#PattersonCup Qualifying: White Clay Creek

Huntingdon Valley’s Cerbara sizzles, shoots 68

WILMINGTON, Del. — With the No. 18 flagstick leaning on his shoulder, Stephen Cerbara removed his hat and gradually shook his head. The proverbial run of the hand through the hair followed.

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Such nonverbal cues suggest the worst. A poor performance, a missed cut. Quite the opposite for Cerbara Thursday.

The Huntingdon Valley Country Club member carded a 4-under-par 68 to earn medalist honors in Joseph H. Patterson Cup Qualifying presented by Provident Bank at White Clay Creek Country Club (par 72, 6,477 yards). As a result, Cerbara grabbed one of 24 qualifying positions and ties available for the Championship proper.

The cut line stopped at 4-over-par 76 by day’s end. The 119^th Joseph H. Patterson Cup presented by Provident Bank will take place Aug. 4-5 at Manufacturers’ Golf & Country Club.

“I figured I hit a better chip than that,” Cerbara said in justifying the aforementioned headshake on No. 18. “It was a great day. I was definitely happy with the way I played. I’m just looking forward to Manaufacturers’.”

Cerbara made par on No. 18 (par 4, 340 yards), for the record. The chip — albeit for eagle from 40 yards — released 25 feet past the hole location. Cerbara narrowly missed the birdie putt on the high side. No damage done.

On a course with penalty areas aplenty, Cerbara, a recent Drexel University graduate, kept the damage to a bare minimum. Course management, club selection and positioning proved paramount. Cerbara didn’t lose a golf ball, either.

“It’s a lot of placement golf out there,” Cerbara, 23, of Langhorne, Pa., said. “I was focusing on the process, making sure that I was focused on every shot. I wasn’t getting ahead of myself. Playing with [friend and Huntingdon Valley member] Brett (McGrath) had me pretty relaxed. We just had fun out there.”

Fun also came in the form of five birdies. On No. 8 (par 5, 511 yards), Cerbara rocketed a 6-iron to 12 feet below the hole location. His eagle attempt barely missed on the high side. The gettable par 4, 318-yard No. 9 meshed with Cerbara’s mojo.

“I felt good with the big stick and figured, ‘Why not?’” he said.

A drive greenside right, a chip to five feet and a birdie. Why not? Back-to-back birdies on Nos. 14 (par 4, 369 yards) and 15 (par 5, 534 yards) came courtesy of a newly-acquired 50-degree wedge: 120 yards to five feet on the former, 130 yards to 15 feet on the latter. Cerbra also converted a 15-footer for birdie on No. 17 (par 3, 143 yards) after landing a crisp 9-iron above the hole location.

Cerbara’s lone bogey — a missed green, missed putt affair on No. 7 (par 3, 182 yards) — exemplified his headspace of late. He didn’t think ahead. He didn’t let his emotions skyrocket one way or the other. Remaining levelheaded is Cerbara’s gospel.

“I want to try to stay in the moment,” he said. “I’ve gotten a little ahead of myself in past tournaments. You make birdie, and you forget the process on the next hole.”

Golf’s allowed Cerbara to stay levelheaded these days. He’s hoping to gain a position in the finance realm. Between job searches, practice or playing sessions fill the schedule. Golf offers a reprieve from the anxiety any recent college graduate faces.

“You hit the nail right on the head,” Cerbara said. “It’s a little bit of a confusing time right now. It’s definitely a big transition. I’m figuring it out day by day. I’ve always had aspirations [of playing golf professionally] after college. It’s maybe not going to happen, so I’m having fun with golf now. I’m having fun playing with those guys at Huntingdon Valley.”

Fun no matter the headshakes.

Joseph H. Patterson Cup
The second oldest Championship in GAP (Golf Association of Philadelphia), the Joseph H. Patterson Cup memorializes a man who fostered the game in its infancy. Joseph Henry Patterson, a Philadelphia Cricket Club member, competed in the first out-of-town match played by a team of Philadelphians. Friends of Patterson donated the Cup, designed by J.E. Caldwell & Co., to the Association in 1900.

Provident Bank
Provident Bank, a community-oriented financial institution offering “Commitment you can count on” since 1839, is the wholly owned subsidiary of Provident Financial Services, Inc. (NYSE:PFS), which reported assets of $12.92 billion as of December 31, 2020. With $9.84 billion in deposits, Provident Bank provides a comprehensive suite of financial products and services through its network of branches throughout northern and central New Jersey, as well as Bucks, Lehigh and Northampton counties in Pennsylvania and Queens County in New York. The Bank also provides fiduciary and wealth management services through its wholly owned subsidiary, Beacon Trust Company and insurance services through its wholly owned subsidiary, SB One Insurance Agency, Inc. For more information about Provident Bank, visit www.providentbank.com or join the conversations on Facebook (ProvidentBank) and Twitter (@ProvidentBank).

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.