MALVERN, Pa. — Overbrook Golf Club’s Chris Lange is a fixture in the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s history books. For starters, he is the organization’s only Grand Slam (Amateur, Middle-Amateur, Open and Patterson Cup) winner in its 117-year history. He’s undoubtedly been a prominent player over the last four decades. Such success and longevity, however, takes its toll.
In 2012, Lange cut back on his tournament schedule, citing a loss of interest and motivation. His desire to compete, although it fades in and out these days, peaked enough to bring Lange into Thursday’s Francis B. Warner Cup (Gross) at a pleasant White Manor Country Club (par 71, 6,626 yards).
The Bryn Mawr, Pa. resident made the most of his appearance, carding a 1-under-par 70 to take the tournament’s 79th edition. Lange, now in his fourth year on the Senior Division circuit, is also the 2010 Senior Amateur Champion.
“I’ve been chasing tournaments for 50 years,” the 58-year-old said. “It’s nice to shoot a good score in competition. This was a surprising round. I haven’t been playing that well. I have an ear infection, so I wasn’t sure if I was going to come out and get it in. You feel OK once you start making birdies. It puts a different perspective on things. Today I had two thoughts that work: a thought with the long game and a thought with putting, and I was like a different guy out there. My rolodex is getting very long.”
Those thoughts manifested into three birdies on Lange’s outward tour. On the par 3, 214-yard No. 3, he hit a rescue to 20 feet and drained a downhill, right-to-left breaker. He stopped a 75-yard L-wedge shot at seven feet on No. 6 (par 5, 545 yards). Lange deemed it a back-to-back affair by knocking a 56-degree wedge 90 yards to 10 feet on No. 7 (par 4, 330 yards). A 32 on the front nine made Lange the only player to make the turn in red figures on the day.
“I putted really well all day long, probably the best putting I can remember in awhile,” he said. “I just didn’t miss any little putts, and I made a lot of eight and 10-footers. That was probably the key.”
Lange’s “worst swing of the day” reared its unwanted presence on the par 5, 514-yard 11th hole. An unfinished backswing with a rescue club placed Lange in a left fairway bunker, some 80 yards from the green. His extrication attempt didn’t reach its desired destination, and Lange missed a 15-footer for par. He also carded a bogey on No. 16 (par 4, 415 yards) after pulling a 5-iron from 181 yards into the left greenside bunker and two-putting from 25 feet. Lange considered the previous hole (par 4, 310 yards) a round saver. He missed the green with a 56-degree wedge from 80 yards. Facing a downhill shot that presented grave consequences if misplayed, Lange executed a delicate chip to 10 feet for a safe 4.
“I could’ve made a bogey there pretty easily,” he said. “That kept things in perspective.”
To keep a 1 under on the scorecard, Lange sent a six-footer for par on the 18th hole (par 4, 398 yards) and watched it hang on the lip, only to drop a moment later. Once his golf ball rattled , a smile and fist pump entered the scene.
Lange is the third Overbrook member to win the Warner Cup (Gross). Andy Thompson (2008) and his brother Ray (2007, 2009) also hold the trophy.
Bent Creek Country Club’s David Richards carded a 1-over-par 72 to finish as runner-up. The Lancaster, Pa. resident never thought he’d return to tournament golf following a long hiatus, but a fresh start in a new division prompted a comeback.
“I’ve been afraid to compete because I couldn’t score,” he said. ““It was not good to the point where I didn’t know if I could get the ball in the hole. There are going to be more young guys coming through the Senior Division, so it’s only going to get harder and harder. I might as well try it while I’m the young guy and have a chance.”
Richards registered 17 fairways and 14 greens in regulation.
“I hadn’t played [White Manor] before and sometimes that can be good,” he said. “I had no expectations. I didn’t try to take any unnecessary risks, so it was good to keep it in front of me. I drove it very well.”
Richards opened his title bid in a non-titlist fashion, carding four consecutive bogeys largely in part to a shoddy mentality (“My head is not real good. I can shank a ball,” he said.). A wayward drive on No. 10 (par 4, 397 yards), his first hole, left Richards underneath a tree. He pitched out and failed to save par. A three-putt from 60 feet on No. 11 (par 5, 514 yards) put Richards two above the blue. He left a 6-iron short on the par 3, 176-yard 12th hole to card another bogey. The scorecard continued to bleed black as Richards experienced a similar fate on the difficult dogleg right No. 13 (par 4, 435 yards). He missed the green with a hybrid from 210 yards and failed to get up-and-down.
