Brown Wins Philadelphia Mid-Am in Playoff

May 21, 2009 | by Golf Association of Philadelphia

2009 GAP Mid-Amateur champion

Michael Brown defeats home-club hopeful Sean Leonard in a four-hole playoff at Tavistock Country Club

HADDONFIELD, NJ (May 21, 2009)--Michael Brown needed a four-hole playoff but eventually the 36-year-old Cheltenham, Pa., resident delivered a championship performance. The Philadelphia Publinks GA member defeated home-club hopeful Sean Leonard on Thursday at Tavistock CC (par 72, 6,797 yards) in an aggregate playoff (19-17 strokes on holes 10-11-17-18) for the 26th Middle-Amateur Championship. For Brown, who was reinstated as an amateur at the end of 2007, it was his first Golf Association of Philadelphia Major title.

“It’s slightly unexpected,” said a surprisingly subdued Brown afterward. “I’m new to amateur golf in this area. I don’t even know a lot of these guys. I know of them because I read about them. I’m happy to be back. There are a lot of very strong players in the Philadelphia area and I’m looking forward to playing against them regularly.”

Both players ended regulation at even-par 144 after two rounds. Leonard carded a final round 1-under-par 71 including a magnificent birdie on the treacherous No. 18 (par 4, 435 yards). Brown, who started the round a shot-back of the leader, was in control of the tournament most of the day and, in fact, had a three-stroke lead at one point mid-way through the back nine, finished with a 73. He bogeyed three of his final six holes.

“It was cool. My grandfather who is 87 years old was out here,” said Leonard, who had about two dozen supporters following him in the playoff. “We’re proud to host this event. It’s nice. I wish I could have won but … I’m pleased. I haven’t been playing much golf. I ran for commissioner of Haddonfield, [N.J.] and for the last two months I’ve been doing nothing but going to people’s houses and campaigning. And my wife and I had a baby girl a week ago today.”

In the playoff, both players carded routine pars on Nos. 10 (par 4, 328 yards) and 11 (par 4, 426 yards) before Brown took control on the par 5, 17th (490 yards), the third extra hole. Brown found the middle of the fairway with his drive while Leonard went left and short of the fairway bunker, some 232 yards away. Leonard then knocked a hybrid about 40 yards short of the green and Brown, with a 4-iron and 180 yards left, sent his second shot long and over the putting surface. Leonard’s chip stopped short of the green and his ensuing putt from the front fringe left him with five feet. He missed for a bogey six. Brown showed some nice touch on a delicate downhill chip from about 40 feet and just off the green that ended 10 above the hole. He made a three-foot comebacker for a par and a one-shot lead with one hole to go.

On No. 18, both players found the fairway. Leonard played first and had 181 yards left. His 6-iron landed right, some 45 feet right of the hole. Brown had 147 yards and with an 8-iron in hand knocked his approach to 25 feet. Leonard would go on to three putt, he left his first try eight feet short, and Brown would two putt for the victory.

“I don’t know Sean but I did know he was from Tavistock CC,” said Brown, who served as assistant professional at North Hills CC for seven years before heading back to the amateur ranks. “I knew there would be a lot of support in his direction [in the playoff]. I was fine with that. I was focused and fairly confident because I controlled [my emotions] for the first 18 holes so that wasn’t really an issue. For me at this point it’s physical. [My swing] may look OK but I don’t feel OK physically. The positions on my golf swing feel out of whack.

“[The playoff] was pretty uneventful the first couple of holes. Then I was given a good opportunity after 17. I didn’t expect to be one shot up after that hole. Eighteen is a difficult par 4 and I just tried to stay committed. I had that shot this morning, that tee shot, and I was able to pull it off.”

Said Leonard, “Like Chris Lange [a member of his group] said on the first tee, things are a little more inconsequential when you have a little baby [at home]. Of course, you want to win, and certainly I wanted to win because you don’t get too many chances.”

This was Leonard’s top Golf Association of Philadelphia Major finish as well.

The story lines were plentiful throughout a postcard weather day.

* Michael McDermott of Merion GC, the reigning Middle-Amateur Champion and a three-time winner of the event, entered Round 2 as the favorite and with a one-shot lead. He bogeyed the first hole after a poor drive and never recovered, shooting a shocking 77 and falling into a tie for seventh.

* Brian Gillespie of St. Davids GC, a top player who has been surprisingly quiet in championships the past couple of seasons, reemerged on the scene in a big way and came to No. 18 at even par for the event. However, he pulled a wedge from 138 yards in the middle of the fairway into the front, left greenside bunker and would then three putt to finish at 2-over par in a tie for fourth.

* Chip Lutz of LedgeRock GC carded three birdies and no bogeys in his first 17 holes to get to 1-over for the Middle-Amateur but ran his 25-foot birdie try on No. 18 by four feet, lost his focus a bit and registered a bogey to finish at 2 over as well.

* Tom Borsello of Fieldstone GC, who turned 55 in January and recently returned to competitive golf after taking about three years off from the game citing burn out, birdied his final two holes, including a chip in on No. 18 from about 70 feet to finish at 2-over par.

* Gregg Angelillo of Moselem Springs GC started the day in second and despite a 3-over-par 39 on the front nine, gutted out a 1-under effort on the back to place third, his top Golf Association of Philadelphia Major finish.

The Middle-Amateur is for players 25 years of age and older. It is a two-day, 36-hole tournament.

