The match play portion of the Amateur Championship begins Wednesday morning at 8 a.m. Meisenzahl will face the last survivor of an eight-player-for-seven-qualifying-positions playoff which begins at 7 a.m.

  A recent James Madison University graduate, Meisenzahl opened his round at Manufacturers G&CC (par 71, 6,587 yards) with six successive pars before that happened and he registered four birdies and an eagle in the next six-hole stretch.

  On No. 7 (par 5, 503 yards), he knocked his hydrid from 240 yards out on the green about 30 feet away and two putted for birdie; on No. 8 (par 3, 105 yards), the iconic drop hole, he stuffed a gap wedge to a foot; on No. 9 (par 5, 472 yards), he hit a 200-yard, 4-iron to 10 feet and drained the eagle try; on No. 11 (par 3, 175 yards), he ripped a 6-iron to 20 feet and holed the ensuing putt; and on No. 12 (par 5, 519 yards), he knocked a hybrid on from 225 yards to 20 feet and two putted.

  Meisenzahl moved to 7 under after draining a smooth 18-foot left-to-right slider on No. 15 (par 5, 540 yards), but got in trouble on the final hole with a poor tee shot and ensuing three putt, his final two-foot bogey effort spinning around the entire hole.

  At North Hills CC (par 71, 6,505 yards), Meisenzahl’s round wasn’t nearly as exciting.

  Starting on the back nine, he registered one birdie and one bogey. One more bogey coming in, on No. 4 (par 5, 620 yards), resulted in a 1-over 72.

  The Amateur Championship Qualifier also serves as the first two rounds of the Silver Cross Award. The Silver Cross is awarded to the player with the lowest aggregate score in the qualifying rounds of the Amateur Championship and the Patterson Cup.

  Last year, Meisenzahl lost the Silver Cross to Jeff Osberg of Llanerch CC by a stroke.

  “The Silver Cross means everything,” said Meisenzahl. “I think the Silver Cross means more to me than any single tournament. Winning the Silver Cross probably makes you the best golfer in the area. It proves you are the most consistent golfer over the course of the tournament schedule.”

  Galbreath, 20, of Huntingdon Valley, Pa., and Mattare, 25, of Bethlehem, Pa., both finished at 2 under. Galbreath opened with a 68 at Manufacturers and finished with a 72 at North Hills. Mattare started with a 69 at Manufacturers and ended with a 71 at North Hills. 

  “Coming out I figured if I could make a few birdies early, that makes your day that much easier,” said Galbreath. “I was lucky I was in that position.”

NOTES–James Kania, Jr. of Overbrook GC pulled a Fred Couples of yesteryear on Manufacturers G&CC’s fourth hole (par 3, 184 yards). Kania, the 2009 Amateur runner-up, shanked his 8-iron drive out of bounds but re-teed and jarred his next shot for an improbable 3. “Right after I hit it I said just go in,” said Kania, 22, of Haverford, Pa. “It jumped up right and past the hole and spun back in.” Kania is still in search of his first regulation ace. Kania finished his two rounds with a 148 total … Kyle Sterbinsky of Yardley CC, the youngest competitor in the field at age 14 advanced into match play. Sterbinsky posted a 74 at North Hills CC in the morning and a 1-over 72 at Manufacturers G&CC in the afternoon for a 146 total. A recent graduate of Greynun Academy in Yardley, Pa., this was Sterbinsky’s first Amateur experience. “I just wanted to make the cut,” said Sterbinsky, who noted he putted well all day. Sterbinsky will either attend Holy Ghost Prep or the Peddie School next fall … Last year’s champion, Justin Martinson of Hartefeld National turned professional in late May and, therefore, is ineligible to defend his title.

