#USSeniorAm Qualifying: Kennett Square

Fieger, Sr. takes medalist honors

KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. – Chris Fieger, Sr. continues to shoo away Father Time.

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The 60-year-old Heidelberg Country Club member made match play in the 123rd BMW Philadelphia Amateur in June at Huntingdon Valley Country Club.

“Making match play in the GAP Amateur this year was amazing,” Fieger said. “Proving that I can still compete with the young guys is nice. It keeps me going.”

Inspired by his ball striking, Fieger continued to believe that good things would come.

Fieger, aided by his resolve and revived putting, claimed medalist honors in U.S. Senior Amateur Qualifying Monday at Kennett Square Golf & Country Club (par 71, 6,416 yards) with a round of 69.

“I have been playing a lot this year and been hitting the ball great,” Fieger, Sr. said. “My putter has been horrible and you usually can’t score that well by just hitting the ball great. I loved the speed of the greens here today. I putt better on faster greens.”

Chris Storck (70) of Reading, Pa. and Art Brunn (71) of Hanover Township, Pa. advanced in regulation. James Winner of Churchville, Md. and John Barry of Lancaster, Pa. advanced after surviving a 8-for-2 playoff of players who shot 72.

Winner birdied No. 10 (par 4, 414 yards) to advance on the first playoff hole and Barry advanced with birdie on the third playoff hole which was also No. 10. No. 9 (par 5, 492 yards) was the second playoff hole.

The 68th U.S. Senior Amateur will take place at Martis Camp Club in Truckee, Calif. Aug. 26-31.

Fieger’s day started in the worst way possible with a double bogey on No. 10, (par 4, 414 yards) his first hole of the day. It would be his lone blemish.

But Fieger had 17 holes left and he wasn’t going to waste them. He got back on track with a 35-footer for birdie on No. 11 (par 3, 181 yards). He then made an easy two-putt birdie on No. 16 (par 5, 448 yards) to get back to even par.

As he reached the front nine, which was his back nine, birdies on Nos. 5 (par 3, 206 yards) and 9 escalated him to the magic number. He striped a 5-iron to two feet on No. 5 and rolled in a 10-footer for birdie on No. 9.

Fieger has had quite a bit of success since 2019 in GAP events and U.S. Senior Amateur qualifying. He’s won the GAP Senior Amateur three times (2019-20, 22) and has now qualified for the U.S. Senior Amateur three times (2019, 2021, 2023). He didn’t compete in the 2020 U.S. Senior Amateur because it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s awesome to qualify again,” Fieger, of Denver, Pa., said. “My son Chris, Jr. always takes off when the championship is in case I qualify. I was disappointed in my performance at Old York Road Country Club last year in the qualifier. The wind was tough in the afternoon. It is nice to redeem myself.”

Storck, of LedgeRock Golf Club, has thrown a perfect game thus far. Since turning 55, he’s qualified for the U.S. Senior Amateur in each of his first two attempts.

“It is so difficult to get into USGA events,” Storck, 56, of Reading, Pa., said. “You never know what game you will have on that given day. I’ve been fortunate enough to play well on this qualifying day the last two years. This is one day I have circled on my calendar every year.

“Last year was better than I ever expected. You have a checklist of things you hope to experience at a USGA event and it exceeded everything I thought of. You get to meet so many new people and develop relationships you wouldn’t have otherwise. My wife got a chance to experience all of it as well, which was cool.”

A brilliant ball-striking day left more stress than intended. Storck said he struggled to make putts but was able to play his first 17 holes in bogey-free 2 under. He made a little bit of a mess with a bogey on his last hole (No. 9) but not to worry. He had the cushion.

“The last couple holes, I just wanted to get to the clubhouse,” Storck said. “My brother Scott did a great job keeping me in the moment. He helped talk me through shots and offered some positive reinforcement. I wish I had my putter working today but hopefully the putts will fall when I need them to.”

Storck’s known for his championship reverence in Berks County as well as his consistency. He always finds a way to be in the hunt. He will never beat himself.

“I’ve learned quite a bit about myself the last five years or so,” Storck said. “I am always trying to push the envelope and do a little more. The last ten years, my game has improved because of LedgeRock. You get to play a course that is difficult and we have a lot of great players there. You have to play well to compete.”

Art Brunn wasn’t sure how he wanted to spend his day after a 71. He was planning on heading back north after a long day. But he decided to stick around. 

Brunn’s total rounds of golf this year has seen an increase because of his daughter Arden. While her dad was earning a spot in the U.S. Senior Amateur, she was competing in the GAP/AGA Tournament of Champions at Fox Hill Country Club.

“I have been playing as much golf as I have ever been,” Brunn, 56, said. “My daughter has been falling in love with the game. I should be resting because I have had a bad shoulder all year, but I can’t say no to her. My short game and putting has been solid since I am playing so much.”

This won’t be Brunn’s first experience in a USGA championship. He played in the now-defunct U.S. Public Links twice in the 1990s.

“I had heard of Kennett Square but I have never been,” Brunn, 56, of Wyoming Valley Country Club, said. “I asked a lot of the better players in the Anthracite area and not many of them had played here, so I needed to come down for a practice round. It is a good golf course with nice greens. I’m glad I made the trip.”