WILMINGTON, Del.–Presidential duties dulled Mike Vassil’s game early in 2012. The Country Club of Scranton’s leader had to deal with a renovation project until July. Thursday at Wilmington Country Club’s South Course (par 71, 6,641 yards) Vassil’s sharpened talents resulted in the ultimate Senior prize. Vassil upended the world’s top older amateur, Chip Lutz of LedgeRock Golf Club, in a playoff for the 42nd Senior Amateur Championship. Vassil birdied the first playoff hole, No. 10 (par 4, 368 yards), with a sand wedge from 87 yards that stopped five feet from the hole. Lutz made a par. Both players carded 1-under 70s in regulation to force the first Senior Amateur playoff since 1992.
The event was shortened to 18 holes after the week’s earlier wet weather cancelled Wednesday’s first round.
“It’s very satisfying. To win anything in the Golf Association of Philadelphia is special, especially playing someone like Chip Lutz,” said Vassil. “It’s an honor to be recognized for playing accomplishments in such a strong Association.”
Lutz, who secured his third consecutive GAP Senior Player of the Year earlier in the season with a string of powerful performances, was trying to complete the organization’s circle of life, so to speak. No player has ever won the Junior Boys’, Amateur and Senior.
Francis McFadden of Overbrook Golf Club placed third. McFadden stood at 2 under thru 16 but double bogeyed No. 17 (par 3, 176 yards) when he pulled his 6-iron into the water hazard short and left of the green.
Lutz played in the morning wave and was the first to post his number.
The 57 year old from Reading, Pa. made eight pars and a double bogey on his front nine. His lone miscue was a thinned 7-iron that found the water on No. 5 (par 4, 413 yards). However, Lutz found his groove on the back nine, netting three birdies and six pars. He hit approach shots on Nos. 10 (par 4, 368 yards), 12 (par 4, 375 yards) and 15 (par 4. 369 yards) all within eight feet for birdie 3s.
“I was disappointed to start slow,” said Lutz. “I hit a couple of good putts out there that didn’t fall. That’s the way golf is. I played well on the back to get back in it.”
Vassil played in the afternoon and in direct contrast to Lutz, opened with two birdies and seven pars on his front nine (He started on the back side.) The 55 year old from Clarks Summit, Pa. drained a 30 footer on No. 13 (par 3, 183 yards) after hitting the green with a 3-iron for birdie before hitting No. 14 (par 5, 515 yards) in two and registering a 4.
Vassil’s front side got ugly quick, though, when he found the bunker on No. 1 (par 4, 421 yards) and then the trees on No. 3 (par 5, 585 yards) for bogeys. However, he rebounded with a birdie on No. 5 (par 4, 413 yards) after knocking a 9-iron from 137 yards to 20 feet before finishing with all pars.
“The duties of the presidency [were] distracting me a fair bit [early in the season],” said Vassil in his first year as Scranton President. “We just completed a major renovation program and that wrapped up in July. Since about August I’ve been playing better.”
Vassil’s performance also pushed him to the top of the Senior Silver Cross Award standings. He defeated Thomas Bartolacci, Jr. of Saucon Valley Country Club by three strokes. He score was 215.
The Senior Silver Cross is awarded to the player with the lowest aggregate score in the Warner Cup (Gross), Chapman (Gross) and Senior Amateur Championship.
Vassil is the first CC of Scranton member to win either the Senior Amateur or Senior Silver Cross.
Super-Senior Division
O. Gordon Brewer, Jr. of Pine Valley Golf Club methodically navigated Wilmington’s South Course (par 71, 6,155 yards) en route to an even-par 71 and one-shot victory over defending Super-Senior Champion John Rowe of Whitemarsh Valley Country Club. It is Brewer’s second Super-Senior title. He also won that division’s top prize in 2008.
“It’s a thrill to win, especially on this golf course,” said Brewer, 75, of Pine Valley, N.J. “This is a wonderful course, a real good test of golf. I didn’t do anything spectacular. It was, fortunately, a good solid round of golf.”
Wilmington has always held a soft spot in Brewer’s heart. He qualified for his first U.S. Amateur Championship at Wilmington in 1968.
Brewer opened his round with a pair of birdies, including a holed out bunker shot on No. 1 (par 4, 405 yards) to make the turn at even par. He carded a red circle 3 on No. 11 (par 4, 276 yards) with a lob wedge from 60 yards to five feet, however, a final-hole bogey when he spun his approach shot off the green put Brewer at even.
Brewer finished about two hours before Rowe did.