Qualifiers
Name, clubScores
Mike Meisenzahl, Little Mill Country Club66M-72N–138
Matthew Mattare, Saucon Valley Country Club69M-71N–140
Robert Galbreath, Jr., Huntingdon Valley Country Club68M-72N–140
Glenn Smeraglio, Mercer Oaks Golf Course70M-71N–141
Daniel Charen, Makefield Highlands Golf Club70N-71M–141
Matthew Burkhart, Meadia Heights Golf Club72N-70M–142
Christopher Lange, Overbrook Golf Club71M-72N–143
Douglas Zelner, Coatesville Country Club72N-71M–143
Ben Feld, Blue Bell Country Club74M-70N–144
Connor McNicholas, Commonwealth National Golf Club74M-70N–144
Thomas Gramigna, Tavistock Country Club72M-72N–144
Michael Hyland, Little Mill Country Club70M-75N–145
Patrick Ross, Glenmaura National Golf Club69M-76N–145
Kyle Davis, Fieldstone Golf Club73N-72M–145
*Andy Achenbach, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve71M-74N–145
Gary Daniels, Saucon Valley Country Club71N-74M–145
David Sanders, Laurel Creek Country Club73N-72M–145
Sam Pancoast, Radley Run Country Club76N-69M–145
Stephen Hudacek III, Glenmaura National Golf Club72M-74N–146
Marc Mandel, Philadelphia Cricket Club76M-70N–146
Michael McDermott, Merion Golf Club74M-72N–146
Paul Kovalcheck, Lu Lu Country Club73N-73M–146
Michael Kania, Overbrook Golf Club75N-71M–146
Kyle Sterbinsky, Yardley Country Club74N-72M–146
Tucker Koch, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve74M-73N–147
Scott McNeil, Philadelphia Publinks GA78N-69M–147
Playoff (8 players, 7 positions)
Chip Lutz, LedgeRock Golf Club72M-76N–148
Andrew Mason, Huntingdon Valley Country Club74M-74N–148
Greg Jarmas, Philadelphia Publinks GA76M-72N–148
Robert Bechtold, Loch Nairn Golf Club73M-75N–148
Jamie Slonis, Tavistock Country Club74N-74M–148
James Kania, Jr., Overbrook Golf Club78N-70M–148
Christopher Fuga, Phoenixville Country Club72N-76M–148
Peter Barron, III, Stone Harbor Golf Club76N-72M–148
Failed to qualify
John Simone, Philmont Country Club75M-74N–149
Scott Klee, Indian Valley Country Club75M-74N–149
Matthew Finger, Wedgwood Country Club74M-75N–149
Robert Gill, Fox Hill Country Club71M-78N–149
Ryan MMarty, Little Mill Country Club77N-72M–149
Jake Murphy, Mercer Oaks Golf Course73N-76M–149
Anthony Martire, Seaview Resort & Spa77N-72M–149
Oliver White, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club75M-75N–150
Doug Marcincin, Northampton Country Club75M-75N–150
Blayze DiPasquale, Commonwealth National Golf Club74M-76N–150
*John Brennan, Spring Ford Country Club73M-77N–150
Ross Brown, Huntsville Golf Club76M-74N–150
David West, Whitford Country Club76N-74M–150
Daniel Feeney, Philadelphia Cricket Club78N-72M–150
Sean Fahey, Overbrook Golf Club77N-73M–150
Rodney James, Five Ponds Golf Club76N-74M–150
Greg Wolfe, Cavaliers Country Club76N-74M–150
Mike Amole, Huntingdon Valley Country Club76M-75N–151
Christopher Storck, Moselem Springs Golf Club74N-77M–151
James Bea, Spring Mill Country Club74N-77M–151
Greg O’Connor, Huntingdon Valley Country Club76N-75M–151
Edward Kelly, Jr., Applecross Country Club75N-76M–151
Jeffrey Griest, Waynesborough Country Club72N-79M–151
Arthur Kania, Jr., Merion Golf Club74N-77M–151
Ryan Gelrod, Commonwealth National Golf Club74M-78N–152
Stephen Seiden, Llanerch Country Club75M-77N–152
Chris Lange, Jr., Overbrook Golf Club73M-79N–152
P. Chet Walsh, Philadelphia Country Club72M-80N–152
