CHERRY HILL, N.J. — James Sullivan, Sr. of Huntingdon Valley CC and his son James, Jr. of Mercer Oaks GC carded a sturdy 1-over-par 72 to grab the 100th Father & Son (Older) at Woodcrest CC (par 71, 6,239 yards) Wednesday. Consistent chemistry, coupled with a fiery flatstick from James, Jr., were key factors in the tandem’s triumph.
“The kid putted his eyes out,” James, Sr., 60, of Huntingdon Valley, Pa., said. “He hit it good all day. Kudos to the grounds crew, too. The golf course was beautiful. The greens were perfect.”
“We’ve played a lot of tournaments together, so we get along well and kind of know what each other are thinking and what we’re doing,” James, Jr., 36, of Glenside, Pa., said.
Signals were crossed early, though, as the Sullivan squad bogeyed its first hole (par 4, 404 yards). After reaching the green in regulation, James, Jr. left a 20-footer for birdie six feet short, and his father couldn’t coax in the par putt. The Sullivan team also experienced a breakdown on No. 4 (par 5, 512 yards). James, Sr. attempted to clear the water hazard with a 24-rescue from 250 yards, only to witness his golf ball create a merciless ripple. James, Jr. resurrected the duo’s round with a rousing birdie on the challenging par 3, 153-yard No. 5. After his father stopped a 6-iron 40 feet from the flagstick, he sunk a squirrely slider.
“It crossed the ridge where it broke to the left going up and right going by,” James, Jr. said. “Going down, it looked like it was going to go eight feet by, and then the hole jumped out and grabbed it. At that point in the round, we needed something to help us.”
The Sullivan squad maintained its newfound mojo on No. 6 (par 4, 330 yards). The elder Sullivan stuffed a sand wedge 75 yards to two feet, and his son cleaned up the kick-in birdie. A three-putt on No. 8 (par 4, 381 yards) resulted in a bogey, but the Sullivan team stayed spirited and fired a birdie on No. 9 (par 4, 360 yards). Father converted a 12-footer following son’s spectacular 115-yard 9-iron shot from underneath the right tree-line. The two gave a stroke back on the uphill par 4, 344-yard 10th hole. The elder Sullivan missed the green with his approach, the younger knocked a chip to 10 feet and James, Sr. couldn’t finish off the par putt.
The Sullivan squad posted eight consecutive pars, including a fabulous save on No. 12 (par 4, 368 yards), to complete its quest one above the blue. The younger Sullivan caught the right greenside bunker with an 8-iron from 150 yards. His father extracted the duo from the sandy circumstances. James, Jr. acknowledged the exit by executing an essential 20-footer to save par.
“That sort of saved our back nine,” James, Sr. said. “That was big for us.”
The Sullivans captured the Father & Son (Younger) in 1991 at Bala GC.
Super-Senior
Bryan McClaskey of Merchantville CC drained an incredible downhill 30-footer for birdie on the first playoff hole to give him and father Charles of Back Creek GC the Super Senior crown. The duo edged Charles Minter of Trenton CC and his son Michael of Makefield Highlands GC, who also carded a 3-over-par 74 in regulation. Defending champions Herbert Gordon of Doylestown CC and his son Neil, who plays out of Five Ponds GC, were unable to return for the sudden-death playoff.
“I’m happy we did it for dad,” Bryan, 48, of Haddon Heights, N.J., said. “He’s been having such a great season. I wanted to be able to give him an opportunity to savor it.”
It’s indeed been a great season for the elder McClaskey, who now holds every Super Senior title in 2011.
“It was fun,” Charles, 72, of Elkton, Md., said. “I enjoyed it.”
On No. 1 (par 4, 389 yards), Bryan McClaskey, mere minutes removed from returning to Woodcrest for the playoff, pured a 3-wood off the tee. The elder McClaskey hit a transition wedge 112 yards to 30 feet above the flagstick. Bryan then reported for birdie duty.
“I saw it was downhill. I knew it was going to be pretty fast,” Bryan said. “It looked like it was straight. I just wanted to get it started online and figured gravity was going to take care of the rest. It kept trickling until it just fell in.”
