WEST CHESTER, Pa. — Two days ago, Andrew Lawson looped for friend and Drexel University teammate Christopher Crawford during a U.S. Open Local Qualifier at Applebrook Golf Club. Though he didn’t make the cut, Crawford, who just completed his freshmen season with the Dragons, offered a few putting tips to his caddie on the practice green. The advice paid dividends for Lawson Saturday in a Golf Association of Philadelphia Amateur Championship Qualifier at a rainy Broad Run Golfer’s Club (par 72, 6,586 yards). The West Chester, Pa. resident fired a 3-under-par 69 amid wet conditions to lead a field of 99 players jockeying for one of 23 qualifying positions and ties available for the Championship proper.
“It [Crawford’s advice] was a great gift from the CAA (Colonial Athletic Association) Rookie of the Year,” Lawson, who will earn his undergraduate degree in accounting next month, said. “At the end of the Drexel season, my game was coming together,” Lawson, who will earn his undergraduate degree in accounting next month, said. “I was struggling a little bit, but I worked on my putting, and it definitely paid off today.”
With an early afternoon shotgun start, Lawson instantly set a subpar tone thanks to a birdie on No. 5 (par 4, 318 yards), his first hole. He nudged a wedge 48 yards to six feet. Lawson hit an 8-iron 165 yards to 25 feet for a 3 on No. 7 (par 4, 412 yards). The birdie bonanza continued on No. 12 (par 5, 528 yards) as Lawson powered a 3-wood to 20 yards and eased a chip to 10 feet. He posted back-to-back red figures on Nos. 17 (par 3, 193 yards) and 18 (par 5, 530 yards). On the first, he knocked a 6-iron to 10 feet above the hole and canned the right-to-left slider. Lawson smashed a 3-iron 235 yards to the front edge of the green and two-putted for birdie on the latter. Bogeys on Nos. 10 (par 3, 173 yards) and 14 (par 4, 411 yards), combined with the dreary weather, couldn’t even spoil his day.
“I hit a lot of greens and made the putts when I had to,” Lawson, who will attend law school at Drexel in the fall, said. “I had a couple of 25 footers drop for me for birdie, so that definitely helped when the rain did come. I played well.”
The cut line stopped at 76 by day’s end.
Aronimink Golf Club hosts the 113th Amateur Championship June 18-20 & 22. Saturday’s qualifier was the second of three used to determine who will compete in the Championship proper. The last will be held this Monday, May 20 at Inniscrone Golf Club.
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 143 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.
Qualifiers
Name, Club
Scores
Andrew Lawson, Waynesborough Country Club
69
Paul Yun, Applecross Country Club
70
Jimmy Pokorny, Golf Course at Glen Mills
71
Michael Carr, Plymouth Country Club
71
Patrick Ross, Glenmaura National Golf Club
73
George Petrellis, Blue Bell Country Club
73
Jack Wallace, Philadelphia Cricket Club
73
Kyle Martin, Commonwealth National Golf Club
73
Blake Cleary, Wilmington Country Club
74
Jon-Michael Socaris, Broad Run Golfer’s Club
74
Chris Lange, Jr., Overbrook Golf Club
74
Alex Blickle, LedgeRock Golf Club
74
Kevin Kramarski, Riverton Country Club
74
Robert Good, Merion Golf Club
74
Brendan Borst, Philadelphia Cricket Club
75
Max Siegfried, Philadelphia Country Club
75
Kevin Conners, Jr., Whitford Country Club
75
Michael Cook, Applebrook Golf Club
75
Alex Kane, Radley Run Country Club
75
Andrew Dietz, Laurel Creek Country Club
76
Brendan Young, Chester Valley Golf Club
76
Michael Gregor, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
76
Ryan Carroll, Chester Valley Golf Club
76
Sawyer Wolfers, Waynesborough Country Club
76
Liam McAnally, Applecross Country Club
76
Jason Loehrs, Philadelphia Publinks GA
76
Failed to qualify
Nicholas Hermansader, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
77
James Chojnacki, Little Mill Country Club
77
Daniel Altieri, Hopewell Valley Golf Club
77
Ethan Heller, White Manor Country Club
77
Sam Pancoast, Radley Run Country Club
77
Doug Fedoryshyn, Concord Country Club
77
Blake Hinckley, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
77
Michael Hirthler, Wyoming Valley Country Club
77
Joe Tigani, Fieldstone Golf Club
78
Tom DiCinti, Little Mill Country Club
78
Aaron Burton, Applecross Country Club
78
Jeffrey Griest, Waynesborough Country Club
78
Matthew Cleary, Wilmington Country Club
79
Timothy Chow, Indian Valley Country Club
79
Ryan Orcutt, Philadelphia Publinks GA
79
Jeff Fialko, Aronimink Golf Club
79
Anthony Sebastianelli, Glen Oak Country Club
79
Dan Rudershausen, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
79
Tom Carter, Philadelphia Cricket Club
79
Tanner Swanson, Penn Oaks Golf Club
79
William Heydt, Moselem Springs Golf Club
79
Dan Arison, Applebrook Golf Club
79
Ronan Culligan, Lookaway Golf Club
79
Rob Rowe, Bent Creek Country Club
79
Ted Brennan, Philadelphia Country Club
80
Matt Koehler, McCall Golf & Country Club
80
Anthony List Jr., Llanerch Country Club
80
Oliver White, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
80
Tim Godshalk, Whitford Country Club
80
Trey Croney, Overbrook Golf Club
80
Jonathan Backlund, Riverton Country Club
81
Mark Coassolo, Brookside C.C. of Allentown
81
Jack Gregor, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
81
Joshua Caggiula, RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
81
Ryan Cleary, Wilmington Country Club
82
Ivan McBride, Five Ponds Golf Club
82
Kevin Economos, Loch Nairn Golf Club
82
Griffin Drury, Bellewood Golf Club
82
Josh Smith, Inniscrone Golf Club
82
Paul Bizzaro, Makefield Highlands Golf Club
82
Will Holt, Kennett Square Golf & Country Club
82
Justin Smith, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
82
Brian Gardner, Philadelphia Publinks GA
83
Kenny Engel, Jr., North Hills Country Club
83
Nick Verrecchio, Rolling Green Golf Club
83
Jonathan Heydt, Moselem Springs Golf Club
83
Brian Christman, Woodstone Country Club
83
William Rolli, Philadelphia Publinks GA
83
Eric Spiller, Burlington Country Club
84
Gary McCabe, Jr., RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve
85
Matthew Meves, Manufacturers Golf & Country Club
85
Paul Altieri, Hopewell Valley Golf Club
85
William Gamgort, DuPont Country Club
85
Art Brosius, Golf Course at Glen Mills
85
Matthew Bastian, Jr., Rolling Green Golf Club
85
Ryan Worthy, Merion Golf Club
85
Kyle Ginty, Talamore Country Club
86
Joe Bernard, Aronimink Golf Club
86
Jeff Klagholz, Applebrook Golf Club
86
Robert Galbreath, Sr., Huntingdon Valley Country Club
86
Steven Altieri, Hopewell Valley Golf Club
87
Philip Potter, Radley Run Country Club
88
John Concannon, Concord Country Club
91
Adam Puskar, Middletown Country Club
91
Jonathan Kruse, Bala Golf Club
97
David Pontari, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club
100
Andrew Tomson, Overbrook Golf Club
WD
Ryan Kidd, Huntingdon Valley Country Club
WD
Oscar Neubauer, Saucon Valley Country Club
WD
Jeff Owsik, Philadelphia Publinks GA
WD
WD – withdrawal