Benjamin Cooley, Lu Lu Country Club76M-76N–152
Michael Carr, Plymouth Country Club70N-82M–152
William Jeremiah, Bidermann Golf Club76N-76M–152
Tom Shin, Laurel Creek Country Club79N-73M–152
James Sullivan, Jr., Mercer Oaks Golf Course77N-75M–152
Tom Spano, Llanerch Country Club74M-79N–153
Cole Berman, Philadelphia Cricket Club78M-75N–153
Thomas Hyland, Little Mill Country Club73M-80N–153
Aaron Burton, Hartefeld National77M-76N–153
Russell Hartung, Doylestown Country Club77N-76M–153
Rand Mendez, Fieldstone Golf Club77N-76M–153
Michael Moffat, Five Ponds Golf Club75N-78M–153
Bobby Arthur, Jr., Tavistock Country Club78N-75M–153
Brian Rothaus, Five Ponds Golf Club76N-77M–153
Brandon Dalinka, The Ridge at Back Brook73M-81N–154
Benjamin Smith, Little Mill Country Club81M-73N–154
Bobby Svigals, Radnor Valley Country Club76M-78N–154
Maximillian Muller, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club75M-79N–154
Brian Corbett, Huntsville Golf Club76M-79N–155
Michael Rose, Meadowlands Country Club78M-77N–155
Michael Johnson, Talamore Country Club77M-78N–155
Michael Burkhart, Meadia Heights Golf Club79N-76M–155
Joshua Isler, Chester Valley Golf Club79M-77N–156
Ted Brennan, Philadelphia Country Club80M-76N–156
Santo Lafoca, Huntsville Golf Club76N-80M–156
Mark Coassolo, Brookside C.C. of Allentown77N-79M–156
Evan Galbreath, Philmont Country Club79M-77N–156
Francis McFadden, Overbrook Golf Club80N-76M–156
Rich Thon, The Springhaven Club78M-79N–157
Cameron Liebert, White Manor Country Club81M-76N–157
Shawn Lavin, Philadelphia Publinks GA78N-79M–157
Thomas BartolaMi, Jr., Saucon Valley Country Club77N-80M–157
Sean Coyle, Llanerch Country Club79M-79N–158
Tom Borsello, White Clay Creek Country Club76N-82M–158
Brian Gillespie, St. Davids Golf Club78M-81N–159
Bradley Roberts, Wedgwood Country Club77N-82M–159
Kevin Cahill, Merion Golf Club85N-74M–159
Chris Hynoski, Mercer Oaks Golf Course82N-77M–159
Jared Palubinski, Golden Oaks Golf Club80N-79M–159
James Gillespie, Wedgwood Country Club72N-87M–159
John Robinson, Commonwealth National Golf Club78M-82N–160
Michael Quinn, Edgmont Country Club75M-85N–160
Matthew Crescenzo, Philmont Country Club80N-80M–160
Scott Storck, Philadelphia Cricket Club80M-81N–161
Dan Bernard, Aronimink Golf Club85M-76N–161
Kevin Genuardi, Cedarbrook Country Club80M-81N–161
Chris Esbenshade, Bent Creek Country Club80M-81N–161
Jimmy Johnston, Merion Golf Club81M-81N–162
Jason Barkley, Huntsville Golf Club84N-78M–162
Michael Boden, Aronimink Golf Club80N-82M–162
Lance Oberparleiter, Little Mill Country Club81N-82M–163
Matthew O’Brien, Five Ponds Golf Club82N-81M–163
Brandon Matthews, Fox Hill Country Club81N-82M–163
Ed Kahn, Little Mill Country Club84N-80M–164
Peter Moran, Edgmont Country Club83M-82N–165
Sean Sexton, Five Ponds Golf Club77N-88M–165
Johan van Schalkwyk, Burlington Country Club76M-90N–166
Steve Lubin, Five Ponds Golf Club89M-79N–168
Philip Bartholomew, Yardley Country Club84N-85M–169
Vince Boyle, Torresdale-Frankford Country Club87M-83N–170
Geoffrey Cooper, Laurel Creek Country Club73M-WDN–WD
Greg Matthias, Hartefeld National79M-WDN–WD
Roc Irey, Lookaway Golf Club76M-WDN–WD
*Silver Cross scores only
WD-withdrawal
M-Manufacturers G&CC; N-North Hills CC

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