The Father & Son (Older) celebrated its centennial this year. The event is open to father and son teams with sons 30 years of age and younger.
| Gross | |
| Championship | |
| Name, club | Score |
| James Sullivan, Sr./James Sullivan, Jr., Huntingdon Valley CC/Mercer Oaks GC | 72 |
| Jay Howson, Jr./Gregory Howson, St. Davids GC | 74 |
| Robert Billings/Rob Billings, Rolling Green GC/Stone Harbor GC | 77 |
| Steven Owens/Steve Owens, Links GC/Philadelphia Publinks GA | 77 |
| James Rocks/James Rocks, III, Wedgwood CC | 78 |
| Kevin McDermott/Neil McDermott, Llanerch CC | 78 |
| Joseph Shevlin/Jonathan Shevlin, North Hills CC | 79 |
| John MacDonald/David MacDonald, Medford Lakes CC/Rancocas GC | 80 |
| Matthew Finger/Jon Finger, Wedgwood CC/Osiris G&CC | 80 |
| Jack Clough/John Clough, Wilmington CC/Philadelphia Cricket Club | 81 |
| Marty Klagholz/Martin Klagholz, Rolling Green GC/Aronimink GC | 83 |
| Larry Silk/Sean Silk, Great Bay CC/GA of Michigan | 83 |
| Kenneth Henry/James Henry, Medford Lakes CC/1757 GC | 83 |
| Robert Kalan/Scott Kalan, Greate Bay CC/White Manor CC | 85 |
| Kevin Bondi/Edward Bondi, Huntingdon Valley CC | 85 |
| Lee Oxman/Nate Oxman, Moselem Spring GC/Philadelphia Publinks GA | 85 |
| Jeffrey Davidson/Bob Davidson, Philadelphia Publinks GA | 86 |
| Barry Goldstein/Jason Goldstein, Commonwealth National GC | 86 |
| David Hoegel/Donald Hoegel, Little Mill CC | 87 |
| Christopher Simonson/Jon Simonson, Tavistock CC | 88 |
| Philip Keidel, III/Philip Keidel, Jr., RiverCrest GC & Preserve/Manufacturers G&CC | 88 |
| Bradley Impriano/Jack Impriano, Edgmont CC/Applebrook GC | 88 |
| Eric Fonner/William Fonner, Huntingdon Valley CC | 88 |
| Wayne Diluigi/Brian Diluigi, Running Deer GC/Little Mill CC | 88 |
| Jason Mandel/David Mandel, White Manor CC | 90 |
| Charles Ormsby, III/ Charles Ormsby, Jr., Huntingdon Valley CC | 90 |
| Matthew Genesio/Anthony Genesio, Chester Valley GC/Spring Mill CC | 92 |
| Jack McCormick/John McCormick, Stone Harbor GC/Paxon Hollow CC | 104 |
| Bob Harris/Mitch Harris, Blue Bell CC | DQ |
| Christopher Beringer/Theodore Beringer, Philadelphia CC | WD |
| Super Senior | |
| Name, club | Score |
| *Charles McClaskey/Bryan McClaskey, Back Creek GC/Merchantville CC | 74 |
| Michael Minter/Charles Minter, Makefield Highlands GC/Trenton CC | 74 |
| Neil Gordon/Herbert Gordon, Five Ponds GC/Doylestown CC | 74 |
| Paul Missett/Christopher Missett, Philadelphia CC | 75 |
| Jay Deakins/Warren Deakins, St. Davids GC/Philadelphia CC | 76 |
| Michael Civitello/Mike Civitello, Jr., Chester Valley GC | 77 |
| Glenn McClaskey/Charles McClaskey, Wedgwood CC/Back Creek GC | 77 |
| Kenneth Croney, Jr./J. Kenneth Croney, Overbrook GC/Sunnybrook GC | 78 |
| Tim Curvan/Jim Curvan, Aronimink GC/The Club at Shannondell | 80 |
| Dick Corbin/Rich Corbin, Moorestown Field Club | 80 |
| Larry Benedetto/Lawerence Benedetto, Concord CC/Hampton Hall | 80 |
| Scott Gibson/George Gibson, Riverton CC | 81 |
| Ray Yothers/Keith Yothers, Indian Valley CC | 81 |
| Richard Alessi, Jr./Richard Alessi, Llanerch CC | 82 |
| Philip Petroll/Pete Petroll, Penn Oaks GC | 82 |
| John Easton, III/John Easton, Jr., Manufacturers G&CC | 82 |
| Edmund Moore, II/Ned Moore, Manufacturers G&CC | 84 |
| Paul Watson/Troy Watson, Makefield Highlands GC/Spring Ford CC | 84 |
