Thompson rallies late for Senior Amateur; sweeps circuit titles

PAOLI, Pa.–Ray Thompson of Overbrook GC overcame a late double-bogey and a resolute Ed Chylinski of Chester Valley GC to take the 37^th Senior Amateur Championship on Thursday at Waynesborough CC (par 71, 6,625 yards) in stunning fashion. Thompson birdied the par 3, 17^th hole (179 yards) to cut a two-shot deficit in half and then parred No. 18 (par 5, 539 yards) as Chylinski struggled to a double-bogey finish to win the title by one stroke. Thompson posted a second-round 71 (141 total) and Chylinski a 69 (142 total).

  Thompson’s victory marked the first time an individual has swept all three Golf Association of Philadelphia Senior Major tournaments in the same year.

The 55-year-old Thompson entered the two-day Senior Amateur already holding the organization’s 2007 Warner Cup and Chapman Cup titles. He is the first to do that since Mike Rose, then of Ashbourne CC, did so in 2003.

  Thompson’s Senior Amateur victory also propelled him to the Senior Silver Cross Award victory (given to the player with the lowest aggregate score in the Warner Cup, Chapman Cup and Senior Amateur). He distanced the field for that award by 12 shots.

  “Maybe they’ll remember when I’m long gone,” said a laughing Thompson. “It’s nice to have a little bit of a legacy, at least senior wise.”

  Thursday’s finish, however, will definitely be remembered.

  Tied on No. 16 (par 4, 437 yards), both Chylinski and Thompson pushed their drives right. Thompson’s ball kicked back toward the fairway and Chylinski’s tee ball landed further ahead and with an opening to the green. Thompson’s second shot then clipped a low-hanging branch and dropped just 20 yards further ahead, before his third stroke came up short of the green. He would eventually go on to make double bogey. Chylinski didn’t capitalize immediately, though, knocking his 7-iron from 162 yards in the right rough over the putting surface and with a downhill chip remaining. A delicate shot later left him with 20 feet, up the hill. He made it for par to pull two strokes clear.

  On No. 17, Chylinski, with the honors, followed that up with a 5-iron to 12 feet just below the hole. Thompson, the pressure squarely on him, seemed unrattled by the prior events. He stepped up and knocked a 5-iron to eight feet above the hole. He made the putt and Chylinski did not, sending the two to the 36^th hole separated by a stroke.

  “[On No. 16], I just got ahead of it [with a 3-iron] and dead shanked it,” said Thompson. “[On No. 17] I was two shots back. I’ve been there before. Golf’s a funny game and things can happen. I figured I just have to make a good swing and try to make birdie and I still got a shot. It was one of the better irons I hit all day.”

  Playing first, Thompson found the 18^th fairway. Chylinski, however, did not, pulling his drive left. Chylinski, in a difficult lie behind the trees and on the cusp of the driving range, couldn’t hit it far enough to reach the fairway and was left with a third shot from behind a tree. The ensuing shot landed to the right of the greenside sand and the following chip finished in the bunker. Thompson, who had seen Chylinski ‘s first two shots, played it straight, knocking a 5-wood from 255 yards that stopped about 20 yards to the right of the green and in the first cut of rough. Thompson chipped up to 12 feet and Chylinski failed to get up-and-down for bogey from the bunker leaving Thompson with a two-putt par for the victory.

  “I was kind of in shock honestly,” said Thompson, after Chylinski’s chip landed in the bunker. “I can’t say I haven’t hit that shot before. Under the circumstances I felt for him. I’ve been on the other side of that one, too.”

  Chylinski moved into contention with a stellar front nine. The 57-year-old from King of Prussia, Pa., posted three birdies on the front side as Thompson posted all pars. Chylinski knocked a pitching wedge on No. 2 (par 4, 407 yards) to eight feet; a 9-iron on No. 5 (par 4, 420 yards) from 132 yards to 10 feet and a gap wedge on No. 7 (par 5, 530 yards) from 108 yards to five feet.

  Thompson regained the sole lead on No. 11 (par 4, 411 yards) with a 145-yard, 9-iron to eight feet but Chylinski responded in grand style with an 8-iron on No. 14 (par 3, 147 yards) to inches.

Super-Senior Division
  First-round leader Robert Proto of Little Mill CC went on to post a four-shot victory in the Super-Senior Division. Proto carded a second round, 1-over-par 72 (6,080 yards) to follow up an even-par effort from yesterday for a 143 total. Curt Fromal of The Springhaven Club and Jay Howson, Jr., of St. Davids GC tied for second at 5-over-par 147. Proto, 69, of Medford, N.J., made the outward turn in 2-over-par 37 but finished strong, coming in at 1-under 35. Proto recorded two birdies and a bogey on his final nine holes.

  “I figured I had to play well on the back nine,” said Proto. “That’s makes you feel good.”

  Proto’s birdies were a result of an 8-iron to two feet on No. 13 (par 4, 347 yards) and a 5-iron to 25 feet on No. 17 (par 3, 155 yards).

  The 2001 Senior Amateur Championship titleholder, Proto entered the tournament off a seventh-place showing in the New Jersey State Senior Amateur Championship at Manasquan River G&CC in early August.

  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.

Overall
1. Ray Thompson, Overbrook GC, 141
2. Ed Chylinski, Chester Valley CC, 142
3. Frank McFadden, Overbrook GC, 146
4. William Lawler, Fox Hill CC, 147

Ages 55-59
1. Craig Scott, Huntingdon Valley CC, 148
2. Don Donatoni, White Manor CC, 149
2. Charles Jones, Philadelphia Publinks GA, 149

Ages 60-and-over
1. Art Brosius, DuPont CC, 150
2. Bo Dixon, Gulph Mills GC, 151
2. Neil McDermott, Llanerch CC, 151

Super-Senior Division (65-and-over)
1. Robert Proto, Little Mill CC, 143
2. Curt Fromal, The Springhaven Club, 147
2. Jay Howson, Jr., St. Davids GC, 147