MALVERN, Pa. – Talamore Country Club’s Kyle Ginty got eyes on the GAP schedule, saw the Four-Ball Stroke Play Championship set for White Manor Country Club (par 71, 6,390 yards), and immediately knew who to call. The recruiting trail began and ended with clubmate Michael Fireman, a White Manor veteran of 22 years.
Experience paired with a scorching flatstick resulted in the 48th Four-Ball Stroke Play title. Fireman and Ginty fired a sizzling round of 7-under 64, topping a sold-out field of 80 teams for the win Thursday.
Taking the day’s Net Division title was Lu Lu Country Club’s Mark Czerniakowski and Yardley Country Club’s Greg Buliga with a net score of 10-under 61.
The day’s early morning mark was set by two teams at 5 under: Radley Run Country Club’s Parker Wine and Philip Potter, plus Jericho National Golf Club’s David Robbins and Griffin Smith. In the afternoon, the sun made its presence known, bringing more speed in play both on the fairways and on the greens. Ginty and Fireman flourished in the August heat.
Starting on White Manor’s second side, the champions’ first red number arrived on No. 11 (par 5, 501 yards). Ginty, who carded seven birdies on his own ball throughout the day, blasted driver followed by a hybrid from 230 yards out, leaving him just in front of the green. His third shot was “fatted” into the center of the hill and rolled back down to 45 feet, but the birdie bomb fell.
“I just told him to make it,” said Fireman. “And… he did.”
The next highlights came back-to-back on Nos. 13 (par 4, 414 yards), where a 30-foot Ginty birdie putt dropped, and No. 14 (par 3, 161 yards), which hosted a 20-foot make for 2. Fireman got his debut birdie on the par 5, 502-yard 17th after just missing on a 10-foot eagle attempt. The duo made the turn at 3-under par with momentum on their side.
“Even though we gave one back [on the par 3, 173-yard 12th], we were feeling pretty good. Everything was falling, center of the cup,” said Ginty.
The second nine began with a bang on No. 2 (par 4, 407 yards), where Ginty’s 9-iron approach skipped to 10 feet from the cup, and the putt rolled over the front lip for birdie. On No. 5 (par 4, 419 yards), Ginty’s trusty 9-iron again, this time from 143 yards, landed four feet from the hole, leading to a short birdie make.
Fireman’s second birdie of the day came on No. 6 (par 5, 551 yards) when a 25-foot roll fell after a helping read from his partner. Ginty topped off his low day with consecutive birdies on Nos. 7 (par 4, 330 yards) and 8 (par 3, 101 yards).
“I was closer than Kyle on both of those. I was six feet on No. 7 and three feet on No. 8, but Kyle dropped his longer putts right in,” said Fireman.
Despite a finishing bogey on No. 9 (par 4, 384 yards), the Talamore team bettered the rest of the field by two strokes behind strong performances by both players, who each finished under par on their respective balls.
This morning, Fireman texted his teammate saying each person’s birdie quota was “three each” for the day. Because Ginty’s flatstick caught fire from deep on multiple occasions, Fireman had to pick up three times within six feet. He didn’t reach his quota in result.
“I only carded two birdies because of that,” said Fireman. 52, of North Wales, Pa.
No matter who was jarring the under-par scores, it didn’t matter. They were both champions.
“It’s so fun to play with him because it’s a stress relief. His game is boring because he’s so straight [off the tee], straight down the middle all day,” said Ginty, 33, of Conshohocken, Pa. “I really leaned on him for his course knowledge today, and he helped me find the good positions on the course and where not to end up.”
Having grown up and learned the game at White Manor, where Fireman joined when he was just four years old, Ginty headhunted his partner early and often. The pair plays frequently together at Talamore, but with Fireman scheduled to leave the club after this season, Ginty knew it was the perfect set up for a glorious send off.
