Sim, Matt top TFCC Patterson Cup Qualifier

 PHILADELPHIA – Ken Sim of Commonwealth National GC and Keith Matt of Lu Lu CC earned co-medallist honors Friday after carding even-par 70s to head the final Joseph H. Patterson Cup Qualifier at Torresdale-Frankford CC (par 70, 6,250 yards).

“I hit [the ball] real straight today and this is a real tight golf course,” Sim said. “I’ve never played here but I got a lot of notes from the guys back at [Commonwealth National GC].”

  Matt registered three birdies and as many bogeys to tie Sim for the lead and also advance into the Championship.

  “I played pretty solid and hit a lot of greens,” Matt said. “I made those three and four footers that you have to make to shoot a good score.”

“I guess it helped me play a little bit like I used to,” said Matt of his switch from his Scotty Cameron putter to the older Maxfli.

  Sim and Matt join 22 other players who advanced Friday to the 36-hole Championship next month at Berkleigh CC and Moselem Springs GC.

  “I’ve never played those two [courses] so I’m really looking forward to it,” Sim said. “I’m going to try my best and see what happens. I think I have the game to play and it’s just a matter of putting it together.”

  “It’s exciting,” said Matt, who has played both courses but never under tournament conditions. “They’re both great golf courses so it should be good. These days you have to shoot under par to be in contention so it should fun.”

  Today’s contest was the final qualifier used to help determine the tournament field for the 105^th running of the Patterson Cup. The first qualifier was held last Wednesday at Sandy Run CC and was topped by Zach Smith of Doylestown CC who fired a 3-under-par 69.

  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.