“At the beginning, it could’ve been really ugly,” Richards said. “I just sort of hung on.”
Richards didn’t just hang on; he forcefully climbed back onto the competitive cliff by carding three straight birdies to close his outward venture. He knocked an 8-iron 145 yards to 10 feet on No. 16 (par 4, 415 yards). Richards powered an upwind utility wood 215 yards to 25 feet on the strenuous par 5, 519-yard 17th hole. He ran his eagle effort 12 feet by the jar, but executed the comebacker for birdie. Richards canned a left-to-right curler from 10 feet on No. 18 (par 4, 398 yards) following a solid 8-iron from 140 yards.
Richards dusted off his competitive résumé with his performance Thursday. He qualified for the 2003 U.S. Mid-Amateur at Wilmington Country Club and fared well in the GAP Amateur Championship and Joseph H. Patterson Cup in the early 2000s. Work and family obligations kept Richards away from the competitive circuit.
Throughout the winter, Richards nearly lost confidence in his game. He regained it thanks to lessons from Mike Swisher, an instructor at Lebanon Country Club.
“Now a good teacher got me onto some good keys, so I’m hitting it solidly,” Richards said. “The ball is going the right distance. I’m in a better place today, and I’m hoping I can build off today.”
Francis B. Warner of Philadelphia Cricket Club served as secretary-treasurer for the Golf Association of Philadelphia for 18 years. After his death in 1933, the Association started the Francis B. Warner Cup, an 18-hole stroke play Senior event, as an ongoing tribute in his memory.
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 143 Member Clubs and 57,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. 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.
Overall results
Name, club
Scores
Christopher Lange, Overbrook Golf Club
70
David Richards, Bent Creek Country Club
72
Thomas Hyland, Little Mill Country Club
73
Raymond Thompson, Overbrook Golf Club
73
Joseph Russo, Laurel Creek Country Club
74
Mark Metaxas, Jericho National Golf Club
74
Michael Moser, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
74
Richard Umani, Honeybrook Golf Club
74
Gregory Buliga, Yardley Country Club
75
Chip Lutz, LedgeRock Golf Club
76
David Smith, Doylestown Country Club
76
Mike Owsik, Philadelphia Publinks GA
77
James Muller, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
77
Roc Irey, Lookaway Golf Club
77
Thomas Bartolacci, Jr., Saucon Valley Country Club
77
Gordon Jamieson, Merion Golf Club
78
John Vergari, Tavistock Country Club
78
John Ward, Greate Bay Country Club
78
Steven Walczak, Wilmington Country Club
78
Joe Viechnicki, Saucon Valley Country Club
78
Martin Klagholz, Aronimink Golf Club
78
Brian Rothaus, Five Ponds Golf Club
79
Drew Panebianco, Five Ponds Golf Club
79
Steve Javie, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
79
Craig Scott, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
79
Michael Quinn, Edgmont Country Club
79
Raymond Pawulich, Little Mill Country Club
79
Christopher Clauson, Sandy Run Country Club
80
Mark Walker, Laurel Creek Country Club
80
Marlin Detweiler, Lancaster Country Club
80
Richard Custer, Five Ponds Golf Club
80
Francis McFadden, Overbrook Golf Club
80
James Prendergast, Philadelphia Publinks GA
80
Mark Quigley, Blue Bell Country Club
80
Rich Colaguori, Talamore Country Club
80
Robert Billings, Rolling Green Golf Club
80
Tom DiCinti, Little Mill Country Club
80
Andrew Harmer, The Springhaven Club
81
John Reuter, Great Bear Golf Club
81
Robert Dietrich, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
81
Tom Borsello, Hartefeld National
81
Alan VanHorn, Sandy Run Country Club
81
Richard Krauss, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
81