“I knew right away who I was going to call,” said Ginty. “He’s got five Talamore club championships, and I’ve got one. We’ve played a ton since I moved up here eight years ago from South Carolina. I wanted to give him the proper send off, and I’m glad we were able to play the way we did today.”
“I’ve known Kyle for a long time since he was a young man,” said Fireman. “We’ve played a lot of golf together and he’s a great player. I mean, the kid had seven birdies out there. I’m happy I accepted the invite.”
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.
Gross Division | |
Name, club | Score |
Michael Fireman/Kyle Ginty, Talamore Country Club | 64 |
Mark Czerniakowski/Gregory Buliga, Lu Lu Country Club/Yardley Country Club | 66 |
David Robbins/Griffin Smith, Jericho National Golf Club | 66 |
Parker Wine/Philip Potter, Radley Run Country Club | 66 |
Luis Diaz/Paul Bickford, Rancocas Golf Club/Wedgwood Country Club | 67 |
Thomas Lindberg/D.J. Kurz, St. Davids Golf Club/Merion Golf Club | 67 |
Paul Winter/Michael Winter, Seaview Hotel & Golf Club | 67 |
Erik Settelen/James McCallum, Talamore Country Club/Heidelberg Country Club | 67 |
Bruce Cowgill/Owen Mulhern, Whitford Country Club | 68 |
Joe Bianco/Scott Niggli, White Clay Creek Country Club | 68 |
Michael Sanfrancesco/Brett Wallace, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club | 68 |
Kevin Maguire/Joe Zulli, Trump National Golf Club – Philadelphia | 68 |
Greg Bender/Greg Blackburn, Honeybrook Golf Club | 68 |
Colin Smith/Sam Pancoast, Bidermann Golf Club/Radley Run Country Club | 69 |
Andrew Wallace/Alec Stern, Green Valley Country Club/Philadelphia Country Club | 69 |
Dan Close/Ben Keyser, Woodcrest Country Club | 69 |
Jim Hughes/William Smith, Carlisle Country Club/Chambersburg Country Club | 69 |
Dan Agoglia/G. Patrick Dougherty, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 69 |
James Deluca/Greg DeLuca, Makefield Highlands Golf Club | 70 |
Joseph Russo/Mark Walker, Laurel Creek Country Club | 70 |
Christopher Schank/James Bresnahan, Elkview Country Club/Bala Golf Club | 70 |
Cory Calvert/Justin Masters, Country Club of Scranton | 70 |
Jason Wilson/Kevin Rossi, Philadelphia Publinks GA/Scranton Municipal Golf Course | 70 |
T.J. Roberts/Gary Roberts, Lu Lu Country Club | 70 |
Andy Kerestesy/Stephen Barry, Running Deer Golf Club | 70 |
Jeff Kavanagh/Robert Tredinnick, Sandy Run Country Club/Commonwealth National Golf Club | 71 |
Joe Corcoran/Matthew Scriff, Five Ponds Golf Club/Steel Club | 71 |
Kevin Sarlo, Jr./Drew Guarino, Little Mill Country Club/Sea Oaks Country Club | 71 |
Ellis Chandler/Philip Mortell, III, Honeybrook Golf Club | 71 |
Edward Kelly, Jr./Brian Skrip, Old York Road Country Club | 71 |
Andrew Sterge/Jeffrey Romines, Applebrook Golf Club/Philadelphia Publinks GA | 71 |
Bob Buckley/Jon Clay, Sr., Lehigh Country Club | 71 |
Kyle Pritchard/Robert Johnson, Olde Homestead Golf Club/Steel Club | 71 |
Brad Cornforth/Jian Zhang, Loch Nairn Golf Club | 71 |