| Eamonn Logue/Kevin Logue, Silver Creek CC/Lu Lu CC | 84 |
| Richard Bean, Jr./Richard Bean, Tavistock CC | 85 |
| Keith McIntyre/Ralph McIntyre, Concord CC/Tavistock CC | 86 |
| Rich Linkchorst/David Linkchorst, GC at Glen Mills/Mountain Valley GC | 86 |
| John Owens, Jr./John Owens, Gulph Mills GC/Tavistock CC | 86 |
| Brent Alwood/Harold Alwood, Jr., Five Ponds GC/Old York Road CC | 87 |
| Michael Woolley/David Woolley, Tavistock CC | 87 |
| Victor Orlando, Jr./Victor Orlando, Edgmont CC | 87 |
| Michael Moran/Joseph Moran, Jr., Overbrook GC | 87 |
| John Flanagan/Jack Flanagan, Sandy Run CC | 88 |
| Dave Bielecki/David Bielecki, Old York Road CC | 89 |
| Gregory Hurchalla/Charles Hurchalla, Stonewall | 89 |
| Joseph Shott/Edward Shott, North Hills CC | 89 |
| John Zerkle, Sr./ Dino Volpi, III, Plymouth CC | 89 |
| Rod Herrell/Roger Herrell, Philadelphia CC | 89 |
| David Pfeiffer/Francis Pfeiffer, Whitemarsh Valley CC/Riverton CC | 90 |
| Thomas Gibson/Thomas Gibson, Deerwood CC/Penn Oaks GC | 90 |
| Jerry Booz/Steven Booz, Honeybrook GC/St. Davids GC | 91 |
| Robert Mears, III/Don Mears, Jr., Aronimink GC/Colonial CC | 91 |
| Thomas Moore, Jr./Thomas Moore, Sandy Run CC | 92 |
| Charles Kane/Stephen Kane, Rolling Green GC | 92 |
| Charles Lafond/Mark Lafond, The Bucks Club/Blue Bell CC | 94 |
| Lawrence Kelly/Larry Kelly, Whitford CC/Avalon GC | 94 |
| Jim Anthony, IV/James Anthony, III, Bensalem Township CC/Torresdale-Frankford CC | 98 |
| George Keehfuss, III/ George Keehfuss, Jr., North Hills CC | 98 |
| Peter Mark/Alex Mark, RiverCrest GC & Preserve | 100 |
| Andre VanAs/Anton VanAs, Hershey’s Mill GC/DuPont CC | 104 |
| Stan Dworak, Jr./Stanley Dworak, Indian Valley CC | 104 |
| Net | |
| Championship | |
| Name, club | Score |
| Steven Owens/Steve Owens, Links GC/Philadelphia Publinks GA | 71 |
| Larry Silk/Sean Silk, Great Bay CC/GA of Michigan | 71 |
| James Sullivan, Sr./James Sullivan, Jr., Huntingdon Valley CC/Mercer Oaks GC | 72 |
| Jay Howson, Jr./Gregory Howson, St. Davids GC | 72 |
| James Rocks/James Rocks, III, Wedgwood CC | 72 |
| John MacDonald/David MacDonald, Medford Lakes CC/Rancocas GC | 72 |
| Marty Klagholz/Martin Klagholz, Rolling Green GC/Aronimink GC | 72 |
| Kenneth Henry/James Henry, Medford Lakes CC/1757 GC | 73 |
| Joseph Shevlin/Jonathan Shevlin, North Hills CC | 74 |
| Robert Kalan/Scott Kalan, Greate Bay CC/White Manor CC | 74 |
| Kevin McDermott/Neil McDermott, Llanerch CC | 75 |
| Jack Clough/John Clough, Wilmington CC/Philadelphia Cricket Club | 75 |
| Lee Oxman/Nate Oxman, Moselem Spring GC/Philadelphia Publinks GA | 75 |
| Bradley Impriano/Jack Impriano, Edgmont CC/Applebrook GC | 76 |
| Jason Mandel/David Mandel, White Manor CC | 76 |
| Robert Billings/Rob Billings, Rolling Green GC/Stone Harbor GC | 77 |
| Matthew Finger/Jon Finger, Wedgwood CC/Osiris G&CC | 78 |
| Jeffrey Davidson/Bob Davidson, Philadelphia Publinks GA | 79 |
| Philip Keidel, III/Philip Keidel, Jr., RiverCrest GC & Preserve/Manufacturers G&CC | 79 |
| Wayne Diluigi/Brian Diluigi, Running Deer GC/Little Mill CC | 79 |
| Charles Ormsby, III/ Charles Ormsby, Jr., Huntingdon Valley CC | 79 |
| David Hoegel/Donald Hoegel, Little Mill CC | 80 |
| Eric Fonner/William Fonner, Huntingdon Valley CC | 80 |
| Kevin Bondi/Edward Bondi, Huntingdon Valley CC | 82 |