Robert Lodovici, Little Mill Country Club
81
Robin McCool, Saucon Valley Country Club
81
Thomas Mallouk, Lookaway Golf Club
81
Frank Corrado, Jr., Jericho National Golf Club
82
Gary Daniels, Applebrook Golf Club
82
Jim Gavaghan, Jericho National Golf Club
82
Rocky Dare, Running Deer Golf Club
82
Wayne Bartolacci, Jericho National Golf Club
82
Donald Ashley, Philadelphia Country Club
82
Ed Chylinski, Chester Valley Golf Club
82
Robert Van Etten, Laurel Creek Country Club
82
Joe Culley, The Springhaven Club
83
Mark Szilagyi, Brookside Country Club
83
Mike Miklinevich, Greate Bay Country Club
83
Rich Thon, The Springhaven Club
83
John Turner, The Springhaven Club
83
Jon Stein, McCall Golf & Country Club
84
Mark Leaman, Honeybrook Golf Club
84
Richard Lownes, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
84
Bob Majczan, Lookaway Golf Club
84
Buck Jones, Philadelphia Publinks GA
84
Dennis Tadeo, Philadelphia Publinks GA
84
Gary Daniels, Saucon Valley Country Club
84
Jack O’Hara, Cedarbrook Country Club
85
Michael Domenick, Phoenixville Country Club
85
Michael Vassil, Country Club of Scranton
85
Steven Lucas, Concord Country Club
85
Alan Bernabei, Doylestown Country Club
85
David Brookreson, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
85
Thomas Mairone, Philadelphia Publinks GA
85
Daniel Dressel, St. Davids Golf Club
86
J. Kirk Luntey, Merion Golf Club
86
Jon Harrison, Saucon Valley Country Club
86
Jon Helhowski, Commonwealth National Golf Club
86
Bill Vostinak, Lehigh Country Club
86
Frank Kovalcheck, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
87
Ansley Jessup, Jr., Rancocas Golf Club
88
Robert Arthur, Tavistock Country Club
88
Scott Carney, Commonwealth National Golf Club
88
Steve Meyer, Rolling Green Golf Club
88
Dave Jacobson, Medford Village Country Club
88
Donald MacKelcan, Wilmington Country Club
88
Robert Ockenfuss, Indian Valley Country Club
88
Joseph Major, Brookside Country Club
89
Pierce Herbst, Greate Bay Country Club
89
Jay Davidson, Rancocas Golf Club
89
Pete Widdoes, Inniscrone Golf Club
89
Jim Willoughby, Bellewood Golf Club
90
Keith Li, Heidelberg Country Club
90
Michael Harms, Philadelphia Publinks GA
91
Kevin Melnick, Plymouth Country Club
93
John Robinson, Commonwealth National Golf Club
94
Rick Gaydos, Sakima Country Club
94
Michael Fox, Hartefeld National
95
Joseph DeAngelis, Jericho National Golf Club
95
Paul Keating, Aronimink Golf Club
95
Norman Cote, Coatesville Country Club
98
Robert Konczyk, Philadelphia Publinks GA
102
Gerald Henderson, Blue Bell Country Club
NC
Harold Schweitzer, Broad Run Golfers Club
NC
Arthur Kania, Jr., Merion Golf Club
WD
Eugene Maginnis, Jr., Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
WD
NC – no card; WD – withdrawal
Ages 55-59
Name, club
Scores
Christopher Lange, Overbrook Golf Club
70
David Richards, Bent Creek Country Club
72
Thomas Hyland, Little Mill Country Club
73
Joseph Russo, Laurel Creek Country Club
74
Mark Metaxas, Jericho National Golf Club
74
Michael Moser, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
74
Gregory Buliga, Yardley Country Club
75
Chip Lutz, LedgeRock Golf Club
76
David Smith, Doylestown Country Club
76
Mike Owsik, Philadelphia Publinks GA
77
Gordon Jamieson, Merion Golf Club
78
John Vergari, Tavistock Country Club
78
John Ward, Greate Bay Country Club
78
Steven Walczak, Wilmington Country Club
78
Brian Rothaus, Five Ponds Golf Club
79
Drew Panebianco, Five Ponds Golf Club
79
Steve Javie, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
79
Christopher Clauson, Sandy Run Country Club
80
Mark Walker, Laurel Creek Country Club
80
Marlin Detweiler, Lancaster Country Club
80
Richard Custer, Five Ponds Golf Club
80
Andrew Harmer, The Springhaven Club
81