Ray Pyontek/Edward Erickson, Mercer Oaks Golf Course/Makefield Highlands Golf Club | 71 |
William Howard, V/Mcallister Brenan, Applebrook Golf Club | 71 |
Bradley Roberts/Mark Kosko, Little Mill Country Club | 72 |
Bill Porter/Anthony Dent, Medford Village Country Club/Medford Lakes Country Club | 72 |
Sean Torpey/John Nottage, Commonwealth National Golf Club | 72 |
Ryan Riviezzo/Rajat Gogia, Honeybrook Golf Club/Applecross Country Club | 72 |
David Maddock/Michael Manci, Glen Oak Country Club/Glenmaura National Golf Club | 72 |
Michael Minter/Andy Strock, Makefield Highlands Golf Club/Trenton Country Club | 72 |
Michael Guro/Ryan Orcutt, Steel Club/Philadelphia Publinks GA | 72 |
Beau Guarino/Michael O’Keefe, Sea Oaks Country Club/Laurel Creek Country Club | 72 |
Bill Dwyer/Doug Fedoryshyn, Concord Country Club | 72 |
Shane Angle/Tyler Papura, Wyoming Valley Country Club | 72 |
Mason Tyler/Clive Robertson, DuPont Country Club/Kennett Square Golf & Country Club | 73 |
James Kyle/Will Young, Hopewell Valley Golf & Country Club | 73 |
David Malone, Jr./Brendan McNamara, Sandy Run Country Club/The ACE Club | 73 |
Jeff Ortman/Nick Orlando, The Shore Club | 73 |
David Leonardis/Gershom Spengler, Jack Frost National | 73 |
Mark Hodgson/Andrew Dietz, Medford Village Country Club/Laurel Creek Country Club | 74 |
Paul Berg/Stephen Hamilton, The Springhaven Club | 74 |
Vincent Guarino/Jackson Terman, Sea Oaks Country Club/Valleybrook Country Club | 74 |
Billy Givens/William Givens, The Shore Club/Merchantville Country Club | 74 |
Kyle Reap/Jason Mesko, Country Club of Scranton | 74 |
Joe Morganti/Charles Kuntz, Llanerch Country Club/Overbrook Golf Club | 74 |
Brian Groff/John Barry, Lancaster Country Club | 75 |
Salvatore Galati/Jordan Rosenblatt, Woodcrest Country Club | 75 |
Kevin Koch/Patrick Phillips, Spring Ford Country Club | 75 |
Dennis Cooke/Shane Cooke, Sr., Llanerch Country Club/McCall Golf Club | 76 |
Hank Church/Dan Farragut, Cobbs Creek Golf Club/Cedarbrook Country Club | 77 |
Bo Maguire/Alexander Maguire, Sr., Brookside Country Club | 77 |
Samuel Reed/Mike Wall, Hershey Country Club | 78 |
Patrick Mcfarlane/Terrance Schmidt, Talamore Country Club | 78 |
Edward Robson/Sev Panossian, Golf Course at Glen Mills | 78 |
Robert Terry/Chuck Simalchik, StoneHedge Golf Course/Glenmaura National Golf Club | 79 |
Dave Vizzini/Nicholas Angiulo, Deerwood Country Club | 80 |
Bruce Aikin/Michael DeSantis, Hartefeld National | 81 |
Robert Miller/Narendra Bam, Radnor Valley Country Club | 81 |
John Bechtel/Jim Babst, Philadelphia Publinks GA/Five Ponds Golf Club | 82 |
Albert Celidonio/Keith Zdimal, French Creek Golf Club | 83 |
Angelo Rose/Todd Luft, Sandy Run Country Club | 83 |
Scott Scholz/Tom Pigeon, Honeybrook Golf Club | 84 |
Jason Marie/Matthew Miller, Five Ponds Golf Club/Hopewell Valley Golf & Country Club | 84 |
Brent Alwood/Harold Alwood, Jr., Northampton Valley Country Club/Old York Road Country Club | 84 |
