Tash turns double, takes Patterson Cup, Silver Cross

  HADDONFIELD, N.J.–The Patterson Cup brings out the best in Michael Tash of Tavistock CC. The 42-year-old Glassboro, N.J., resident registered his third Joseph H. Patterson Memorial Cup victory in the last eight years on Thursday with an even-par total of 143.

  Tash recorded a 1-over-par 73 at his home course (par 72, 6,646 yards) in the morning before finishing with a 1-under-par 70 at Laurel Creek CC (par 71, 6,858 yards) in the afternoon. The victory makes Tash the 10^th person in the 102-year history of the event to capture three or more titles.

  “To be mentioned in that group [with three or more Patterson Cup victories] is a privilege,” said Tash. “It’s an awesome feeling.”

  Players with three or more Patterson Cup victories include legendary figures: William Hyndman, III of Huntingdon Valley CC, a 10-time winner, R. Jay Sigel of Aronimink GC, a five-time winner, four-time champions W.B. McCullough, Jr. of Huntingdon Valley CC and J. Wood Platt of Whitemarsh Valley CC, and three-time victors Howard Everitt of Atlantic City CC, Chris Lange of Overbrook GC, Maxwell Marston of Merion Cricket Club, Harold B. McFarland of Huntingdon Valley CC and William P. Smith of Huntingdon Valley CC.

  Coping with the breezy and treacherous environments at both courses, Tash did what he always does when the conditions are tough. He missed just one fairway and six greens in the 36 holes.

  “I’m good when par is good,” said Tash, who captured the Patterson Cup in 1997 and 2002. “I can still keep it around par in every event. I think because of my experience and because my golf ball doesn’t curve a lot that’s why [I’m in every event].”

  At Tavistock CC in the morning, Tash just couldn’t get comfortable to the unusually quick greens of his home course and finished at 1-over-par 73.

  “As much as it was a home course advantage, it was tough getting accustomed to the speed of the greens,” said Tash. “I hit a lot of good putts I thought I made but they just stayed to the high side with the speed.”

  In the second round at Laurel Creek CC, Tash posted a 2-under-par 34 on the front side with birdies on No. 7 (par 3, 206 yards) and No. 9 (par 5, 550 yards). He knocked a 3-iron to 12 feet on the seventh and lipped out a 20-foot eagle putt on the ninth.

  He registered eight straight pars on his inward nine before bogeying the par 4, 444-yard 18^th.

  “I thought that might hurt me,” said Tash.

  It didn’t.

  Four players tied for second at 3-over-par 146. William McGuinness of Tavistock CC (72-74), Roc Irey of Cedarbrook CC (75-71), Santo Lafoca of Huntsville GC (73-73), Michael Vannelli of Medford Village CC (72-74) all finished three shots in back of Tash.

  “It was awesome. This is the best finish of my playing tenure in the Golf Association of Philadelphia,” said Lafoca, 40, of Pittston, Pa., who said he’s been playing in GAP’s events for the past 20 years. “It’s a grind. You learn you can’t make a mistake. That’s the biggest thing that sits with me.”

  Lafoca made three bogeys at Laurel Creek and four bogeys, one double bogey and five birdies at Tavistock. The Patterson Cup is the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s stroke play championship and final Major of the year. A field of 132 players competed in the one-day, 36-hole event – 18 holes at each course.

Silver Cross
  Tash doubled his championship haul, also earning the Silver Cross.

  The Silver Cross is awarded to the player with the lowest aggregate score in the two qualifying rounds of the Amateur Championship and the two rounds of the Joseph H. Patterson Memorial Cup.

  Tash posted rounds of 72 and 74 in the Philadelphia Amateur Championship held at Philadelphia Cricket Club.

  This is Tash’s second Silver Cross.

  He earned the Silver Cross in 1997, a year he also captured the Patterson Cup.

  Tash finished with a four-round total of 289.