Pine Valley GC’s Raudenbush tops Amateur Championship Qualifier - The Golf Association of Philadelphia

Jun 15, 2010

Pine Valley GC’s Raudenbush tops Amateur Championship Qualifier

 BETHLEHEM, Pa.–Matt Raudenbush of Pine Valley GC has never had trouble hitting a golf ball far. It’s accuracy that’s been the issue. In the 110th Amateur Championship Qualifier on Monday at Saucon Valley CC – and after a strong couple weeks of practice – Raudenbush’s ills are seemingly cured. Standing 6-foot-2 and a solid 200 pounds, the long-hitting Raudenbush registered 29 of 36 greens in regulation en route to a fantastic 2-under par 141 total (71 on Grace and 70 on Old) and medalist honors in the field of 127 players.

  Raudenbush will be the top seed of 36 as match play begins tomorrow and the quest for the J. Wood Platt Championship Trophy continues. First-round matches begin at 8 a.m. on the Old Course with second-round matches to immediately follow. The quarterfinals and semifinals are scheduled for Wednesday. The 36-hole final begins at 8 a.m. on Saturday.

  Reigning Amateur champion Conrad Von Borsig of Concord CC turned professional in the winter and is not competing, however, the 2009 Amateur runner-up, James Kania, Jr. of Overbrook GC, qualified as the 28th seed at 151.

  Doug Marcincin of Northampton CC, who survived a seven-for-one playoff to earn the 32nd and final match play qualifying position a year ago at Stonewall, fell a shot short of medalist honors today, but will be the No. 2 seed.

  The cut line fell at 152 with five players competing for the final two match-play spots. David West of Whitford CC and Jeff Osberg of Llanerch CC were the final two qualifiers.

  “The last couple of weeks I kind of figured it out,” said Raudenbush, 21, of Pine Valley, N.J. “I’m hitting the ball the right distance. When I get wrong, I hit it over greens and that’s bad. The numbers with my irons have been really good. I’m missing a little left or right but pin high most of the time.”

  Raudenbush didn’t miss much in his 36 holes of qualifying. He totaled 10 birdies in all. And don’t overlook the shortness of his approach shots.

  In the morning round at the Grace Course (par 72, 7,038 yards), Raudenbush carded five birdies and four bogeys. He three-putted No. 5 (par 3, 162 yards) from 20 feet after opening with four straight pars, but hit GAP wedges from 128 and 126 yards, respectively, on Nos. 7 (par 4, 445 yards) and 8 (par 4, 395 yards), to three and six feet for birdies. Another bogey on No. 9 (par 4, 428 yards), when he missed his first green saw Raudenbush turn even. Not rattled the least, the University of North Carolina redshirt junior birdied his next three holes. On No. 10 (par 5, 536 yards), he knocked a 70-yard lob wedge on his third shot to six feet; on No. 11 (par 3, 195 yards) he clubbed a 7-iron to four feet and on No. 12 (par 4, 340 yards) he hit another lob wedge from 60 yards to a foot. A three-putt bogey on No. 13 (par 4, 337 yards) and a missed green on No. 17 (4, 437 yards) saw Raudenbush finish his initial 18 at 1 under.

  Marcincin, who also played in the morning at the Grace Course, held the first-round lead at 4 under.

  In the afternoon, Raudenbush’s strong and solid play continued on the Old Course (par 71, 6,944 yards).

  Starting on the back nine, he birdied two of his first four holes, including one bogey, before adding two more red figures on Nos. 1 (par 5, 554 yards) and 3 (par 4, 378 yards). He came up about 30 yards short of the green on the first hole before chipping up to eight feet and then drained a 15 footer on No. 3 after knocking a GAP wedge on from 120 yards. He missed the fourth (par 3, 161 yards) and fifth (par 4, 472 yards) greens and made bogeys accordingly, but birdied No. 6 (par 5, 556 yards) when he chipped his third shot up to a foot. A bogey on No. 8 (par 4, 429 yards) when his drive landed in the fairway bunker and a par on 9 (par 3, 215 yards) completed his round.

  Raudenbush has played in only two other Amateurs and has missed the cut in both. He did, however, win the 2006 Junior Boys’ Championship, splitting the run of Robert Galbreath, Jr.’s four titles in five years.

  “My mindset going into tomorrow is to put the ball in play and put the ball on the green,” said Raudenbush, whose father Charley caddied for him. Charley Raudenbush is the Pine Valley GC general manager. “In match play it’s tough to beat someone if they are putting the ball on the green. Mentally it kind of wears you down. I want to make guys have to make birdies to beat me.”

  Marcincin, a junior at Lehigh University, recorded six birdies and two bogeys in his a.m. round, for a Grace Course best 4-under 68.