| Christopher Simonson/Jon Simonson, Tavistock CC | 82 |
| Matthew Genesio/Anthony Genesio, Chester Valley GC/Spring Mill CC | 84 |
| Barry Goldstein/Jason Goldstein, Commonwealth National GC | 86 |
| Jack McCormick/John McCormick, Stone Harbor GC/Paxon Hollow CC | 87 |
| Bob Harris/Mitch Harris, Blue Bell CC | DQ |
| Christopher Beringer/Theodore Beringer, Philadelphia CC | WD |
| Super Senior | |
| Name, club | Score |
| Michael Minter/Charles Minter, Makefield Highlands GC/Trenton CC | 66 |
| Paul Missett/Christopher Missett, Philadelphia CC | 67 |
| Michael Civitello/Mike Civitello, Jr., Chester Valley GC | 71 |
| Tim Curvan/Jim Curvan, Aronimink GC/The Club at Shannondell | 71 |
| Dick Corbin/Rich Corbin, Moorestown Field Club | 71 |
| Ray Yothers/Keith Yothers, Indian Valley CC | 71 |
| Charles McClaskey/Bryan McClaskey, Back Creek GC/Merchantville CC | 72 |
| Neil Gordon/Herbert Gordon, Five Ponds GC/Doylestown CC | 72 |
| Jay Deakins/Warren Deakins, St. Davids GC/Philadelphia CC | 72 |
| John Easton, III/John Easton, Jr., Manufacturers G&CC | 72 |
| Kenneth Croney, Jr./J. Kenneth Croney, Overbrook GC/Sunnybrook GC | 73 |
| Larry Benedetto/Lawerence Benedetto, Concord CC/Hampton Hall | 73 |
| Glenn McClaskey/Charles McClaskey, Wedgwood CC/Back Creek GC | 74 |
| Scott Gibson/George Gibson, Riverton CC | 74 |
| Paul Watson/Troy Watson, Makefield Highlands GC/Spring Ford CC | 74 |
| Richard Alessi, Jr./Richard Alessi, Llanerch CC | 75 |
| Philip Petroll/Pete Petroll, Penn Oaks GC | 75 |
| Eamonn Logue/Kevin Logue, Silver Creek CC/Lu Lu CC | 75 |
| Richard Bean, Jr./Richard Bean, Tavistock CC | 75 |
| Keith McIntyre/Ralph McIntyre, Concord CC/Tavistock CC | 76 |
| Brent Alwood/Harold Alwood, Jr., Five Ponds GC/Old York Road CC | 76 |
| Victor Orlando, Jr./Victor Orlando, Edgmont CC | 76 |
| Thomas Moore, Jr./Thomas Moore, Sandy Run CC | 76 |
| Edmund Moore, II/Ned Moore, Manufacturers G&CC | 77 |
| John Flanagan/Jack Flanagan, Sandy Run CC | 77 |
| Gregory Hurchalla/Charles Hurchalla, Stonewall | 77 |
| Michael Woolley/David Woolley, Tavistock CC | 78 |
| Thomas Gibson/Thomas Gibson, Deerwood CC/Penn Oaks GC | 78 |
| Joseph Shott/Edward Shott, North Hills CC | 79 |
| Robert Mears, III/Don Mears, Jr., Aronimink GC/Colonial CC | 79 |
| Michael Moran/Joseph Moran, Jr., Overbrook GC | 80 |
| John Zerkle, Sr./ Dino Volpi, III, Plymouth CC | 80 |
| Jerry Booz/Steven Booz, Honeybrook GC/St. Davids GC | 80 |
| Rich Linkchorst/David Linkchorst, GC at Glen Mills/Mountain Valley GC | 81 |
| John Owens, Jr./John Owens, Gulph Mills GC/Tavistock CC | 81 |
| Rod Herrell/Roger Herrell, Philadelphia CC | 81 |
| David Pfeiffer/Francis Pfeiffer, Whitemarsh Valley CC/Riverton CC | 83 |
| George Keehfuss, III/ George Keehfuss, Jr., North Hills CC | 84 |
| Charles Lafond/Mark Lafond, The Bucks Club/Blue Bell CC | 87 |
| Jim Anthony, IV/James Anthony, III, Bensalem Township CC/Torresdale-Frankford CC | 87 |
| Dave Bielecki/David Bielecki, Old York Road CC | 89 |
| Peter Mark/Alex Mark, RiverCrest GC & Preserve | 89 |
| Stan Dworak, Jr./Stanley Dworak, Indian Valley CC | 89 |
| Charles Kane/Stephen Kane, Rolling Green GC | 92 |
| Andre VanAs/Anton VanAs, Hershey’s Mill GC/DuPont CC | 92 |
| Lawrence Kelly/Larry Kelly, Whitford CC/Avalon GC | 94 |
| *-won in playoff | |
| DQ-disqualification; WD-withdrawal |