Michael Loughery/Michael Sanders, Sandy Run Country Club/Kennett Square Golf & Country Club | 86 |
Pete Carroll/Matt Peters, Five Ponds Golf Club | 88 |
Robert Fitzpatrick/John Fitzpatrick, Sandy Run Country Club/Five Ponds Golf Club | 89 |
Rick Conner/Beau McGettigan, Concord Country Club/Penn Oaks Golf Club | 95 |
Net Division | |
Mark Czerniakowski/Gregory Buliga, Lu Lu Country Club/Yardley Country Club | 61 |
Michael Fireman/Kyle Ginty, Talamore Country Club | 63 |
Brad Cornforth/Jian Zhang, Loch Nairn Golf Club | 63 |
Thomas Lindberg/D.J. Kurz, St. Davids Golf Club/Merion Golf Club | 64 |
Michael Sanfrancesco/Brett Wallace, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club | 64 |
Dan Agoglia/G. Patrick Dougherty, Philadelphia Cricket Club | 64 |
David Robbins/Griffin Smith, Jericho National Golf Club | 65 |
Luis Diaz/Paul Bickford, Rancocas Golf Club/Wedgwood Country Club | 65 |
Erik Settelen/James McCallum, Talamore Country Club/Heidelberg Country Club | 65 |
Bruce Cowgill/Owen Mulhern, Whitford Country Club | 65 |
Kevin Maguire/Joe Zulli, Trump National Golf Club – Philadelphia | 65 |
Dennis Cooke/Shane Cooke, Sr., Llanerch Country Club/McCall Golf Club | 65 |
Parker Wine/Philip Potter, Radley Run Country Club | 66 |
T.J. Roberts/Gary Roberts, Lu Lu Country Club | 66 |
Jeff Kavanagh/Robert Tredinnick, Sandy Run Country Club/Commonwealth National Golf Club | 66 |
Bob Buckley/Jon Clay, Sr., Lehigh Country Club | 66 |
Ryan Riviezzo/Rajat Gogia, Honeybrook Golf Club/Applecross Country Club | 66 |
Joe Bianco/Scott Niggli, White Clay Creek Country Club | 67 |
Colin Smith/Sam Pancoast, Bidermann Golf Club/Radley Run Country Club | 67 |
Dan Close/Ben Keyser, Woodcrest Country Club | 67 |
Christopher Schank/James Bresnahan, Elkview Country Club/Bala Golf Club | 67 |
Bill Porter/Anthony Dent, Medford Village Country Club/Medford Lakes Country Club | 67 |
Paul Berg/Stephen Hamilton, The Springhaven Club | 67 |
Joe Morganti/Charles Kuntz, Llanerch Country Club/Overbrook Golf Club | 67 |
Paul Winter/Michael Winter, Seaview Hotel & Golf Club | 68 |
Andrew Wallace/Alec Stern, Green Valley Country Club/Philadelphia Country Club | 68 |
James Deluca/Greg DeLuca, Makefield Highlands Golf Club | 68 |
Cory Calvert/Justin Masters, Country Club of Scranton | 68 |
David Maddock/Michael Manci, Glen Oak Country Club/Glenmaura National Golf Club | 68 |
David Malone, Jr./Brendan McNamara, Sandy Run Country Club/The ACE Club | 68 |
Jeff Ortman/Nick Orlando, The Shore Club | 68 |
David Leonardis/Gershom Spengler, Jack Frost National | 68 |
Robert Terry/Chuck Simalchik, StoneHedge Golf Course/Glenmaura National Golf Club | 68 |
Greg Bender/Greg Blackburn, Honeybrook Golf Club | 69 |
Jason Wilson/Kevin Rossi, Philadelphia Publinks GA/Scranton Municipal Golf Course | 69 |
Ray Pyontek/Edward Erickson, Mercer Oaks Golf Course/Makefield Highlands Golf Club | 69 |
Beau Guarino/Michael O’Keefe, Sea Oaks Country Club/Laurel Creek Country Club | 69 |
