Preview: 71st Mason-Dixon Matches

Matches set for The Cannon Club

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The honorary team season continues play as Team GAP will host Team Middle Atlantic in the 71st Mason-Dixon Matches Oct. 11-12 at The Cannon Club in Lothian, Md.

The 12-player team, consisting of the tournament season’s top performers from all age divisions, has its eyes on bringing the trophy back to the GAP region. Serving as the team’s honorary captain will be the Association’s past president Oscar Mestre, who will also be competing.

The Mason-Dixon Matches pits the two teams, including one Junior and two Senior players, from GAP (Golf Association of Philadelphia) and the Middle Atlantic Golf Association (MAGA) over two days of competition. The Day One format is six four-ball matches. Day Two is 12 singles matches. Each match is worth one point. Ties are halved.

In the last installment, the GAP fell to the Middle Atlantic team in 2021, 10-8, at Aronimink Golf Club. Beginning in 1952, the matches were played annually. After 2019, the event moved to a biennial schedule.

The Association’s last Mason-Dixon victory came in 2017. Team Middle Atlantic has claimed eight of the past 10 playings of the event.

Charlie Barrickman, Radley Run Country Club

• First appearance
• T3: 121st Open Championship
• 17th: William Hyndman, III Player of the Year Standings

Steve Cerbara, Huntingdon Valley Country Club

• Second Appearance (2021)
• 2nd: 42nd Middle-Amateur Championship presented by NJM Insurance
• Co-medalist: U.S. Open Local Qualifying
• 14th: William Hyndman, III Player of the Year Standings

David Colleran, Overbrook Golf Club

• First appearance
• Round of 32: 125th BMW Philadelphia Amateur
• Qualified: U.S. Amateur Final Qualifying
• Eighth: Silver Cross Award
• 29th: William Hyndman, III Player of the Year Standings

Sean Curran, Merion Golf Club (Junior)

• First appearance
• Won: 111^th Junior Boys’ Championship
• T5: Harry Hammond Award
• T18: 123rd Joseph H. Patterson Cup presented by Provident Bank
• Third: Junior Player of the Year Standings

Neil Gordon, Doylestown Country Club (Senior)

• Second appearance (1999)
• Semifinalist: 18th Brewer Cup
• T10: 55th Senior Amateur
• Qualified: U.S. Senior Amateur
• T2: PAGA Senior Open
• Seventh: Senior Player of the Year Standings

Craig Hornberger, Lancaster Country Club

• First appearance
• Third: 42nd Middle-Amateur presented by NJM Insurance
• 30th: William Hyndman, III Player of the Year Standings

Jack Irons, Medford Lakes Country Club

• Third appearance (2021, 2023)
• T11: 123rd Joseph H. Patterson Cup presented by Provident Bank
• Fifth: Silver Cross Award
• Round of 32: 125th BMW Philadelphia Amateur
• T5: 74th Delaware Amateur
• 13th: William Hyndman, III Player of the Year Standings

Patrick Isztwan, Huntingdon Valley Country Club

• First appearance
• Finalist: 125th BMW Philadelphia Amateur
• T15: 121st Open Championship
• Round of 16: PAGA R. Jay Sigel Match Play
• 7th: William Hyndman, III Player of the Year Standings

Oscar Mestre, Overbrook Golf Club (Senior)

• 12th appearance (1984, 1992, 1997-98, 2000, 2002-04, 2018-19, 2021)
• Won: 10th Delaware Super-Senior
• Won: 20th Super-Senior Amateur
• T7: 55th Senior Amateur
• T5: Senior Silver Cross
• Qualified: U.S. Senior Amateur
• Sixth: Senior Player of the Year Standings

Peyton Mussina, Williamsport Country Club

• First appearance
• Third: 123rd Joseph H. Patterson Cup presented by Provident Bank
• T6: 60th Delaware Open
• 21st: William Hyndman, III Player of the Year Standings

Logan Paczewski, Huntsville Golf Club

• First appearance
• Semifinalist: 125th BMW Philadelphia Amateur
• 23rd: William Hyndman, III Player of the Year Standings

Tyler Stahle, Philadelphia Cricket Club

• First appearance
• Round of 16: 125th BMW Philadelphia Amateur
• T43: William Hyndman, III Player of the Year Standings

GAP
Celebrating Amateur Golf since 1897, GAP, also known as the Golf Association of Philadelphia, is the oldest regional or state golf association in the United States. It serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. The Association’s 340 Member Clubs and 130,000 individual members are spread across Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland. The GAP’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.