Maguire duo takes Father & Son Championship in playoff; former GAP President Walsh makes it 10 Father & Son titles

  EXTON, Pa. – Alex Maguire, Sr., and Alex, Jr., of Brookside CC and Philadelphia Cricket Club, respectively, birdied the fourth and final playoff hole to win the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s 96^th Father & Son (Older) Championship on Thursday at Whitford CC (par 72, 6,448 yards).

  Their playoff win came over Overbrook GC’s Brad and Frank McFadden; 2005 Father & Son champions Neil (Llanerch CC) and Michael McDermott (Merion GC); and Tom and Michael Hyland of Inverness Club (Toldeo, Ohio) and Little Mill CC, respectively, who all shot 1-under-par 71s in regulation play.

  “The putt was straight in,” said Alex, Sr., of the winning stroke. “It was right on line.”

  But moments before, there was a bit of a debate between the father and son pair on how to play the par 5, 562-yard fourth hole. Alex, Jr., who just finished blasting a 300-plus yard drive down the middle of the fairway, wanted his father to go for broke on their second shot and attempt to carry the creek guarding the landing area just in front of the green.

  “I talked him out of it,” Alex, Sr., quickly said. “I thought we should lay up because he is such a great wedge player. He showed that by hitting [the ball] to within six feet.”

  It turned out that father knew best as the two took home their first Father & Son title.

  For the McDermott family, a victory would have been their fourth Father & Son title in the last six years.

  “I think we played pretty well together,” said Neil, who also played 18 holes with his other son Kevin. “We certainly left a few out there on the greens, but all-in-all it was a pretty solid round of golf.”

  Neil McDermott is the Immediate Past President of the Golf Association.

  William Walsh, also a Past President of GAP (1992-94), and his son Chet, of Philadelphia CC, repeated as the Super-Senior champions with a 3-over-par 75, playing from shorter tees at 5,827 yards.

  For William, who just recently celebrated his 85^th birthday, his Super-Senior victory marks his 10th Father & Son title over the last five decades with four different sons. This includes the 1996 Father & Son (older) title he took home with Chet at age 75.

  “I was excited to play today,” said Chet of the chance to play a round with his father. “We usually get a chance to play over the winter, but I couldn’t make it down to Florida this year.”

  Chet gave his father a couple opportunities for birdie and par by sticking some of his approach shots close to the hole. William took advantage with a couple solid putts for par and two for birdie on holes Nos. 9 (par 5) and 15 (par 4).

  After Chet almost drove the green on No. 15, William executed a solid lag putt from about 12-15 feet off the green to within three feet. Chet then cleaned up for birdie.

  Jack and Edward Erickson of Yardley CC took home the Super-Senior net prize with a 70.

  The Father & Son Championship is an 18-hole gross and net stroke play, selective drive, alternate shot and 40% of combined handicap event with two divisions, Super Senior (fathers 65 years and older) and Championship.

  Eligibility is open to father and son teams with sons at 18 years old and over.

  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.

Results
Champion – Gross
  1. Alex, Jr., and Alex Maguire, Sr., Philadelphia Cricket Club / Brookside CC 71
  T2. Neil and Michael McDermott, Llanerch CC / Merion GC 71
  T2. Brad and Frank McFadden, Overbrook GC 71
  T2. Michael and Thomas Hyland, Inverness Club / Little Mill CC 71

Champion – Net
  1. Kenneth and Scott Henry, Medford Lakes CC 65

Super Senior – Gross
  1. William and Chet Walsh, Philadelphia CC 75

Super Senior – Net
  1. Jack and Edward Erickson of Yardley CC 70

NC-no card; WD-withdrawal