Radley’s Melton tops compact Open Championship leaderboard

July 18, 2018

 WAYNE, Pa.–Brett Melton has been a Philadelphia Section PGA revelation since coming to the area early last year.

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  He was the 2017 Omega Player of the Year and registered the lowest scoring average in the section in addition to recording a handful of victories.

  This year has been more of the same. He has three wins and again leads the Section POY standings.

  Melton, the first assistant at Radley Run Country Club, now finds himself on the cusp of joining Philadelphia’s golfing elite.

  Melton carded a 4-under-par 66 at St. Davids Golf Club to grab the first-round lead in the 114th Open Championship at St. Davids Golf Club (par 70, 6,531 yards).

  The Open is the third oldest championship in the Golf Association of Philadelphia. Only the BMW Philadelphia Amateur (118) and Patterson Cup (116) are older.

  The 44-year-old resident of Coatesville, Pa. posted a clean card – four birdies and 14 pars – against the deepest field in Philadelphia golf.

  A total of 133 players competed – 89 amateurs and 44 professionals.

  The cut line fell at 3 over with 70 players advancing to the second and final day.

  “If you are playing, I always feel like I’m trying to play to win or to play as good as possibly can,” said Melton, who won the Indiana State Open twice. “[I try] to do my thing and if it’s not good enough, it’s not good enough. I just do the best I can and see where it falls.”

  Melton, despite not seeing St. Davids until the day before, and that was only eight holes worth, grew up in French Lick, Ind., on a Donald Ross designed course.

  “Donald Ross courses are [all] similar,” said Melton whose wife Dawn is from Plymouth Meeting, Pa. “They have a certain look and feel. You can kind of see where to hit the ball and what he gives you.”

  What Melton took on Wednesday was solid ball striking and steady putting.

  He hit 14 greens in regulation and made a couple nice par savers to keep his round, which started on the back nine, intact. He cited up-and-downs on Nos. 12 (par 4, 454 yards) and 3 (par 4, 349 yards) after a couple of errant blows required one putts.

  Melton birdied No. 11 (par 5, 543 yards) when almost reaching the green in two. He converted an eight-footer for 4; No. 16 (par 5, 504 yards) after hitting his second shot – a 5-iron from 195 yards – to six feet and two putted; and No. 18 (par 4, 394 yards) thanks to a sand wedge from 111 yards that stopped six feet from the cup.

  He added a final birdie on No. 8 (par 5, 490 yards) when he roped a 5-iron from 194 yards that stopped against the back collar of the green. He eventually drained a five-footer for birdie.

  Melton was a five-time Indiana Section PGA Player of the Year.

  “I shot 76 last week at Huntingdon Valley. I didn’t see 66 coming today but I got it going and started hitting it well,” said Melton.

  Melton’s margin for error will be razor-thin tomorrow.

  There are 24 players within four strokes of the lead. There is a trio in second place, one shot back – Radnor Valley Country Club professional George Forster; amateur Jeff Osberg of Huntingdon Valley Country Club and David Quinn, a teaching professional at Philmont Country Club.

  Osberg (2016) and Quinn (2006) are former Open Champions. Forster’s best Open finish was a fourth-place showing. He did that in 2000 and 2015.

  Osberg was a question mark for the tournament. He cracked a rib when he slipped going to retrieve his son’s toy from the Huntingdon Valley Country Club kiddie pool in mid-May and landed against the concrete side. Osberg has swung a club once since. And that was Saturday on the HVCC range.

  Though Osberg, 34, of Bryn Mawr, Pa., said his rib wasn’t a factor, he did say his chronic back problem reared its head again.

  “[Back] flare-ups happen now and again,” said Osberg.

  Forster, 62, of Blue Bell, Pa. said it was only the third time in competition he’s kept a clean scorecard. He made three birdies and 15 pars. He was recognized as a Philadelphia PGA Playing Legend in 2015.

  Quinn, 52, of Marlton, N.J., hit 17 greens in regulation. He made four birdies and one bogey.

  “My goal coming into today was to play safe golf, especially, being a two-round tournament,” said Quinn, also recognized as a Philadelphia PGA Playing Legend.

  Defending Open champion Matt Mattare of Saucon Valley Country Club carded an even-par 70.

NOTES–An amateur has won the last nine Open Championships … the 2017 low professionals were Brian Bergstol of Shawnee Country Club and Tony Perla of LedgeRock Golf Club. Bergstol is tied for sixth place at 1-under par; Perla is in a tie for 16th at even par.

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