Savarese, Jr. earns Middle-Amateur title on home course

First Round Results | Winning Scorecard |

  FLOURTOWN, Pa.-A major tournament on your home venue can be a blessing to some and a curse to others. Longtime Philadelphia Cricket Club member Rob Savarese, Jr., found home to be the perfect location for his first Golf Association of Philadelphia Major title.

  The 37-year-old Lafayette Hill resident recorded an even-par 71 in the final round of Thursday’s Middle-Amateur Championship at Philadelphia Cricket Club (Wissahickon Course, par 71, 6,788 yards) to finish at 2-under-par for the tournament and earn a two-stroke victory.

  Bill McGuinness of Tavistock CC posted a closing-round 72 for an even-par 142 two-day total to finish in second place. Michael Tash of Tavistock CC and P. Chet Walsh of Philadelphia CC tied for third at 2-over-par 144 and first-round leader Michael McDermott of Llanerch CC recorded a second-round 77 to finish in a group of five in fifth place at 3-over-par.

  “I’m very proud to win, and to win it here, I’m extremely proud of that,” said Savarese, a nine-time club champion. “I was nervous all day today. It’s almost unbelievable because I think it’s harder to play a tournament of your home course than anywhere else.”

  Savarese said it’s difficult to play at home, but his actions made the win look easy. He birdied No.1 (par 4, 402 yards) and No. 2 (par 4, 417 yards), and after McDermott four-putted the second hole for double-bogey, Savarese went from starting the day a shot back to three shots in front.

  Birdies at No. 6 (par 4, 357 yards) and No. 10 (par 3, 153 yards) increased his advantage to four strokes, before a slight hiccup on No. 11 (par 4, 424 yards) – a triple bogey – brought the field back into play.

  But Savarese proved his championship mettle on the ensuing hole, the par 5 12^th (524 yards). He knocked his second shot, a 3-iron from 256 yards, to five yards short of the green before a stellar chip left him with a gimme birdie.

  A bogey on No. 15 (par 3, 204 yards) and birdie on No. 16 (par 4, 405 yards) provided Savarese with a three-shot cushion with two holes to play. He finished par, bogey for the title.

  “I thought I was going to play well. I’ve been thinking about this tournament quite a bit,” said Savarese. “I had a feeling something good was going to happen to me.”

  McGuinness, 43, of Woodbury, N.J., entered the Mid-Am searching for some swing answers. He found it with two days of consistent play.

  The putter caused McDermott caused headaches all day.

  In addition to his four putt, McDermott recorded three three putts.

  “I was searching all day,” said McDermott, 28, of Havertown, Pa. “I used three different grips.”

  A total of 80 players made the cut from the initial field of 132. This was the 20^th Middle-Amateur Championship.