John Reuter, Great Bear Golf Club
81
Robert Dietrich, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
81
Tom Borsello, Hartefeld National
81
Frank Corrado, Jr., Jericho National Golf Club
82
Gary Daniels, Applebrook Golf Club
82
Jim Gavaghan, Jericho National Golf Club
82
Rocky Dare, Running Deer Golf Club
82
Wayne Bartolacci, Jericho National Golf Club
82
Joe Culley, The Springhaven Club
83
Mark Szilagyi, Brookside Country Club
83
Mike Miklinevich, Greate Bay Country Club
83
Rich Thon, The Springhaven Club
83
Jon Stein, McCall Golf & Country Club
84
Mark Leaman, Honeybrook Golf Club
84
Richard Lownes, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
84
Jack O’Hara, Cedarbrook Country Club
85
Michael Domenick, Phoenixville Country Club
85
Michael Vassil, Country Club of Scranton
85
Steven Lucas, Concord Country Club
85
Daniel Dressel, St. Davids Golf Club
86
J. Kirk Luntey, Merion Golf Club
86
Jon Harrison, Saucon Valley Country Club
86
Jon Helhowski, Commonwealth National Golf Club
86
Frank Kovalcheck, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
87
Ansley Jessup, Jr., Rancocas Golf Club
88
Robert Arthur, Tavistock Country Club
88
Scott Carney, Commonwealth National Golf Club
88
Steve Meyer, Rolling Green Golf Club
88
Joseph Major, Brookside Country Club
89
Pierce Herbst, Greate Bay Country Club
89
Jim Willoughby, Bellewood Golf Club
90
Kevin Melnick, Plymouth Country Club
93
John Robinson, Commonwealth National Golf Club
94
Michael Fox, Hartefeld National
95
Robert Konczyk, Philadelphia Publinks GA
102
Arthur Kania, Jr., Merion Golf Club
WD
Gerald Henderson, Blue Bell Country Club
NC
Harold Schweitzer, Broad Run Golfers Club
NC
Ages 60 & Over
Raymond Thompson, Overbrook Golf Club
73
Richard Umani, Honeybrook Golf Club
74
James Muller, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
77
Roc Irey, Lookaway Golf Club
77
Thomas Bartolacci, Jr., Saucon Valley Country Club
77
Joe Viechnicki, Saucon Valley Country Club
78
Martin Klagholz, Aronimink Golf Club
78
Craig Scott, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
79
Michael Quinn, Edgmont Country Club
79
Raymond Pawulich, Little Mill Country Club
79
Francis McFadden, Overbrook Golf Club
80
James Prendergast, Philadelphia Publinks GA
80
Mark Quigley, Blue Bell Country Club
80
Rich Colaguori, Talamore Country Club
80
Robert Billings, Rolling Green Golf Club
80
Tom DiCinti, Little Mill Country Club
80
Alan VanHorn, Sandy Run Country Club
81
Richard Krauss, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
81
Robert Lodovici, Little Mill Country Club
81
Robin McCool, Saucon Valley Country Club
81
Thomas Mallouk, Lookaway Golf Club
81
Donald Ashley, Philadelphia Country Club
82
Ed Chylinski, Chester Valley Golf Club
82
Robert Van Etten, Laurel Creek Country Club
82
John Turner, The Springhaven Club
83
Bob Majczan, Lookaway Golf Club
84
Buck Jones, Philadelphia Publinks GA
84
Dennis Tadeo, Philadelphia Publinks GA
84
Gary Daniels, Saucon Valley Country Club
84
Alan Bernabei, Doylestown Country Club
85
David Brookreson, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
85
Thomas Mairone, Philadelphia Publinks GA
85
Bill Vostinak, Lehigh Country Club
86
Dave Jacobson, Medford Village Country Club
88
Donald MacKelcan, Wilmington Country Club
88
Robert Ockenfuss, Indian Valley Country Club
88
Jay Davidson, Rancocas Golf Club
89
Pete Widdoes, Inniscrone Golf Club
89
Keith Li, Heidelberg Country Club
90
Michael Harms, Philadelphia Publinks GA
91
Rick Gaydos, Sakima Country Club
94
Joseph DeAngelis, Jericho National Golf Club
95
Paul Keating, Aronimink Golf Club
95
Norman Cote, Coatesville Country Club
98
Eugene Maginnis, Jr., Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
WD
WD – withdrawal; NC – no card
