Overbrook GC’s Lange completes career Grand Slam - The Golf Association of Philadelphia

Mar 26, 2005

Overbrook GC’s Lange completes career Grand Slam

  IVYLAND, Pa.–Chris Lange of Overbrook GC completed the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s career Grand Slam. Lange, 50, of Bryn Mawr, Pa., carded a 1-over-par 145 to claim the 22nd Middle-Amateur Championship at a demanding and difficult Spring Mill CC (par 72, 7,295 yards) on Thursday.

*Day One results

Lange, who last summer became only the 11th amateur to capture the Philadelphia Open, is a three-time Amateur Champion (1984, 1993-94) and three-time Patterson Cup (1989, 1994, 1999) Champion. Those three tournaments, along with the Mid-Am, comprise the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s Majors schedule – the Grand Slam.

  “I never really thought about it until it was mentioned to me yesterday,” said Lange, who carded a 2-over-par 74 in the final round. “I’m sure it’s something I will relish over the years. Obviously, back 20 years or so ago, there wasn’t a Mid-Am or Jay Sigel or Bill Hyndman would’ve have been the first. I’m not even in the same league as those two. I just had great timing on my side.”

  Andy Achenbach of RiverCrest GC & Preserve and Rich Pruchnik of West Chester G&CC tied for second at 5-over-par 149. Five other players finished at 7-over 151, including defending champion Michael McDermott of Merion GC.

  Lange, who opened the tournament with a 1-under-par 71 on Wednesday, was out of sync for the first 11½ holes of the second round. He made the turn at 2-over-par and bogeyed the challenging 11th (par 5, 573 yards) after a poor second shot landed in the rough short of the green. His 5-wood on the par-3, 230-yard 12th found the left greenside bunker and Lange faced a difficult, long bunker shot with water on the other side. Lange dropped the chip to two feet.

  He then sealed the tournament with successive birdies, a five-footer on the par-5, 13th (567 yards) and a testy left-to-right curler on No. 14 (par 4, 459 yards).

  “I didn’t hit it as solid as I would’ve like,” said Lange, “but I made a lot of up and downs and didn’t miss too many putts.”

  Achenbach and Pruchnik finished four shots behind Lange.

  Achenbach, 33, of Royersford, Pa., carded a 2-over-par 74 in the group ahead of the leaders. Pruchnik playing in the final pairing with Lange, posted a 5-over-par 77. This was the top finish for both in the Mid-Am. Last year, Pruchnik placed third at Gulph Mills GC.

  “Today, I didn’t really put any pressure on Chris,” said Pruchnik, 39, of West Chester, Pa. “He’s just real steady. I expect him to shoot par. He doesn’t make a lot of mistakes and that makes him difficult to catch.”

  McDermott, the defending and two-time champion, failed to get anything going.

  He carded three pars, two double bogeys, two birdies, a bogey and an eagle on his front side. His round took a fatal turn at No. 11 (par 5, 573 yards) when his drive landed out of bounds. He made bogey, the start of four straight over-par scores.

   “I got down on myself a little more than I normally do,” said McDermott, 30, of Havertown, Pa. “I wasn’t as ready as I have been in prior years for this tournament. At least I know now what I have to work on to get ready for the Amateur.”

NameClub12Total
Christopher LangeOverbrook Golf Club7174145
Andrew AchenbachRiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve7574149
Rich PruchnikWest Chester Golf & Country Club7277149
Glenn SmeraglioYardley Country Club7675151
Robin McCoolSaucon Valley Country Club7774151
Brian GillespieSt. Davids Golf Club7972151
Michael McDermottMerion Golf Club7477151
Chris AndersonWilmington Country Club8071151
Thomas GramignaTavistock Country Club7478152
Drew PanebiancoTalamore at Oak Terrace Country Club7875153
Brian RothausPhilmont Country Club7777154
Joseph RussoRunning Deer Golf Club7678154
Douglas SchroerSt. Davids Golf Club7976155
Douglas ZelnerCoatesville Country Club7977156
Keith MattLu Lu Country Club7977156
Santo LafocaHuntsville Golf Club7878156
Lee CookLaurel Creek Country Club7581156
Mike DannerLu Lu Country Club8076156
James ArsenaultLittle Mill Country Club8076156
Francis DowneyNorth Hills Country Club7978157
P. Chet WalshPhiladelphia Country Club7681157
Charles JonesPhiladelphia Publinks GA8077157
Robert DziakSpring Ford Country Club7879157
R. Blake SlaweckiSpring Ford Country Club8177158
Brian CorbettHuntsville Golf Club7880158
Ronald Cusick, Sr.Tavistock Country Club7682158
Kenneth MattLu Lu Country Club7980159
Frank FilippoMakefield Highlands Golf Club8277159
James KiesermanTalamore at Oak Terrace Country Club8079159
Wayne BartolacciJericho National Golf Club8376159
Kevin KellyPhiladelphia Cricket Club8178159
Michael TashTavistock Country Club7782159
John QuirkOverbrook Golf Club7783160
Rich ThonThe Springhaven Club8179160
David WestWhitford Country Club8278160
Michael DomenickPhoenixville Country Club8179160
Edward EricksonYardley Country Club7684160
Michael MoffatCommonwealth National Golf Club7981160
Roc IreyCedarbrook Country Club7981160
Dan Pinciotti Jr.Huntingdon Valley Country Club7981160
David O’ MalleyCommonwealth National Golf Club8278160
Manus FrielPhiladelphia Publinks GA8179160
David LiottaWhitemarsh Valley Country Club8278160
Brian OwensGulph Mills Golf Club7982161
Chris KallmeyerPhiladelphia Cricket Club8279161
Gui CostinMerion Golf Club8180161
Edmund ChylinskiChester Valley Golf Club7884162
Mark CzerniakowskiPhiladelphia Publinks GA8082162
Pete WiddoesChesapeake Bay Golf Club8181162
Charles Dowds, IIINorth Hills Country Club8083163
Tony LepreGalloway National Golf Club8281163
Warren SmithCavaliers Country Club8182163
Fredrick TaggartMeadia Heights Golf Club8380163
Mark KoskoSeaview Marriott Resort & Spa8183164
Frank PolizziWhitemarsh Valley Country Club8381164
John RobinsonCommonwealth National Golf Club8282164
James PrendergastSpring Ford Country Club8381164
Michael SangerMerion Golf Club8085165
Paul RogowiczYardley Country Club7788165
Brad McFaddenOverbrook Golf Club8085165
Leonard PearsonPhilmont Country Club8085165
Robert BillingsRolling Green Golf Club8184165
Eric MeyerWhitford Country Club7888166
Carlos OchoaLittle Mill Country Club8284166
Michael NilonPhiladelphia Country Club8383166
Scott ElwellRunning Deer Golf Club8186167
Grant LiuCommonwealth National Golf Club8187168
Gary DanielsApplebrook Golf Club8386169
Ted HarrisMakefield Highlands Golf Club8089169
Bill MilnerRunning Deer Golf Club8288170
Mark ShumanPhiladelphia Country Club8387170
Michael EvangelistaConcord Country Club8387170
Rick CusterSpring Ford Country Club8391174
Dino Volpi, IIIPlymouth Country Club8391174
Mark WalkerLaurel Creek Country Club80WDWD
Sean LeonardTavistock Country Club83WDWD
Mark DouglasSpring Ford Country Club79WDWD
Arthur Kania, Jr.Overbrook Golf Club82WDWD
Joseph CostanzoBlue Bell Country Club83WDWD
 
WD-withdrawal

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