  “I wanted to get off to a good start and just be able to enjoy the Old Course [in the afternoon]. It’s such a classy golf course,” said Marcincin, 20, of Bethlehem, Pa. “My game plan was to come out very strong. The first couple of holes on the Grace Course are tough and tight. I got off to a great start, I was 2 under after the first four holes and that kind of kick started my day.”

  The tough Old Course reared its difficult ways in Marcincin’s afternoon round. He carded three birdies and six bogeys, but still finished at 1-under par.

  “I wanted to finish under par in this qualifying, I’ve never done that before,” said Marcincin.

  Tying Marcincin in second was Justin Martinson of Hartefeld National. Martinson carded rounds of 69 (Old) and 73 (Grace) for a 142 total.

Qualifiers
Name, clubRd. 1Rd. 2Total
Matt Raudenbush, Pine Valley Golf Club71GC70OC141
Doug Marcincin, Northampton Country Club68GC74OC142
Justin Martinson, Hartefeld National69OC73GC142
Matthew Mattare, Saucon Valley Country Club77GC68OC145
Michael Hyland, Little Mill Country Club75OC70GC145
Mike Meisenzahl, Hidden Creek Golf Club75OC70GC145
Stephen Seiden, Concord Country Club73GC73OC146
Thomas Gramigna, Tavistock Country Club75OC71GC146
Benjamin Smith, Woodcrest Country Club75GC72OC147
Jim Rattigan, Schuylkill Country Club70GC77OC147
Michael Kania, Overbrook Golf Club73OC74GC147
Jimmy Johnston, Merion Golf Club73OC74GC147
Anthony Martire, Seaview Resort & Spa71OC77GC148
John Brennan, Spring Ford Country Club74GC75OC149
Ryan McCarty, Little Mill Country Club76OC73GC149
Christopher Lange, Overbrook Golf Club76OC74GC150
P. Chet Walsh, Philadelphia Country Club73OC77GC150
Chris Lange, Jr., Overbrook Golf Club73OC77GC150
Christopher Storck, Moselem Springs Golf Club74OC76GC150
Greg Jarmas, Philadelphia Publinks GA76GC75OC151
Robert Bechtold, Loch Nairn Golf Club76GC75OC151
Scott Klee, Indian Valley Country Club70GC81OC151
Glenn Smeraglio, Mercer Oaks Golf Course74GC77OC151
Cole Willcox, Philadelphia Country Club75OC76GC151
Gary Daniels, Saucon Valley Country Club71OC80GC151
Matthew Burkhart, Meadia Heights Golf Club74OC77GC151
James Kania, Jr., Overbrook Golf Club73OC78GC151
Gregg Angelillo, Moselem Springs Golf Club74OC77GC151
Rodney James, Five Ponds Golf Club79OC72GC151
Daniel Charen, Yardley Country Club70OC81GC151
*Jeff Osberg, Llanerch Country Club75GC77OC152
*David West, Whitford Country Club75OC77GC152
Failed to qualify
*Brian Gillespie, St. Davids Golf Club75GC77OC152
*Brian Creghan, Philadelphia Publinks GA74OC78GC152
*Peter Moran, Edgmont Country Club72OC80GC152
Dan Bernard, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve73GC80OC153
Matthew Finger, Wedgwood Country Club75OC78GC153
Robin McCool, Saucon Valley Country Club75GC79OC154
Geoffrey Cooper, Laurel Creek Country Club76GC78OC154
Marc Mandel, White Manor Country Club78GC76OC154
Stephen Hudacek, III, Glenmaura National Golf Club82GC72OC154
Zachary Herr, Jericho National Golf Club72OC82GC154
Vince Boyle, Torresdale-Frankford Country Club76OC78GC154
Christopher Reedman, Makefield Highlands Golf Club77OC77GC154
Tucker Koch, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve86GC69OC155
James Braunsberg, Blue Bell Country Club79GC76OC155
Ryan Gelrod, Commonwealth National Golf Club78GC77OC155
Tom Borsello, White Clay Creek Country Club76GC79OC155
Kyle Davis, Philadelphia Publinks GA83GC72OC155
Buddy Reed, Back Creek Golf Club76OC79GC155
Scott McLaughlin, Commonwealth National Golf Club83OC72GC155
Robert Robertson, Philadelphia Cricket Club77OC78GC155
Sean Leonard, Tavistock Country Club80OC75GC155
Andy Achenbach, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve77OC78GC155
Kenneth Matt, Philadelphia Publinks GA79GC77OC156
Tom DiCinti, Links Golf Club81GC75OC156
