Philmont CC’s Chipin, Galbreath take 21st Hussey

  SPRINGFIELD, Pa.–Eric Chipin and Robert Galbreath, Jr. of Philmont CC fell in a playoff for the Francis X. Hussey Memorial Tournament title a year ago. On Monday, the duo earned a bit of redemption by registering birdies on the final two holes to finish at 5-under-par 66 and take home the 21st Hussey Championship by a stroke.

  Chip Culp of Philadelphia Cricket Club and Robert Robertson of Sunnybrook GC posted a 4-under-par 67 to place second. Brothers James Kania, Jr. and Michael Kania of Overbrook GC and Bobby Arthur of Tavistock CC and partner James Ridgway of Wildwood G&CC finished tied for third just two strokes behind. A total of 96 teams competed.

  “I don’t consider this redemption, last year the other team played better than us and deserved to win,” said Galbreath, 15, of Huntingdon Valley, Pa.

  Added Chipin, 16, of Pennington, N.J., “We were just trying to play well and win it for ourselves. We weren’t trying to make up for last year, although this certainly feels better.”

  Chipin and Galbreath didn’t appear winners after the front nine, however. The two turned the front side in 1-under par. However, on the back nine, the two started to heat up.

  Chipin drained a 15-footer for birdie on No. 11 (par 4, 403 yards) before Galbreath knocked a wedge to six feet on No. 12 (par 4, 333 yards) and then dropped a 20-foot uphill birdie chance on No. 13 (par 4, 395 yards).

  A miraculous par save on the treacherous 14th (par 3, 192 yards), Chipin got up and down from the adjacent driving range, kept the momentum going before both missed short par putts on the 15th (par 5, 354 yards) to temporarily stop their surge.

  On No. 17 (par 5, 460 yards), Chipin and Galbreath both had birdie tries and conversions inside five feet and then on No. 18 (par 5, 492 yards) Chipin nailed a four-footer for four with Galbreath staring down a lengthy eagle try. He, too, would card a birdie.

  “I said to Eric [at the turn] let’s play lights out and give ourselves a chance to get into a playoff,” said Galbreath. Last year, the two posted a 31 on the back nine to finish with a 63 and earn a spot in the playoff.

  Said Chipin, “I didn’t have an exact number in mind to shoot coming in here, I just wanted to hit good shots.”

  The two finished the back nine in 31.

  Chipin will be a junior at The Lawrenceville School and Galbreath is a sophomore at Lower Moreland High School.

Junior-Junior Division (13-and-under)
  Ted Brennan of Philadelphia CC and Julian Dorey of Tavistock CC carded a 1-over-par 36 (par 35, 2,774 yards) to capture the Junior-Junior Division of the Francis X. Hussey Memorial Tournament by a stroke.

  The Junior-Junior Division competes over nine holes. This year the back nine was used for the event. The nine-hole sides are alternated every year.

  Brennan and Dorey carded a birdie and two bogeys on their round.*****
  The Hussey is named in honor of the former Rolling Green GC junior member.

  Francis suffered with congenital heart disease and passed away in December of 1983 while undergoing major heart surgery. He was 13 years old when he died. Francis was a student in the Haverford Township School system, an avid sports fan and an active junior member at Rolling Green. His courage in the face of his illness was a great inspiration to all who knew him.