Rowe stood at 3 under thru 11 holes and apparently in command, but recorded four bogeys in his last seven holes to thwart his repeat bid. Rowe cited the length of the golf course coming home as the reason for his struggles. He just recently had hand surgery.
“The back [nine] just got me. It just played too long for me,” said Rowe, 66, of Philadelphia, Pa.
In the Super-Senior Silver Cross race, Charles McClaskey of Back Creek Golf Club and Mike Rose of Talamore Country Club tied with a 223 total. The Super-Senior Silver Cross is awarded to the player with the lowest aggregate score in the Warner Cup (Gross), Chapman (Gross) and Senior Amateur Championship.
An 18-hole playoff for the Super-Senior Silver Cross will be conducted at a time and site to be determined.
Overall
Name, club
Score
*Michael Vassil, Country Club of Scranton
70
Chip Lutz, LedgeRock Golf Club
70
Francis McFadden, Overbrook Golf Club
71
Michael Quinn, Edgmont Country Club
72
Raymond Thompson, Overbrook Golf Club
72
Richard Lownes, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
73
Don Donatoni, White Manor Country Club
73
Christopher Clauson, Sandy Run Country Club
74
David Brookreson, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
74
Gary Daniels, Saucon Valley Country Club
74
Jim Macallister, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
75
John Vergari, Tavistock Country Club
75
Michael Moser, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
75
Rich Thon, The Springhaven Club
75
Thomas Bartolacci, Jr., Saucon Valley Country Club
75
Christopher Lange, Overbrook Golf Club
76
Jim Gavaghan, Jericho National Golf Club
76
Joe Viechnicki, Saucon Valley Country Club
76
Mark Quigley, Blue Bell Country Club
76
Mark Walker, Laurel Creek Country Club
76
Marlin Detweiler, Lancaster Country Club
76
Steven Walczak, Wilmington Country Club
76
Craig Scott, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
76
John Emmel, Jr., Back Creek Golf Club
76
Robert Billings, Rolling Green Golf Club
76
Robin McCool, Saucon Valley Country Club
76
Wally Swiger, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
76
J. Kirk Luntey, Merion Golf Club
77
Pete Widdoes, Inniscrone Golf Club
77
Pierce Herbst, Greate Bay Country Club
77
Scott Carney, Commonwealth National Golf Club
77
Buck Jones, Philadelphia Publinks GA
77
William Lawler, Fox Hill Country Club
77
Gary Daniels, Applebrook Golf Club
78
James McGlynn, M.D., Aronimink Golf Club
78
Michael Domenick, Phoenixville Country Club
78
Robert Wagner, Merion Golf Club
78
Donald MacKelcan, Wilmington Country Club
78
Roc Irey, Lookaway Golf Club
78
Andrew Harmer, The Springhaven Club
79
Arthur Kania, Jr., Merion Golf Club
79
Frank Rutan, IV, Philadelphia Cricket Club
79
Rocky Dare, Running Deer Golf Club
79
Alan VanHorn, Sandy Run Country Club
79
Alexander Maguire, Sr., Brookside Country Club
79
Andy Thompson, Overbrook Golf Club
79
Bill Vostinak, Lehigh Country Club
79
Donald Ashley, Philadelphia Country Club
79
Jerry Janeski, Honeybrook Golf Club
79
Drew Panebianco, Five Ponds Golf Club
80
James Muller, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
80
Jim Tutelman, Green Valley Country Club
80
John Ward, Greate Bay Country Club
80
Mark Leaman, Honeybrook Golf Club
80
Raymond Pawulich, Little Mill Country Club
80
Rick Bunn, McCall Golf & Country Club
80
Robert Ockenfuss, Indian Valley Country Club
80
Robert VanEtten, Laurel Creek Country Club
80
Ansley Jessup Jr, Rancocas Golf Club
81
Dave O’Brien, Cedarbrook Country Club
81
Steve Meyer, Rolling Green Golf Club
81
Thomas Hyland, Little Mill Country Club
81
Tom Borsello, Hartefeld National
81
Marty Dorminy, Golden Oaks Golf Club
82
George Collins, Sand Barrens Golf Club
82
James Coleman, Rolling Green Golf Club
82
Bill Moyer, Downingtown Country Club
83
Gordon Jamieson, Merion Golf Club
83
John Dickinson, Sr., Hartefeld National
83
Michael Fox, Hartefeld National
83
Richard Umani, Honeybrook Golf Club
83
Stan Zabytko, Loch Nairn Golf Club
83
Steve Javie, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
83
