Overbrook GC’s James Kania, Jr. cards stellar 66; leads 107th Joseph H. Patterson Cup

HAVERTOWN, Pa.–Three rounds at devastatingly tough Oakmont CC for the Pennsylvania State Open and a long ride home kept James Kania, Jr. of Overbrook GC in bed and off the practice range before the first 18 holes of Thursday’s Patterson Cup at Llanerch CC (par 71, 6,655 yards). He woke up at 8:15 a.m., arrived a short time later and putted only 10 balls on the practice green before heading out for his 9 a.m. tee time.

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 Four hours later, and before a 1:52 rain delay, Kania entered the scoring area with an opening-round 66 – believed to be Llanerch’s competitive course record – and a ,four-shot lead heading into Round 2. The Patterson Cup’s second and final round begins at 7:30 a.m. tomorrow. Kania, Matt Mattare of Saucon Valley CC, who stands at 1 under, and Mike Meisenzahl of Hidden Creek GC, who is at even par, begin their championship quest in the last Association Major of the season at 11 a.m.

“I didn’t have very many expectations. I was dead tired after yesterday,” said Kania, 20, of Haverford, Pa. “I didn’t hit any balls and hit only 10 putts. It’s kind of interesting how things work out like that. I’ll get some sleep tonight and hit some balls for sure tomorrow.”

Kania posted a 3-under 32 in his first nine holes and then finished his inward spin in style, holing a wedge from 121 yards on No. 7 (par 4, 390 yards) for an eagle two. Starting his round on No. 10 (par 4, 434 yards), the University of Kentucky junior stated his intentions immediately. He landed a 7-iron from 168 yards to 20 feet and made birdie. He drained a 40-footer for a two on No. 12 (par 3, 167 yards) for a second red figure before three putting No. 14 (par 4, 450 yards) for bogey. Kania registered another birdie and bogey over the next two holes – he birdied No. 15 (par 4, 320 yards) after a driver ended just 15 yards shy of the green and the ensuing pitch stopped three feet away and bogeyed No. 16 (par 5, 500 yards) with a three putt from 10 feet – before finishing his front nine in a flurry. He hit a 9-iron on No. 17 (par 3, 144 yards) to three feet and then rolled a short pitch to about the same distance on No. 18 (par 4, 300 yards) to make the turn in 2-under.

 “I went out and got hot and had it going pretty good,” said Kania.

 He opened his inward tour with five pars, birdied No. 6 (par 4, 421 yards) with a pitching wedge from 129 yards that stopped six feet away and then recorded the shot of the day for anybody in the tournament on No. 7 (par 4, 390 yards) when he holed a pitching wedge from 121 yards.

  “I got off to a real solid start on the back. I made one or two up-and-downs but other than that it was fairways and greens,” said Kania. “On No. 7, I hit a 3-wood off the tee and got it in play. I had 121 to the flag and hit a three-quarter pitching wedge that landed about three feet from the hole and sucked back in.”

  Kania failed to get up-and-down after hitting his 4-iron into the left greenside bunker on No. 8 (par 3, 219 yards) for a bogey but finished with a par for a 5-under finish.

  “Wins are the objective,” said the low-key Kania. “I have a long history of finishing second in Golf Association of Philadelphia events. I’ll just come out and try my best tomorrow.”

  It’s already been a memorable year for Kania. He finished as the runner-up to Conrad Von Borsig of Concord CC in the Amateur Championship in June.

  Mattare, 23, of Bethlehem, Pa., finished second in last year’s Patterson Cup by a stroke to Glenn Smeraglio of Commonwealth National GC. He’ll be looking for redemption tomorrow.

  “I’m glad to be in this position again,” said Mattare. “It’s been kind of a disappointing summer. If I can get the putter rolling again, who knows what could happen. After seeing the course yesterday, I thought 4 under would be a winner and 3 under would be in a playoff. If I can make a couple of birdies early and let [James] know other people are behind him, you never know what can happen.”

  Mattare found himself behind the eight-ball all day.

  He opened with three straight bogeys on Nos. 10-12 as a result of three poor drives.

  Consecutive birdies on Nos. 14 and 15 and another on No. 17 saw Mattare make the turn in even par.

  He knocked a 6-iron from 175 yards to 15 feet on No. 14; a lob wedge from 108 yards to five feet on No. 15 and drained a 12-footer on No. 17.

  “Once the putts started to drop the flood gates seemed to open,” said Mattare.

  A bogey on No. 2 (par 4, 432 yards) after finding the left greenside bunker with his approach halted the momentum before Mattare birdied Nos. 5 (par 5, 550 yards), 7 and 9 (par 5, 487 yards).

  On No. 5, he hit a 65-yard lob wedge to six feet; on No. 7, he an 85-yard lob wedge to six feet and on No. 9, he chipped up from the front approach, about 30 feet, to inches.

  Meisenzahl, Cory Seigfried of Philadelphia CC and Rich Pruchnik of West Chester G&CC all stand at even par.

  Smeraglio is at 1 over.

  This is the first year the Patterson Cup, the Association’s stroke-play championship has moved to two days, 18 holes each day at one venue. In the past the Patterson Cup was a one-day event at two locations. The 116-player field was cut to the low 60 players and ties after the first round. The cut line fell at 78. A total of 60 players advanced to the second round.

  The Patterson Cup also serves as the final two rounds of the Silver Cross.

  The Silver Cross is awarded to the player with the lowest aggregate score in the qualifying rounds of the Amateur Championship and the Patterson Cup.

  Kania’s three-round total of 209 also leads the Silver Cross. He holds a four-stroke lead over Cole Willcox of Philadelphia CC.