| Week 2 results | Week 1 recap |
In this case, “audiences everywhere” means those who are still paying attention and actually voted. Week Two winners such as Huntingdon Valley Country Club, Old York Road Country Club, Overbrook Golf Club and Running Deer Golf Club collectively say thanks for your support.
The LuLu Country Club campaign continues to cruise. It handedly defeated Division AA newcomer Hartefeld National, 24–12. According to #VirtualGAPMatches organizers, LuLu accrued more votes for its team members than any other combined match total in Week Two.
Now such a statistic certainly warrants a special highlight within this recap. But LuLu will — barring a riot at the polls — assuredly represent Section I in the BMW Virtual GAP Team Matches Playoff, so its press conference will occur after Week Three. Word on the Web street is team captain Jon Rusk is already crafting witticisms for reporters to revel and relay.
The Week Two headline is twofold. Philadelphia Cricket Club is seeing double (get it?) since both Cricket 1 and Cricket 2 pulled off respective victories to create an intraclub showdown. The former knocked off LedgeRock Golf Club, 21–15, and the latter defeated Little Mill Country Club, 23–13.
Bragging rights — and a Playoff spot — await.
“We look at it as a win-win situation for Philadelphia Cricket Club,” Daniel Feeney, Philadelphia Cricket 2’s captain, said. “Either way, the club will be represented in the Playoff. Now that doesn’t fill the void of hosting a national championship since the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball was cancelled, but it comes pretty close.”
Preparation will be similar to a presidential run in high school. Both Philadelphia Cricket candidates must appeal to their classmates a.k.a. fellow members. Who will be bold enough to profess free lunches for the year? Ten percent off all merchandise in the pro shop? Plenty a campaign promise will come into play here.
“Since we can’t meet at the club to persuade voters, I’m sure members of both teams will settle for online bribes,” Feeney said. “A golf trip invitation here, a complimentary dinner there. Whatever it takes to get into the Playoff. One thing is for certain in this situation. Cricket 1 will be pulling for Cricket 1, and Cricket 2 will be pulling for Cricket 2.”
A significant portion of the BMW Virtual GAP Team Matches fanbase is clearly pulling for Llanerch Country Club. It garnered 1,373 votes, the second most in Week Two, en route to a rousing 28–8 triumph over Aronimink Golf Club.
“Home-course knowledge is huge for us during the actual BMW GAP Team Matches. It’s been just as huge in the digital world, which is great to see,” Tom Spano, Llanerch’s team captain, said.
Four of Llanerch’s six home representatives swept their respective matches. Playing in the No. 1 spot, John Lalley upset Princeton alum and 2015 BMW Philadelphia Amateur runner-up, Michael Davis. Llanerch veteran Kevin McDermott scored 80 percent of the votes in his bout against Aronimink’s Paul Liebezeit.
With former BMW GAP Team Matches champions Aronomink and Commonwealth National in the rearview mirror, Llanerch descends upon the Huntingdon Valley exit for Week Three. Huntingdon Valley, by the way, is also a win away from the Playoff after defeating Commonwealth National, 24–12, in Week Two.
“Huntingdon Valley is the defending champs, has 33 titles but zero in the BMW Virtual GAP Team Matches,” Spano said. “Of course, neither do we, but that just means there isn’t that sense of prestige yet. It’s going to be a fair fight between Huntingdon Valley and Llanerch. We like our chances.”
Chances Week Three lives up the hype built within this recap?
As good as the chances of another Rambo movie being made.
Week 2 results
Section 1
LuLu 24, Hartefeld 12
Running Deer 29.5, Glenmaura 6.5
Section 2
Cricket 2 23, Little Mill 13
Cricket 1 21, LedgeRock 15
Section 3
Overbrook 27.5, Whitemarsh Valley 8.5
Old York Road 26, Tavistock 10
Section 4
Huntingdon Valley 24, Commonwealth 12
Llanerch 28, Commonwealth National 8
GAP
Celebrating Amateur Golf since 1897, GAP, also known as the Golf Association of Philadelphia, is the oldest regional or state golf association in the United States. It serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. The Association’s 288 Member Clubs and 75,000 individual members are spread across the Eastern half of Pennsylvania and parts of New Jersey and Delaware. The GAP’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.