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 134 Member Clubs and 56,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. The purpose of the Association is simple: To promote, protect and preserve the game of golf in the region.

Final results of the Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) Mid-Amateur Championship, played May 20-21 at Tavistock Country Club in Haddonfield, NJ:

Michael Brown	Philadelphia Publinks GA	71	73	144*
Sean Leonard	Tavistock Country Club	73	71	144
Gregg Angelillo	Moselem Springs Golf Club	71	74	145
Brian Gillespie	St. Davids Golf Club	75	71	146
Tom Borsello	Fieldstone Golf Club	74	72	146
Chip Lutz	LedgeRock Golf Club	76	70	146
Rand Mendez	Fieldstone Golf Club	74	73	147
Christopher Lange	Overbrook Golf Club	72	75	147
Michael McDermott	Merion Golf Club	70	77	147
Glenn Smeraglio	Commonwealth National Golf Club	76	72	148
Matthew Finger	Running Deer Golf Club	75	75	150
Paul Rogowicz	Yardley Country Club	75	75	150
John Brennan	Spring Ford Country Club	74	76	150
William Lawler	Fox Hill Country Club	74	77	151
Oscar Mestre	Overbrook Golf Club	76	75	151
Ryan Gelrod	Commonwealth National Golf Club	74	77	151
Gerry Baldachino	Olde York Country Club	75	77	152
G. Patrick Dougherty	Talamore Country Club	77	75	152
Joseph Russo	Running Deer Golf Club	75	77	152
Thomas Gramigna	Tavistock Country Club	77	75	152
James Donnelly	Merion Golf Club	75	78	153
David Shields	Philadelphia Publinks GA	81	72	153
David Liotta	Whitemarsh Valley Country Club	77	76	153
Robert Harrington	Merion Golf Club	76	78	154
Chris Esbenshade	Bent Creek Country Club	77	77	154
Steven Budenz	Yardley Country Club	78	76	154
Alexander Maguire, Jr.	Brookside Country Club	80	74	154
Jim Rattigan	Schuylkill Country Club	78	76	154
Matthew Gaffney	Little Mill Country Club	74	80	154
Scott Bergson	Little Mill Country Club	77	77	154
Thomas Hyland	Little Mill Country Club	75	80	155
Peter Moran	Edgmont Country Club	79	76	155
Brian Rothaus	Talamore Country Club	78	77	155
Thomas DiCinti	Links Golf Club	80	75	155
Mike Owsik	McCall Golf & Country Club	81	75	156
Justin Van Hyning	Olde York Country Club	73	83	156
Michael Tash	Tavistock Country Club	78	78	156
William McGuinness	Tavistock Country Club	79	77	156
Mark Kosko	Seaview Marriott Resort & Spa	77	80	157
Scott Orr	Brookside Country Club	77	80	157
Marlin Detweiler	Lancaster Country Club	79	78	157
Byron Whitman	Golden Oaks Golf Club	78	79	157
Jeff DellaFranco	Concord Country Club	79	78	157
P. Chet Walsh	Philadelphia Country Club	74	83	157
Charles Scalzott	Huntingdon Valley Country Club	79	78	157
Robin McCool	Saucon Valley Country Club	79	78	157
Douglas Zelner	Spring Ford Country Club	81	76	157
Stephen McIntyre	Honeybrook Golf Club	76	81	157
David West	Whitford Country Club	77	80	157
Johan van Schalkwyk	Burlington Country Club	81	77	158
Daniel Pinciotti, Jr.	Huntingdon Valley Country Club	80	78	158
Rich Pruchnik	West Chester Golf & Country Club	77	82	159
Buddy Reed	DuPont Country Club	79	80	159
James Kieserman	The Bucks Club	80	80	160
Ken Matt	Philadelphia Publinks GA	78	82	160
John Simone	Philmont Country Club	76	84	160
Lance Oberparleiter	Wedgwood Country Club	80	80	160
Todd Vonderheid	Huntsville Golf Club	81	79	160
Jack Wallace	Burlington Country Club	78	83	161
Mike Danner	Lu Lu Country Club	73	88	161
David Livermore	Greate Bay Country Club	80	81	161
Michael Domenick	Phoenixville Country Club	77	84	161
Ed Chylinski	Chester Valley Golf Club	78	83	161
Tom Piersanti	Saucon Valley Country Club	80	83	163
Matthew Shevlin	Philadelphia Publinks GA	78	85	163
Scott Klee	Indian Valley Country Club	79	84	163
Bill Turner	Philadelphia Publinks GA	81	82	163
Chris Parmer	Olde York Country Club	80	84	164
R. Blake Slawecki	Spring Ford Country Club	81	83	164
John Aloisio	Seaview Marriott Resort & Spa	81	83	164
Ajai Sirohi	Mercer Oaks Golf Course	81	83	164
John Robinson	Commonwealth National Golf Club	79	87	166
Sean Sexton	Philadelphia Publinks GA	81	87	168
Lee Grout	Whitemarsh Valley Country Club	81	88	169
Andy Achenbach	RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve	76	WD	WD

*won playoff

About the Philadelphia Mid-Amateur

Brown Wins Philadelphia Mid-Am in Playoff

Format: Thirty-Six hole individual gross stroke play, two day event. With a cut after the first day to the low 70 and ties. Eligibility: Open to Member Club golfers who are 25 years of age and over with a USGA Handicap. Nonexempt players must prequal...

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