Merion GC’s Michael McDermott wins Patterson Cup, Silver Cross with flurry of birdies

 FLEETWOOD, Pa. – Michael McDermott of Merion GC saved the best for last and carded nine birdies in his final round, including four birdies in a row on his final eight holes, to win the 105^th Joseph H. Patterson Cup and Silver Cross Award Thursday.

The two-time Middle-Amateur Champion (2001, ‘04) and two-time Silver Cross Award winner (2003, ‘07) took the 36-hole championship, split between Moselem Springs GC (par 70, 6,790 yards) and Berkleigh CC (par 70, 6,250 yards), with a 6-under-par 136 (70-66).

  “I think I made all the eight-footers today that I have not made a chunk of this summer,” said McDermott, who started his day at Moselem Springs GC with an even-par 70 before lighting it up in the afternoon at Berkleigh CC with a 6-under-par 66. “Golf’s a funny game.”

  McDermott came into the Patterson Cup with a less than stellar performance on Monday at the 103^rd Open Championship with a (78-77) 155.

  “I was really excited for the Philadelphia Open,” said the 32-year-old from Havertown, Pa., who was looking forward to playing the Championship at his home course. “I felt like I was playing well going into it and I didn’t.

  “But somewhere inside I sort of thought that I had enough to play well today.”

  And play well he did.

  McDermott hung around the top of the leaderboard after his steady morning round with three birdies and as many bogeys at a Moselem Springs GC that played statistically more difficult than nearby Berkleigh CC.

 And when he got to Berkleigh, McDermott took advantage with a back-to-back-to-back birdie start complemented by six additional birdies at the Kutztown-area club.

  “My round [at Moselem Springs GC] was solid in the morning,” McDermott said. “When I got to Berkleigh I knew I had to shoot under par. I just didn’t know how far.”

  What was known was that Nathan Sutherland of Berkshire CC, who teed off in the third group, had completed his 36-hole endeavor with a 4-under-par 138 and that Chris Lange of Overbrook GC was threatening with the same score through 27 holes.

  “I’ve been playing [Berkleigh] since I was young,” said Sutherland, a soon-to-be freshman at Miami University (Ohio). “I’m just comfortable with all the shots because I know what’s out there.”

Although McDermott never took his eyes off the leaderboard, he maintained his focus, scored when he had to and did not make any mistakes, playing his final nine holes in 3-under par.

  “I had never played Berkleigh before,” McDermott said. “And when I saw that Chris Lange shot 4 under and that other people shot some good scores, I knew that other people would shoot low and that I need to try to keep going lower.”

  Added Lange, “I played well at Berkleigh but I missed a few short putts at Moselem. That was the difference.”

  But McDermott knew what he had to do.

  “I didn’t get comfortable after making those birdies and that was important,” he said. “I kept making more [birdies] and was able to hold on coming down the stretch.”

  McDermott finished with four straight pars to close out the round.

Silver Cross Award
  McDermott’s Patterson Cup victory also earned him his second Silver Cross Award with a score of 277. He nabbed the award by four strokes over Cole Willcox of Philadelphia CC.

  The Patterson Cup serves as the final two rounds of the Silver Cross. The Silver Cross is awarded to the player with the lowest aggregate score in the qualifying round(s) of the Amateur Championship and the Patterson 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.