Talamore’s Jim and Michael Johnson seize Father & Son (Middle)

 PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — Schedule conflicts frequently prevent Jim Johnson and his son Michael from heading to the golf course together.

  They had a chance to play Thursday, and the Talamore CC tandem made the most of it. The Johnsons carded a 2-over-par 70 to triumph in the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s Father & Son (Middle) at Bala GC (par 68, 5,306 yards).

  “It’s great to spend time with dad,” Michael, 19, said. “Over the summer, I don’t get much time to do it. He’s always running.”

  “It was nice to come out and play with Michael,” Jim, 49, added. “And his shoulders are tired, believe me.”

  The Ambler, Pa. residents didn’t start their championship campaign in fine fashion. Michael blocked his GAP wedge from 140 yards out on No. 1 (par 4, 336 yards). Standing short-right of the green, Jim then skulled his chip shot, and the team failed to get up-and-down for par. A bogey on the par 4, 390-yard 5th hole put the Johnsons at 2 over, but they recovered those strokes by firing back-to-back birdies on Nos. 10 (par 5, 487 yards) and 11 (par 4, 385 yards). Michael launched his 5-iron 185 yards into the wind on the first. Jim’s delicate chip stopped inches within the cup. Michael, who just finished his freshman year at La Salle University, pulverized his drive on No. 11. With 67 yards remaining to the hole location, Jim knocked his wedge to 15-feet and his son sunk the left-to-right breaker.

  “I had a different line, and then he helped me out with it,” Michael, 19, said.

  Two stumbling blocks coming in tipped the Johnsons over the par-boundary. Michael again ripped a drive on No. 15 (par 4, 323 yards) to 10 yards short of the green. However, Jim’s chip came out flat and rolled a mere three yards. The Johnsons exhausted four strokes just to reach the putting surface. On No. 18 (par 4, 362 yards), Jim sharpened his wedge play by lofting it 15-feet from the flagstick. Michael, though, became too aggressive with the uphill putt and pushed it five feet past. Jim missed the comebacker.

  Michael, the 2010 Patterson Cup runner-up, is fresh off a sound rookie campaign at the collegiate level. He earned Atlantic-10 Rookie of the Week honors on two occasions and led the Explorers in scoring average. Michael takes to the golf course frequently. That isn’t the case for his dad, who works for Merck Pharmaceuticals. Thursday marked Jim’s third round of the year.

  “I’ve walked and watched Michael a lot,” he said. “My schedule has kept me from playing.”

  David and Zach Smith of Doylestown CC fell one stroke short in their bid for a three-peat. They, along with the team of Jeff Klagholz of Rolling Green GC and Martin Klagholz of Applebrook GC, carded respective 3-over-par 71s to finish tied for second.

  The Father & Son (Middle) tournament is for those father and son teams with sons ranging in ages from 18 to 29. The event was conceived in 2008 because of the high demand for participation in both the Younger and Older tournaments.