Trio tops Patterson Cup Qualifier at Green Valley

  LAFAYETTE HILL, Pa. — Three players carded respective 1-over-par 72s to share medalist honors in Wednesday’s Joseph H. Patterson Cup Qualifier at Green Valley Country Club (par 71, 6,620 yards). Aaron Burton of Applecross Country Club, Michael Carr of Plymouth Country Club and Robert Savarese, Jr. of Philadelphia Cricket Club topped a field of 135 players attempting to earn one of 29 qualifying spots and ties available for the Championship proper, presented by Liberty Mutual Insurance Aug. 9-10 at Philadelphia Country Club.

  Burton is accustomed to the medalist platform. He topped a Delaware State Golf Association Open Championship Qualifier at Back Creek Golf Club last week.

   “I hit a lot of 3-irons off the tee to keep the ball in the fairway today,” Burton, 19, of Wilmington, Del., said. “I attacked the greens from there.”

  Burton opened with a bogey on No. 1 (par 4, 365 yards) after missing the green right with a 52-degree wedge from 126 yards. He bounced back with a birdie on the par 3, 192-yard No. 4, stopping a 7-iron at 12 feet. Burton couldn’t capitalize on the red figure, however. A wayward drive on the following hole (par 4, 436 yards) led to a bogey. Burton, an incoming sophomore at Adelphi University, reached the No. 8 (par 3, 153 yards) green with a pitching wedge, but three-putted from 25 feet for an unfortunate 4.

  Back-to-back birdies on Nos. 12 (par 4, 320 yards) and 13 (par 4,365 yards) balanced Burton’s scorecard. He knocked a 56-degree wedge 112 yards to nine feet on the first, a 52-degree wedge 131 yards to eight feet on the latter. Burton quickly relinquished both strokes. Bogeys on Nos. 14 (par 4, 371 yards) and 15 (par 3, 219 yards) blossomed from poor tee shots. Burton hit a 56-degree wedge 100 yards to five feet for a solid 3 on the par 4, 416-yard 17th hole.

  After carding an 85 in a GAP Open Championship Qualifier at Whitford Country Club three weeks ago, Burton consulted short-game specialist Bob Kramer and made adjustments to his posture and chipping technique. His game’s transformed as a result.

  “Ever since then, I’ve been playing well,” he said.

  Fairways also proved pivotal to Carr’s game. He hit 16 on the day.

  Although he found the No. 3 (par 5, 525 yards) fairway and green in regulation, Carr brushed a 5-footer for birdie by the jar and left the comebacker for par short. He fired a birdie on No. 6 (par 4, 403 yards) following a 140-yard wedge to 10 feet. Carr executed a prudent par save on No. 10 (par 3, 197 yards). He missed the green right with a 5-iron and lofted a wedge to five feet.

   “After shooting even on the front, it felt good to make that when you think you’re going to make bogey,” Carr, 26, of East Norriton, Pa., said.

  Carr entered red figures with a birdie on No. 11 (par 5, 500 yards), thumping a 4-iron 222 yards, easing a wedge to four feet and draining the delicate downhill putt. Carr stumbled on Nos. 14 (par 4, 371 yards) and 15 (par 3, 219 yards). On the first, he nuked an uphill 7-iron 162 yards over the green and went on to card a double bogey. Carr also failed to reach the 15th green in regulation, which resulted in a bogey. A dazzling chip-in birdie on No. 18 (par 4, 400 yards) allowed Carr to tie for medalist status.

   “I just wanted to make par, and sure enough, it went in,” he said.

  Carr geared his summer toward gaining a spot in the GAP Open Championship at Pine Valley, but missed the cut in a qualifying event at Whitford Country Club by two strokes. His performance eased that heartache “a little bit.”

   “I expected to make the cut. I’m glad I did it the way I did,” Carr said.

  Savarese registered 15 greens in regulation and carded three birdies on the day. On No. 3, he powered a hybrid 245 yards, nestled a wedge to eight feet and converted the red figure opportunity. Savarese, 46, of Lafayette Hill, Pa., whacked a wedge 40 yards to five feet on the par 4, 320-yard 11th hole. He capped his qualifying bid with a birdie on No. 18. Savarese hit a 9-iron 145 yards to 18 feet.

  It’s been a solid season for Savarese so far. He captained Philadelphia Cricket Club into the GAP Team Matches Playoff. Savarese also led Cricket into the Team Championship, carding a 3 under in the qualifier at The ACE Club.

   “I’m hitting the ball pretty well,” he said. “My irons, short game and putting are sharp. I’m looking forward to playing [at Philadelphia Country Club]. I’ve had success there.”

  At the end of the day, the cut line fell to 79.

  The Joseph H. Patterson Cup presented by Liberty Mutual Insurance is the second oldest Championship in the Golf Association of Philadelphia, having been contested for 109 years. The Patterson Cup started in 1900 and has been held in every year other than the World War II era (1943-45). Many of the Association’s great champions — J. Wood Platt, William Hyndman, III and R. Jay Sigel, to name a few — have had their name engraved on the trophy.

  Since 1912, Liberty Mutual has been committed to providing broad, useful and competitively-priced insurance products and services to meet its customers’ ever-changing needs. Liberty Mutual’s delivery on this commitment is the reason it is now the third-largest property and casualty insurer in the U.S. based on 2010 net written premium.

  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 145 Member Clubs and 57,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. As Philadelphia’s Most Trusted Source of Golf Information, the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.