Wayne Bartolacci, Jericho National Golf Club
83
Ed Zebrowski, Sea Oaks Golf Club
83
Gary McNutt, Loch Nairn Golf Club
83
John Bartos, Saucon Valley Country Club
83
Michael Nilon, Philadelphia Country Club
83
Terrence Sawyer, Mercer Oaks Golf Course
83
Thomas Mairone, Philadelphia Publinks GA
83
Thomas Mallouk, Lookaway Golf Club
83
Charles Dowds, III, Applebrook Golf Club
84
George Henninger, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
84
Joe Olin, Little Mill Country Club
84
Dave Jacobson, JC Melrose Country Club
84
Marty Klagholz, Aronimink Golf Club
84
Laurence Hirsh, Philadelphia Cricket Club
85
Michael Harms, Philadelphia Publinks GA
85
Tom DiCinti, Little Mill Country Club
85
Brett Koelle, Wilmington Country Club
86
Harold Schweitzer, Applecross Country Club
86
Mike Miklinevich, Greate Bay Country Club
86
James Prendergast, Philadelphia Publinks GA
86
John Hollingsworth, Sr., Concord Country Club
86
Joseph Major, Brookside Country Club
87
Neal Levitsky, Wilmington Country Club
87
Ron Clark, Tavistock Country Club
87
Joe Culley, The Springhaven Club
88
Rob Cook, DuPont Country Club
88
Bennett Meyer, Philmont Country Club
89
Ed Brzezowski, Concord Country Club
91
Peter Leslie, Hartefeld National
96
Dennis Tadeo, Philadelphia Publinks GA
WD
Thomas Greenwood, Old York CC at Chesterfield
WD
Ages 55 to 59
Name, club
Score
Chip Lutz, LedgeRock Golf Club
70
Michael Vassil, Country Club of Scranton
70
Richard Lownes, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
73
Christopher Clauson, Sandy Run Country Club
74
Jim Macallister, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
75
John Vergari, Tavistock Country Club
75
Michael Moser, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
75
Rich Thon, The Springhaven Club
75
Christopher Lange, Overbrook Golf Club
76
Jim Gavaghan, Jericho National Golf Club
76
Joe Viechnicki, Saucon Valley Country Club
76
Mark Quigley, Blue Bell Country Club
76
Mark Walker, Laurel Creek Country Club
76
Marlin Detweiler, Lancaster Country Club
76
Steven Walczak, Wilmington Country Club
76
J. Kirk Luntey, Merion Golf Club
77
Pete Widdoes, Inniscrone Golf Club
77
Pierce Herbst, Greate Bay Country Club
77
Scott Carney, Commonwealth National Golf Club
77
Gary Daniels, Applebrook Golf Club
78
James McGlynn, M.D., Aronimink Golf Club
78
Michael Domenick, Phoenixville Country Club
78
Robert Wagner, Merion Golf Club
78
Andrew Harmer, The Springhaven Club
79
Arthur Kania, Jr., Merion Golf Club
79
Frank Rutan, IV, Philadelphia Cricket Club
79
Rocky Dare, Running Deer Golf Club
79
Drew Panebianco, Five Ponds Golf Club
80
James Muller, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
80
Jim Tutelman, Green Valley Country Club
80
John Ward, Greate Bay Country Club
80
Mark Leaman, Honeybrook Golf Club
80
Ansley Jessup Jr, Rancocas Golf Club
81
Dave O’Brien, Cedarbrook Country Club
81
Steve Meyer, Rolling Green Golf Club
81
Thomas Hyland, Little Mill Country Club
81
Tom Borsello, Hartefeld National
81
Marty Dorminy, Golden Oaks Golf Club
82
Bill Moyer, Downingtown Country Club
83
Gordon Jamieson, Merion Golf Club
83
John Dickinson, Sr., Hartefeld National
83
Michael Fox, Hartefeld National
83
Richard Umani, Honeybrook Golf Club
83
Stan Zabytko, Loch Nairn Golf Club
83
Steve Javie, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
83
Wayne Bartolacci, Jericho National Golf Club
83
Charles Dowds, III, Applebrook Golf Club
84
George Henninger, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
84
Joe Olin, Little Mill Country Club
84
Laurence Hirsh, Philadelphia Cricket Club
85
Michael Harms, Philadelphia Publinks GA
85
Brett Koelle, Wilmington Country Club
86
Harold Schweitzer, Applecross Country Club
86
Mike Miklinevich, Greate Bay Country Club
86
Joseph Major, Brookside Country Club
87
Neal Levitsky, Wilmington Country Club
87
Ron Clark, Tavistock Country Club
87
Joe Culley, The Springhaven Club
88
Rob Cook, DuPont Country Club
88
Bennett Meyer, Philmont Country Club
89
Dennis Tadeo, Philadelphia Publinks GA
WD
Thomas Greenwood, Old York CC at Chesterfield
