A Family Affair; Another Thompson takes Chapman Cup

BRYN MAWR, Pa.– Same name. Same result. Different player.

 “Having my brother win it last year and myself win it this year, to see Thompson on [the trophy] two years in a row is a nice thing,” said Thompson, the 2007 Warner Cup Champion. “It’s always nice to get to the winner’s circle. You never know when you’ll get back there again so you have to take advantage when you can.”

  Thompson, the current Senior Player of the Year points leader, carded six birdies on the afternoon to best the 123-player field on familiar territory.

  “You want to play well on your home course and that maybe put a little extra pressure on me,” said Thompson, who recently won his 10th Overbrook GC Club Championship.

  And despite some troubles early with back-to-back bogeys on hole Nos. 3 (par 3, 204 yards) and 4 (par 4, 407 yards), the 1972 GAP Amateur Champion finished the front side in 2-under par. His front nine included a spectacular 30-foot birdie putt on the 5^th hole (par 5, 535 yards) followed by two more consecutive birdies on hole Nos. 6 (par 4, 452 yards) and 7 (par 3, 196 yards).

  “I just made two bogeys in a row, so I just wanted to just make par and get the ship back on track,” said Thompson of his mindset on the 5^th hole. “Fortunately I made a 30-footer [for birdie]. That was big.”

  On his back nine, Thompson birdied No. 10 (par 3, 179 yards) and remained under par despite another round of back-to-back bogeys on hole Nos. 13 (par 4, 384 yards) and 14 (par 4, 306 yards). But his field-low round was seriously threatened on the par 4 16^th hole (405 yards) when he sent his approach shot from behind a tree in the right rough over the tricky green. From there he made a great chip and an even greater putt to remain at 1 under.

  “My ball striking was OK but my putting was really good,” he said. “I got it around and made some really good putts today.”

  “That gave me a big cushion going to No. 18 (par 4, 388),” said Thompson, who has been a member at the Bryn Mawr-area club since his parents joined in 1957.

  And it would appear that he needed that two-stroke lead as his tee shot on No. 18 found the difficult fairway bunker.

  “That was the first time I hit 5-wood there in about 30 years,” he said. “I actually didn’t think I could get it to that right bunker and that’s why I hit it.”

  His ensuing shot out of the bunker appeared to get him out of trouble that was until the ball trickled through the green and into and even more difficult greenside bunker. Now faced with a downhill lie and an awkward stance, Thompson muscled out the shot, slammed it off the flagstick and was then able to save par.

 Fellow Overbrook GC member Frank McFadden finished second and was atop the leaderboard most of the day with an even-par 70.

  “It wasn’t real pretty but it’s typical,” McFadden said. “When you shoot a good score you miss a couple putts and that’s what I did today. I definitely enjoyed some home cooking, though, being at Overbrook. Local knowledge was huge for me today.”

  Added McFadden on Thompson’s play as of late, “he’s been playing so good it’s scary.”

  “It’s been an awesome year for me,” Thompson said. “I feel fortunate that my game has held together.”

  Last year the Chapman Cup was split into two divisions, Gross and Net, to accomodate more players. The Net Tournament is set for Sept. 20 at Linwood CC.

  The Chapman Memorial Cup, a senior tournament for players 55 years of age and older, is named for Frank H. Chapman, who served as the Association’s Secretary-Treasurer for 23 years. Players with a USGA Handicap Index of 7.0 or lower were eligible to compete in today’s tournament.

  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.

Overall
1. Ray Thompson, Overbrook GC, 68
2. Francis McFadden, Overbrook GC, 70
T3. Roc Irey, Cedarbrook CC, 73
T3. Neil McDermott, Llanerch CC, 73
T3. Frank Polizzi, Whitemarsh Valley CC, 73

Ages (55-59)
T1. Robert Ockenfuss, Indian Valley CC, 74
T1. Don Donatoni, White Manor CC, 74

Ages (60 & over)
1. William Lawler, Fox Hill CC, 75
T2. Michael Rowland, Lehigh CC, 77
T2. Carl Everett, Merion GC, 77
T2. Ken Gaskill, Philadelphia Publinks GA, 77

Super Senior (65 & over)
1. Richard Smith, Philadelphia CC, 73
2. Robert Proto, Little Mill CC, 77
T3. Curt Fromal, The Springhaven Club, 79
T3. Louis Pace, Medford Village CC, 79