Sean Coyle, Llanerch Country Club79GC77OC156
Mark Coassolo, Brookside C.C. of Allentown80GC76OC156
Nelson Hargrove, Merion Golf Club77OC79GC156
Michael Rogers, Llanerch Country Club78OC78GC156
Shawn Lavin, Philadelphia Publinks GA80OC77GC157
Joseph Fabrizio, Jr., Aronimink Golf Club79GC79OC158
Thomas Bartolacci, Jr., Saucon Valley Country Club77GC81OC158
Michael Brown, Lookaway Golf Club76OC82GC158
Rich Pruchnik, West Chester Golf & Country Club77OC81GC158
Michael Korcuba, Running Deer Golf Club77OC81GC158
Andrew Jaskel, Philadelphia Publinks GA81GC78OC159
Joe Viechnicki, Saucon Valley Country Club77GC82OC159
David Shields, Philadelphia Publinks GA80GC79OC159
Eric Spiller, Woodcrest Country Club79GC80OC159
Robert Galbreath, Jr., Huntingdon Valley Country Club79OC80GC159
Michael Santerian, Wedgwood Country Club81OC78GC159
Michael O’Keefe, Little Mill Country Club80OC79GC159
Oscar Mestre, Overbrook Golf Club82GC78OC160
Scott Storck, Philadelphia Cricket Club78GC82OC160
Matt Dolinsky, Honeybrook Golf Club80GC80OC160
Pierce Dever, Yardley Country Club77OC83GC160
David Liotta, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club77OC83GC160
Robert Savarese, Jr., Philadelphia Cricket Club80OC80GC160
Marty Crounse, Mercer Oaks Golf Course83OC77GC160
Patrick Phillips, Spring Ford Country Club80GC81OC161
Jordan Wycoff, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club77GC84OC161
Brian Corbett, Huntsville Golf Club79GC82OC161
Zachary Falone, Rolling Green Golf Club76GC85OC161
Michael Beran, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve80OC81GC161
Greg O’Connor, Philadelphia Publinks GA78OC83GC161
Anthony List, Jr., Llanerch Country Club81GC81OC162
Greg Matthias, Hartefeld National80GC82OC162
Robert Gill, Fox Hill Country Club82GC81OC163
Frank Corrado, Jr., Jericho National Golf Club84GC79OC163
Rand Mendez, Fieldstone Golf Club79GC84OC163
Christopher Wallin, French Creek Golf Club82OC81GC163
Rich Thon, The Springhaven Club82GC82OC164
Matt Dudas, Indian Valley Country Club79GC85OC164
Steve Lubin, Five Ponds Golf Club79GC85OC164
Douglas Zelner, Coatesville Country Club81GC83OC164
Mark Kosko, Mercer Oaks Golf Course83GC81OC164
Santo Lafoca, Huntsville Golf Club84GC80OC164
Nick Verrecchio, Rolling Green Golf Club82GC82OC164
Grant Skyllas, Moselem Springs Golf Club82GC82OC164
Jared Palubinski, Golden Oaks Golf Club76OC88GC164
Mark Quigley, Lu Lu Country Club82GC83OC165
Tom Piersanti, Saucon Valley Country Club84GC81OC165
Blake Slawecki, Spring Ford Country Club81GC84OC165
Edward McCrossen, Jr., Whitemarsh Valley Country Club82OC83GC165
Brian Rothaus, Talamore Country Club82OC83GC165
Quin Trigg, Hartefeld National82GC84OC166
Chris Binder, Greate Bay Country Club80OC86GC166
Bobby Arthur, Jr., Tavistock Country Club80OC86GC166
Tom Carter, Greate Bay Country Club86GC81OC167
Lucas Serbun, Huntingdon Valley Country Club85GC82OC167
Byron Whitman, Golden Oaks Golf Club85OC82GC167
John Aloisio, Greate Bay Country Club78OC90GC168
Edward Woehlcke, Cedarbrook Country Club83OC85GC168
Steven Minnick, Jr., Bala Golf Club84OC84GC168
James Rocks, III, Wedgwood Country Club84OC85GC169
Jim Simmons, Whitford Country Club86GC84OC170
Ben Feld, Blue Bell Country Club87GC83OC170
Bo Maguire, Brookside Country Club85OC85GC170
Brian Mahlstedt, Glen Oak Country Club83GC88OC171
Robert Cummings, Riverton Country Club81OC90GC171
Joseph Marucci, Saucon Valley Country Club86GC91OC177
Timothy Chow, Indian Valley Country Club93GC88OC181
Bill Boyle, Metedeconk National Golf Club83OCWDGCWD
Jeffrey Griest, Waynesborough Country Club73OCWDGCWD
John Giori, Mercer Oaks Golf Course82OCWDGCWD
Mike Miklinevich, Greate Bay Country Club88OCWDGCWD
*-determined in playoff
WD-withdrawal
GC-Grace Course; OC-Old Course

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