Huntingdon Valley's Feld takes 34th #GAPMidAm title - The Golf Association of Philadelphia

May 25, 2017

Huntingdon Valley’s Feld takes 34th #GAPMidAm title

#GAPMidAm Champion Ben Feld (second from left) with mom Jill Kurtzman (left), stepfather Chip Kurtzman (right) and coach Mike Dynda (far right) after winning the 34th Middle-Amateur Championship at Overbrook Golf Club.

  VILLANOVA, Pa.-Moments after Ben Feld secured the 34th Middle-Amateur Championship presented by Callaway Golf, his mentor Mike Dynda hugged his prodigy and broke down in uncontrollable tears. Just minutes before, a comparable scene occurred when mom Jill Kurtzman was overcome with emotion as the result became official. It was a predictable and expected scenario to anyone who knows Feld’s followers. And a big part of his success.

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“The support system is incredible. I play for myself, but I also play for them,” said an emotional Feld, 26, after registering the biggest victory of his young career.

  Dynda, Kurtzman and younger brother Max (who sometimes caddies) are the usual spectator crew for the Philadelphia, Pa. resident. Today, stepfather Chip Kurtzman was also in attendance, serving as Feld’s looper.

  “I’m not here without [the support of my family] and Mike Dynda, who’s been the only coach I’ve ever had. To do this with them here …” said Feld.

  There wasn’t a certainty today would even happen for Feld or any other Mid.-Am. competitor. A 2 hour 20 minute rain delay in the morning at Overbrook Golf Club (par 70, 6,400 yards) resulted in wet and boggy conditions. Tournament administrative talks ranged from a full cancellation to waiting out the storm. When the skies cleared and the golf resumed, Feld carded a scintillating 3-under 67, the day’s low score. Added to an opening¬-round 1-under 69, he finished the two days with a 136 total, two shots clear of runner-ups Stephen Dressel of St. Davids Golf Club; Chris Lange, Jr. of Overbrook and Jeff Osberg of Huntingdon Valley Country Club. Osberg teed off on the final hole a stroke behind Feld, but drew a nasty lie atop the right fairway bunker after hitting his drive right and never recovered. Dressel, the Day 1 leader, was steady all day but failed to register a final-round birdie and posted a 2-over-72 and Lange, the top home club hopeful, made five birdies but also two double bogeys en route to a 69.

  “Unbelievable,” said Feld, who ironically replaced Dynda as the Drexel University Men’s Golf Coach last May. “Winning a GAP Major is something I’ve thought about plenty of times before. I’ve been in some positions where maybe I would have had a chance. To actually do it, it’s really unbelievable.”

  Feld’s top finish in a Golf Association of Philadelphia Major prior to Thursday’s crowning achievement was a pair of semifinal appearances in the BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship in 2012 and 2014.

  “I knew I wasn’t going to back pedal into [the title],” said Feld. “Nothing is given in the GAP; you really got to go earn it.”

  And he did.

  All six players in the final two groups, including Feld, opened with pars.

  That’s when the Huntingdon Valley Country Club member started making moves. He birdied Nos. 5 (par 5, 538 yards), 6 (par 4, 445 yards) and 7 (par 3, 192 yards) to force a four-way tie atop the leaderboard with Dressel, Lange and Osberg.

  Feld knocked a pitching wedge from 110 yards on No. 5 to 12 feet; converted a 30-foot curler on No. 6 and stopped a 6-iron at six feet on No. 7.

  The championship picture remained a bit muddled at the turn with Osberg at 4 under and one clear of Dressel and Feld. However, the title hunt started to come into a clearer focus on the driveable No. 13 (par 4, 253 yards). Feld and Osberg exchanged birdies and Dressel saved par. Both Feld and Osberg had eagle opportunities after driving the green, Osberg with 25 feet and Feld at 12 feet, but couldn’t convert.

  After 13 holes, Osberg was 5 under, Feld 4 under and Dressel 3 under.

  Osberg bogeyed Nos. 15 (par 3, 173 yards) and 16 (par 4, 402 yards), however, the result of poor tee shots. Feld went par, par and was now a shot ahead.

  Feld finally grabbed the lead for good on No. 17 (par 4, 317 yards), when he almost drove the green, coming up 20 yards short. His chip was perfect and almost dropped, stopping inches away.

  He now had a two-shot advantage heading home.

  “I didn’t know where I stood until the 17th tee that both Jeff and I were at 4 under,” said Feld. “It actually alternated my strategy slightly. I decided to hit driver. I hit a good one. I hit a really good pitch and thought it had a chance to go in for a minute. It left me a tap-in. I guess it gave me a little wiggle room I needed to play 18 a little sloppy, but I’ll take it any way I can get it.”

  Osberg re-rallied and made birdie on No. 17 after getting up-and-down from the greenside bunker. His made his 15-foot birdie putt.

  Feld bogeyed 18 after pushing his drive right and hitting a heavy second shot left and short of the green. The nerves were evident. Osberg, as previously stated though, couldn’t take advantage of Feld’s closing bogey, drawing an impossible lie when his tee ball drifted to the right.

  “I hit a bad drive, I hit it hard though and unfortunately it went through the bunker into the grass above it. I didn’t have a stance. I whiffed the first one and fell into the bunker,” said Osberg. “I barely advanced the second one.”

  In addition to his family’s presence, Feld cited some self-used college coaching advise.