WD
Ages 60 and over
Name, club
Score
Francis McFadden, Overbrook Golf Club
71
Michael Quinn, Edgmont Country Club
72
Raymond Thompson, Overbrook Golf Club
72
Don Donatoni, White Manor Country Club
73
David Brookreson, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
74
Gary Daniels, Saucon Valley Country Club
74
Thomas Bartolacci, Jr., Saucon Valley Country Club
75
Craig Scott, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
76
John Emmel, Jr., Back Creek Golf Club
76
Robert Billings, Rolling Green Golf Club
76
Robin McCool, Saucon Valley Country Club
76
Wally Swiger, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
76
Buck Jones, Philadelphia Publinks GA
77
William Lawler, Fox Hill Country Club
77
Donald MacKelcan, Wilmington Country Club
78
Roc Irey, Lookaway Golf Club
78
Alan VanHorn, Sandy Run Country Club
79
Alexander Maguire, Sr., Brookside Country Club
79
Andy Thompson, Overbrook Golf Club
79
Bill Vostinak, Lehigh Country Club
79
Donald Ashley, Philadelphia Country Club
79
Jerry Janeski, Honeybrook Golf Club
79
Raymond Pawulich, Little Mill Country Club
80
Rick Bunn, McCall Golf & Country Club
80
Robert Ockenfuss, Indian Valley Country Club
80
Robert VanEtten, Laurel Creek Country Club
80
George Collins, Sand Barrens Golf Club
82
James Coleman, Rolling Green Golf Club
82
Ed Zebrowski, Sea Oaks Golf Club
83
Gary McNutt, Loch Nairn Golf Club
83
John Bartos, Saucon Valley Country Club
83
Michael Nilon, Philadelphia Country Club
83
Terrence Sawyer, Mercer Oaks Golf Course
83
Thomas Mairone, Philadelphia Publinks GA
83
Thomas Mallouk, Lookaway Golf Club
83
Dave Jacobson, JC Melrose Country Club
84
Marty Klagholz, Aronimink Golf Club
84
Tom DiCinti, Little Mill Country Club
85
James Prendergast, Philadelphia Publinks GA
86
John Hollingsworth, Sr., Concord Country Club
86
Ed Brzezowski, Concord Country Club
91
Peter Leslie, Hartefeld National
96
Super Senior
Name, club
Score
O. Gordon Brewer, Jr., Pine Valley Golf Club
71
John Rowe, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
72
Carl Everett, Merion Golf Club
73
Michael Rose, Talamore Country Club
73
Charles F. McClaskey, Back Creek Golf Club
74
Frank Polizzi, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
74
Art Brosius, Golf Course at Glen Mills
75
Ken Gaskill, Philadelphia Publinks GA
76
Raymond Fuller, Running Deer Golf Club
76
Michael Civitello, Chester Valley Golf Club
77
Clay Hamlin, III, Merion Golf Club
78
Edward Pappas, Rolling Green Golf Club
78
John Owens, M.D., Tavistock Country Club
78
Richard Smith, Philadelphia Country Club
78
Thomas O’Rourke, Chester Valley Golf Club
78
George McLaughlin, Commonwealth National Golf Club
79
James Haynie, Lu Lu Country Club
79
Jay Howson, Jr., St. Davids Golf Club
80
John Cech, Riverton Country Club
80
Jon Mabry, Moorestown Field Club
80
David Jordan, Sakima Country Club
81
John Snyder, Waynesborough Country Club
81
Mark McDermott, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
81
Charles Caparo, Plymouth Country Club
82
Charles Whipple, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
82
Jarrett B. Kling, Merion Golf Club
82
Peter Torras, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
82
Doug Pollock, DuPont Country Club
83
George Carr, Running Deer Golf Club
83
Rick Marts, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
83
Charles McDowell, Wilmington Country Club
84
John Earle, Overbrook Golf Club
84
Neil McDermott, Llanerch Country Club
84
Norman Jester, Downingtown Country Club
84
Richard Keesling, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
84
W. Scott Yard, Whitford Country Club
84
Curt Fromal, The Springhaven Club
85
Jim Lloyd, Running Deer Golf Club
85
Jim Robertson, Saucon Valley Country Club
85
Michael Sofranko, Broad Run Golfers Club
85
Joseph McLane, JC Melrose Country Club
86
Terry Law, Yardley Country Club
86
Joseph Maxwell, Hartefeld National
87
Warren Reyburn, Honeybrook Golf Club
89
George May, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
90
James Barron, Hartefeld National
91
