Davenport dazzles, medals in #BMWPhillyAm Qual. at Hartefeld

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AVONDALE, Pa. – His past playing pedigree speaks for itself, but it’s the first go-around for Will Davenport in the Philadelphia region. The GAP chapter for the Whitemarsh Valley Country Club member features a strong introduction, as evidenced by a low performance in Tuesday’s BMW Philadelphia Amateur Qualifier.

Davenport, a former Yale University Bulldog, battled his way around Hartefeld National Golf Club (par 72, 6,690 yards), firing a 3-under 69 for the qualifying medal. His four birdies, added to an outstanding eagle, gave him the top spot in a field of more than 100 #BMWPhillyAm hopefuls. The cut line stopped at 3-over 75 on the day.

The 119^th BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship will be hosted June 11-13 and 15 at Stonewall. The New Course will be used for stroke-play qualifying, while the Old Course will host both qualifying and match-play action.

Davenport’s first birdie arrived early on No. 2 (par 3, 162 yards). His 8-iron approach there landed within eight feet, leading to the 3. That trusty 8-iron was again utilized nicely on No. 3 (par 4, 380 yards), resulting in a tap-in red number.

The next string of highlights for Davenport came on Nos. 7 (par 4, 390 yards) and 8 (par 5, 472 yards). The former hosted a 113-yard gap wedge and a tap-in birdie. The latter resulted in eagle after a driver, 7-iron combination made way for a four-foot conversion. He’d go on to make the turn at 3 under.

“I was in two mindsets at the turn. One was good because all of the birdies and the eagle. The other, I had just missed a three footer for par,” said Davenport, 26, of Philadelphia. “After I made another bogey on No. 10, I told myself that I really needed to calm down and start playing the way I know I can.”

Hartefeld’s second half was less adventurous on the scorecard. Davenport went on to par seven of the final eight holes, including a tap-in birdie on No. 13 (par 5, 570 yards) after a well-executed chip.

“It’s easy to sit here and be unhappy with a few bad swings. But now, looking at the 3-under score, I can’t be. I’m getting over the case of the yips with my chipping, especially in competition. I wouldn’t wish that sickness on anyone,” he said. “But [this round] goes a long way in giving my game confidence moving forward.”

After his playing days at Yale between 2011-2015, Davenport tried his hand at professional golf. That part of his journey included attempts at qualifying for the European Tour and a number of U.S. Opens. He spent last year in Australia, coming just one shot short of qualifying for the Australian Open.

“I spent the last few years working with the Boston Consulting Group, which was great but meant time away from the game. Without many hours to spend practicing, my golf suffered,” said Davenport, who moved to Philadelphia in August to study at the University of Pennsylvania for his MBA.

High-level, competitive golf is back on the schedule now that Davenport is back in school. He chose to stay in the area over the summer, taking advantage of the deep GAP slate.

“I made the decision to stay up here this summer instead of going home to the Palm Beach area. There were two factors that came into play for that choice. The first, I love Whitemarsh Valley. I realized how much I enjoyed being and playing there, so that was a major factor. The second was the opportunity to play such a rich amateur schedule with all the GAP events. I’ve got everything I need when it comes to these events, and I’m excited to compete.”

Before his Philadelphia Amateur experience, Davenport will take his first GAP Major swings in the #GAPMidAm at Rolling Green. It’s a moment he’s been eyeing for a while now.

“I’m looking to use my time while at UPenn to get my game into shape. Get my game where it needs to be to play at a high amateur level,” he said.

If elite competition is what Davenport seeks, GAP Majors will be the ideal platform.

GAP

Celebrating Amateur Golf since 1897, GAP, also known as the Golf Association of Philadelphia, is the oldest regional or state golf association in the United States. It serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. The Association’s 274 Full Member Clubs and 75,000 individual members are spread across the Eastern half of Pennsylvania and parts of New Jersey and Delaware. The GAP’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.