  “I just kept saying over and over again in my head, focus on the task, not the outcome,” said Feld. “It kind of fell into place. Once I got over the shot I was able to feel that calm and able to execute.”

  Yes, he did.

Callaway Golf
Callaway Golf was founded in 1982 by the late Ely Callaway, a visionary entrepreneur who operated under a simple but profound business promise: Deliver Demonstrably Superior, Pleasingly Different products and services. That philosophy turned what was originally a boutique manufacturer of high-quality wedges and putters into the world’s largest maker of premium, performance golf products. The Callaway mission and vision has remained the same; we passionately pursue advanced, innovative technologies that help golfers of all abilities find more enjoyment from the game. Under the Callaway and Odyssey brands, Callaway manufactures and sells golf clubs and golf balls, and sells golf apparel, footwear and accessories in more than 110 countries worldwide.

Golf Association of Philadelphia
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 153 Full Member Clubs and 57,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. As Philadelphia’s Most Trusted Source of Golf Information, the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.

Name, clubR1-R2–Total
Ben Feld, Huntingdon Valley Country Club69-67–136
Stephen Dressel, St. Davids Golf Club66-72–138
Chris Lange, Jr., Overbrook Golf Club69-69–138
Jeff Osberg, Huntingdon Valley Country Club68-70–138
Matthew Mattare, Saucon Valley Country Club70-70–140
James Gillespie, Little Mill Country Club67-73–140
Peter Barron, III, Stone Harbor Golf Club72-69–141
Michael Carr, Philadelphia Cricket Club68-74–142
Michael McDermott, Merion Golf Club72-70–142
Conrad Von Borsig, Philadelphia Cricket Club72-71–143
Dan Brown, Llanerch Country Club70-74–144
Thomas Gramigna, Tavistock Country Club71-74–145
Michael Brown, Jr., Lu Lu Country Club75-70–145
William Jeremiah, Bidermann Golf Club73-73–146
Tom Spano, Llanerch Country Club75-71–146
Stephen Seiden, Llanerch Country Club75-71–146
Nathan Sutherland, LedgeRock Golf Club72-75–147
Christopher Lange, Overbrook Golf Club71-76–147
Matthew Finger, DuPont Country Club74-73–147
Joe April, Philadelphia Cricket Club72-76–148
Christopher Ault, Yardley Country Club73-75–148
Rodney James, Five Ponds Golf Club73-75–148
Dan Bernard, Aronimink Golf Club76-72–148
Brian Gillespie, St. Davids Golf Club72-77–149
Clark Holle, Mercer Oaks Golf Course70-79–149
Chris Button, Philadelphia Country Club75-74–149
Ryan Gelrod, Philadelphia Cricket Club76-73–149
Scott McLaughlin, Lu Lu Country Club76-73–149
Grant Skyllas, LedgeRock Golf Club74-75–149
Jamie Slonis, Tavistock Country Club75-74–149
Doug Fedoryshyn, Applebrook Golf Club73-77–150
Dan Arison, Applebrook Golf Club74-76–150
Robert Cunningham, Overbrook Golf Club76-74–150
Matthew Walsh, Overbrook Golf Club72-79–151
Ashley Brasfield, Rolling Green Golf Club75-76–151
Gregory Buliga, Yardley Country Club76-75–151
Dan Rudershausen, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club73-79–152
Keith Matt, Talamore Country Club75-78–153
Joe Perese, Philmont Country Club74-80–154
Oscar Mestre, Overbrook Golf Club75-79–154
Christopher Thude, Union League Golf Club at Torresdale74-80–154
Christopher Clauson, Lu Lu Country Club72-83–155
Daniel Rexon, Tavistock Country Club76-79–155
Johan van Schalkwyk, Tavistock Country Club75-80–155
Dan Wach, Blue Heron Pines Golf Club76-79–155
Tom Grady, Radley Run Country Club74-82–156
Connor McNicholas, Lu Lu Country Club76-80–156
Michael Moffat, Lu Lu Country Club73-84–157
Kevin Turner, Radnor Valley Country Club76-81–157
Bo Maguire, Brookside Country Club76-82–158
Michael Rogers, Overbrook Golf Club75-84–159
Mark Wachter, DuPont Country Club73-88–161
Casey Osborne, Brookside Country Club76-85–161
John Murphy, II, Stone Harbor Golf Club76-87–163
Michael Stamberger, Manasquan River Golf Club72-WD–WD
Dan Pinciotti, Jr., Huntingdon Valley Country Club73-WD–WD
Michael Tash, Tavistock Country Club73-WD–WD
Brandon Detweiler, Lancaster Country Club74-WD–WD
Kevin McDermott, Llanerch Country Club74-WD–WD
Patrick Phillips, Spring Ford Country Club74-WD–WD
Raymond Thompson, Overbrook Golf Club74-WD–WD
Kevin Haag, Glenmaura National Golf Club74-WD–WD
Glenn Smeraglio, Lu Lu Country Club75-WD–WD
Gregor Orlando, Philadelphia Cricket Club75-WD–WD
Chris Binder, Valleybrook Country Club76-WD–WD
Ari Flaisher, McCall Golf & Country Club76-WD–WD
Matthew Gaffney, Running Deer Golf Club76-WD–WD
Scott Ehrlich, White Manor Country Club76-WD–WD
Carlo Fitti, Llanerch Country Club76-WD–WD
Joe Kerrigan, Jr., Llanerch Country Club76-WD–WD
Steve Oh, Philadelphia Cricket Club76-WD–WD
 
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