Mark Hodgson/Andrew Dietz, Medford Village Country Club/Laurel Creek Country Club | 69 |
Vincent Guarino/Jackson Terman, Sea Oaks Country Club/Valleybrook Country Club | 69 |
Billy Givens/William Givens, The Shore Club/Merchantville Country Club | 69 |
Salvatore Galati/Jordan Rosenblatt, Woodcrest Country Club | 69 |
Patrick Mcfarlane/Terrance Schmidt, Talamore Country Club | 69 |
Edward Robson/Sev Panossian, Golf Course at Glen Mills | 69 |
Jim Hughes/William Smith, Carlisle Country Club/Chambersburg Country Club | 70 |
Joe Corcoran/Matthew Scriff, Five Ponds Golf Club/Steel Club | 70 |
Kevin Sarlo, Jr./Drew Guarino, Little Mill Country Club/Sea Oaks Country Club | 70 |
Edward Kelly, Jr./Brian Skrip, Old York Road Country Club | 70 |
Kyle Pritchard/Robert Johnson, Olde Homestead Golf Club/Steel Club | 70 |
Bradley Roberts/Mark Kosko, Little Mill Country Club | 70 |
Sean Torpey/John Nottage, Commonwealth National Golf Club | 70 |
Michael Guro/Ryan Orcutt, Steel Club/Philadelphia Publinks GA | 70 |
Bill Dwyer/Doug Fedoryshyn, Concord Country Club | 70 |
Mason Tyler/Clive Robertson, DuPont Country Club/Kennett Square Golf & Country Club | 70 |
James Kyle/Will Young, Hopewell Valley Golf & Country Club | 70 |
Kyle Reap/Jason Mesko, Country Club of Scranton | 70 |
Samuel Reed/Mike Wall, Hershey Country Club | 70 |
Brent Alwood/Harold Alwood Jr., Northampton Valley Country Club/Old York Road Country Club | 70 |
Joseph Russo/Mark Walker, Laurel Creek Country Club | 71 |
Andy Kerestesy/Stephen Barry, Running Deer Golf Club | 71 |
Ellis Chandler/Philip Mortell, III, Honeybrook Golf Club | 71 |
Andrew Sterge/Jeffrey Romines, Applebrook Golf Club/Philadelphia Publinks GA | 71 |
William Howard, V/Mcallister Brenan, Applebrook Golf Club | 71 |
Michael Minter/Andy Strock, Makefield Highlands Golf Club/Trenton Country Club | 71 |
Shane Angle/Tyler Papura, Wyoming Valley Country Club | 71 |
Hank Church/Dan Farragut, Cobbs Creek Golf Club/Cedarbrook Country Club | 71 |
Robert Miller/Narendra Bam, Radnor Valley Country Club | 71 |
Angelo Rose/Todd Luft, Sandy Run Country Club | 71 |
Jason Marie/Matthew Miller, Five Ponds Golf Club/Hopewell Valley Golf & Country Club | 71 |
Brian Groff/John Barry, Lancaster Country Club | 72 |
Kevin Koch/Patrick Phillips, Spring Ford Country Club | 72 |
Bruce Aikin/Michael DeSantis, Hartefeld National | 72 |
Michael Loughery/Michael Sanders, Sandy Run Country Club/Kennett Square Golf & Country Club | 73 |
John Bechtel/Jim Babst, Philadelphia Publinks GA/Five Ponds Golf Club | 74 |
Scott Scholz/Tom Pigeon, Honeybrook Golf Club | 74 |
Dave Vizzini/Nicholas Angiulo, Deerwood Country Club | 75 |
Albert Celidonio/Keith Zdimal, French Creek Golf Club | 75 |
Bo Maguire/Alexander Maguire, Sr., Brookside Country Club | 76 |
Robert Fitzpatrick/John Fitzpatrick, Sandy Run Country Club/Five Ponds Golf Club | 78 |
Pete Carroll/Matt Peters, Five Ponds Golf Club | 79 |
Rick Conner/Beau McGettigan, Concord Country Club/Penn Oaks Golf Club | 81 |