Pine Valley GC’s Raudenbush, Tavistock CC’s Slonis head Open Qualifier at Little Mill CC

MARLTON, N.J. – Matt Raudenbush of storied Pine Valley GC and Jamie Slonis of Tavistock CC continued the trend of amateur success in this year’s Open Championship Qualifier series with 1-over-par 72s to earn co-medallist honors at Monday’s final Open Championship Qualifier at Little Mill CC (par 71, 6,808 yards).

Despite some admitted difficulties hitting greens in regulation, Raudenbush got off to a steady start before registering back-to-back birdies on hole Nos. 6 (par 3, 198 yards) and 7 (par 5, 529 yards) and ended up finishing the front nine with a 2-under-par 33.

  “My putter was pretty good today,” said Raudenbush, who had 27 putts on the day. “I scrambled a little bit but it’s a pleasant surprise to see that I can play golf when I don’t hit 15 greens [in regulation].”

  Slonis started his round with a little more success as he birdied hole Nos. 1 (par 4, 378 yards), 3 (par 3, 215 yards) and 4 (par 5, 576 yards) to get to 2-under.

But for both players, their front nine success did not necessarily translate to the back as Raudenbush finished the back at 3-over-par while Slonis wrapped up the back nine at 2-over.

  But Slonis finished strong on No. 18 (par 4, 411 yards) when he knocked a PW from 125 yards out to within 8 feet for birdie.

  “I thought I needed to make a birdie on the last hole,” Slonis said. “I wasn’t sure what the scores would be with the greens being soft but I figured 72 would be a good number.”

  Raudenbush and Slonis join fellow amateurs Alan Borowsky of White Manor CC, John Michael Pelet of Wyncote GC and Robert Robertson of Sunnybrook GC who also earned medallist honors at the two previous qualifiers for the Championship. Christopher Gray, a professional who splits his time between Hartefeld National and the North Carolina-based Tarheel Tour, was the only professional to earn medallist honors at any of the three qualifiers.

  “I’m excited,” said Slonis of playing the Open at Merion GC next month. “Besides Pine Valley, Merion is probably the best course around. To be able to compete there over 36 holes in one day will be a good test.”

  “I’m excited to let Merion kick my butt for 36 holes,” joked Raudenbush, the 2006 GAP Junior Boys’ Champion. “You’ve got to start finding the fairway there.”

  Added Slonis, “I’m sure it will be hard. The rough is always up and the greens are always hard and fast. It will be a heck of a test and it will be fun.”

  This is the first year the Golf Association of Philadelphia will solely administer the Open Championship and its qualifiers. The field of 72 players will be comprised of 29 exempt entrants and 43 qualifiers. In all, a total of 77 amateurs and 41 professionals took part in Monday’s qualifier. The Open Championship will have a record purse of $40,000.

  Dave Quinn, the director of golf at Links GC, is the defending champion. Quinn defeated then Philadelphia CC assistant Michael Ladden in a four-hole playoff.

  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 135 Member Clubs and 60,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. The purpose of the Association is simple: To promote, protect and preserve the game of golf in the region.