#GAPMidAm: Round One Recap

Galloway’s Barron grabs R1 lead at 4 under

BUCKINGHAM, Pa.– Pete Barron’s first trip around Lookaway Golf Club was special. His second may yield something magical – another Major title.

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Barron, of Galloway National Golf Club, grabbed the Round One clubhouse lead in the 38^th Middle-Amateur Championship at 4-under par and leads by two strokes. A one hour and 36 minute storm delay at 5:34 p.m. and another at 8:18 p.m. resulted in two groups remaining on the golf course. No remaining players are a threat to Barron’s lead.

The first round will resume at 7:30 a.m. Thursday with the final round to begin at 9 a.m. The leaders will start at approximately 1 p.m. The cut line score is firm at 78.

Barron never played Lookaway (par 72, 6,883 yards) prior to Wednesday. He is one round away from securing a second GAP Major, and a second Mid.-Am. Barron took the 2014 edition at Gulph Mills Golf Club in dramatic fashion with a birdie on the final hole.

“It was the first time I played the golf course, so I played it conservatively. I [was] just trying to hit a lot of long irons and hybrids [off the tee] to 150 or so in,” said Barron, 45, of Mays Landing, N.J. “I was aiming for the center of the greens and not getting too aggressive. I hit a bunch of quality shots today.”

An understatement from an understated Barron.

His round consisted of five birdies and one bogey, that being a three-putt. How good was his ball striking? He hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation.

“I hit balls for 20 minutes on Saturday [at Galloway] and found something,” said Barron. “I’m trying to stay wide [at the top] and keep my left arm straight. Sometimes I collapse it and don’t strike [the ball] as well. I felt like I was staying real wide and it’s helped the ball striking tremendously, so far.”

Barron stated his intentions immediately. On No. 1 (par 4, 376 yards), he drilled an 8-iron from 158 yards to four feet for birdie. Two pars followed before his lone bogey blemish. He three-putted from 35 feet on No. 4 (par 4, 362 yards). Two more pars ensued before a Barron birdie barrage on Nos. 7-9. On No. 7 (par 4, 397 yards), he lifted a gap wedge from 131 yards to 10 feet; on No. 8 (par 5, 542 yards), he ripped a 5-iron from 224 yards to 30 feet and two putted for a four; on No. 9 (par 4, 352 yards) his sand wedge from 115 yards stopped four feet from the cup.

Barron returned from the first weather delay with a 3½ foot birdie putt on No. 14 (par 4, 477 yards). Before the horn sounded to halt play, Barron knocked his 9-iron from 175 yards to that short distance.

Only four other players have won more than one Mid.-Am. title. David Brookreson (1986, 1988), Chris Lange (2005-06), Chip Lutz (1998, 2007) and Michael McDermott (2001, 2004, 2008, 2013).

Barron’s also found success outside of GAP. He’s won the 2016 Delaware State Golf Association (DSGA) Open; 2017 New Jersey State Golf Association Mid.-Amateur; 2018 DSGA Amateur Championship and 2020 DSGA Mid Open & Mid Amateur Championships.

In addition to that one GAP Mid.-Am. title, Barron finished as the 2013 runner-up, falling in a playoff.

What is it about the Mid.-Am. that brings out his best?

“Growing up usually I did better in match play more than stroke play. I guess I was more aggressive,” said Barron, the father of twin girls and a boy. “Now it’s more rely on the putter and short game. Hit the fairway and hit the green. Tomorrow, I’ll have the same game plan as today. Hit the long irons and hydrids [off the tee] and play to the 150-yard marker. Then hit the center of the green and make as many pars as I can.”

A group of six players stand at 2 under, including 2012 Middle-Amateur winner John Brennan of Philadelphia Cricket Club.

Jeff Osberg of Pine Valley Golf Club had a work conflict and was unable to defend his championship.

The inaugural Middle-Amateur Championship was held in 1984, three years after the United States Golf Association (USGA) created the U.S. Mid-Am as a formal championship for post-college amateurs. The Association followed suit with the USGA in creating a Mid.-Am., but initially differed in its administration of the tournament in a couple of respects.

The most obvious difference was the age requirement. Prior to 2001, the GAP Middle-Amateur was for players 30 years of age or older.

The Association’s Executive Committee reviewed and revised that age requirement in 2001 to match the USGA’s guidelines of 25 years of age or older for eligible players. Also, at that point, the Committee changed the format of the event to a two-day stroke play tournament (instead of a one-day medal play event) with a cut to the low 70 players and ties after the first round. Players must have a GAP/USGA Handicap Index of 7.0 or lower to be eligible to compete.

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 300 Member Clubs and 80,000 individual members are spread across the Eastern half of Pennsylvania and parts of Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey. The GAP’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.