Wedgwood’s Finger, Makefield’s Reedman head Amateur Qualifier

  TELFORD, Pa. – Matthew Finger of Wedgwood CC and Christopher Reedman of Makefield Highlands GC each carded a 1-over-par 73 to share medalist honors in Monday’s Amateur Championship Qualifier at Indian Valley CC (par 72, 6, 840 yards).

  Both players led a field of 143 players attempting to earn one of the 45 qualifying spots and ties available for the 110th edition of the Golf Association of Philadelphia Amateur Championship set for June 21-23 & 26 at Saucon Valley CC.

  Finger’s flatstick dictated his strong play.

  “I putted real well. I think I had 28 putts, which is real good,” the Sweedsboro, N.J. resident said. “I knew it was going to be a tough day out there.”

  Finger, 32, registered two bogeys to begin his round. On No. 1 (par 4, 397 yards), he launched a sand wedge 100 yards over the green, hit a poor chip and failed to get up-and-down. He three-putted for bogey on No. 2 (par 4, 447 yards), but regained a stroke with a birdie on No. 3 (par 5, 518 yards) Finger blasted his approach 5-iron from 195 yards out, chipped up from behind the flagstick and cleaned up the birdie putt.

  Finger fired another birdie on No. 6 (par 3, 207 yards). His 4-iron combated the wind and settled 15-feet from the flagstick, and Finger drained the birdie putt.

  “That was my best shot of the day,” he said.

  Finger nearly chipped in for eagle on No. 8 (par 5, 510 yards), and he cleaned up the birdie putt. Finger deposited his final birdie on the par 5, 518-yard 12th hole. He stuck a sand wedge 115-yards to six-feet behind the flagstick and connected on the ensuing birdie try. Later this month, Finger will compete in the Middle-Amateur Championship at Philadelphia Cricket Club (Militia Hill).

  “I’m really excited to play Militia Hill and now Saucon Valley,” he said.

  For Reedman, Monday marked his formal return to competitive golf after sitting in the figurative clubhouse in 2009.

  “I wasn’t trying to overpower the course,” Reedman said. “Today, I kind of hung back and played angles. I played more position golf. If I missed, I missed it just a little bit and I wasn’t in trouble. I played a lot of knocked-downs and sawed-off shots.”

  It didn’t seem like Reedman would post such a solid score after the Yardley, Pa. resident carded a double bogey on No. 1 (par 4, 397 yards) to start. He pulled his tee shot left, then attempted to propel past an overhanging tree with a 9-iron from 150 yards out, only to see his ball clip a branch and drop into the water. Reedman, however, refused to let a tough start turn into tragedy.

  “Back in the day, I used to get all flustered after something like that, but nowadays, I’m more even-keeled,” he said.

  Reedman, 25, began his crawl back toward the blue on the downhill No. 3 (par 5, 518 yards). He drilled his hybrid from 215 yards out over the green, but then flopped his wedge to four feet and drained the birdie putt. Reedman again nuked an approach shot – this time on No. 9 (par 4, 370 yards) with a wedge from 115 yards out – over the green, but converted a downhill, left-to-right chip for his second birdie of the day.

  “I hit my mark and funneled it in,” Reedman said.

  On No. 10 (par 4, 372 yards), Reedman experienced déjà vu by registering another double bogey. Standing 120 yards from the flagstick, he pulled his wedge into the left bunker, overcame a tough lie to get onto the green and three-putted. But Reedman ignited two holes later by drilling his 3-wood 250 yards onto the No. 12 (par 5, 518 yards) green and leaving an uphill 25-footer for eagle inches short of the cup. He did tap in for birdie, and more red figures came on Nos. 15 (par 5, 550 yards) and 16 (par 3, 158 yards). With 118 yards to the No. 16 green, Reedman, who works for W.B. Mason, knocked his pitching wedge to five feet and cleaned up the birdie putt. He hit a knock-down 6-iron to 25-feet on No. 16, and sunk the straight-away birdie try.

  “I had my eye on the line, saw it the whole way and it dropped,” Reedman said.

  In 2008, Reedman fell to Merion GC’s Michael McDermott, the eventual champion, in the first round of the Amateur Championship at Whitemarsh Valley CC. Reedman did earn an exemption into the tournament the following year at Stonewall, but he withdrew after the first round of the qualifier. It was Reedman’s only competitive tournament in 2009. He took a break for personal reasons.

  At the end of the day, the cut line settled at 82.

  Monday’s qualifier was the first of two Amateur Championship qualifiers used to determine who will play in the Championship. The second qualifier will take place Wednesday, May 12 at Wedgwood CC.