Smith posts superb 3-under 68
to top Middle-Amateur leaderboard
SPRINGFIELD, Pa.–William Smith of Chambersburg CC carded a fantastic, and somewhat shocking, considering the conditions, 3-under-par 68 on Monday at a very windy and difficult Rolling Green GC (par 71, 6,829 yards) to grab the first-round lead of the 15th Middle-Amateur Championship. He holds a four-shot advantage entering Day Two of the 36-hole event over perennial state contenders Michael McDermott of Merion GC and Glenn Smeraglio of Yardley CC. The final round begins at 8 a.m. tomorrow. The leading trio starts its day at 1:10 p.m. All three players are in search of their first state Middle-Amateur Championship titles."When I drove in here and it was that breezy and knowing the greens were that fast, I didn’t think, honestly, a score like that was doable," said Smith, 39, of Newville, Pa. "It was basically a mistake free round. I did make a couple of bogeys but I kept the ball below the hole for the most part and that’s what everyone says you have to do around here. It was pretty smart golf today. That was the sum of it."
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playing in the same group, each carded 1-over-par 72s in the first round of the Mid-Am. They are tied in second place. |
Smith parred his first two holes of the back nine before dropping a surprising 30-foot birdie putt on No. 12 (par 4 341 yards). "I obviously wasn’t expecting to make that," he said. Four more pars ensued before Smith took advantage of the two closing par 5s with a pair of birdies. He reached both in two strokes before two putting No. 17 (par 5, 500 yards) from 35 feet and then just missed an 18-foot eagle try on No. 18 (par 5, 540 yards) to the left before tapping in for a 4. He hit 16 of 18 greens in regulation, on this, his second trip to Rolling Green GC. Smith’s first view of the venerable golf course came in a practice round last Thursday.
The father of three young girls said he was just happy he had a chance to compete in a state event. It was his first Pennsylvania Golf Association tournament since the 2006 Amateur.
And if you think Smith might be intimidated by having his name atop the scoreboard, think again. He is the 1990 and 2003 State Publinks champion. He’s also qualified for three U.S. Amateur Championships, the latest being last year at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, Calif.
Smeraglio and McDermott, playing in the same group in the morning, posted identical 1-over-par 72s.
McDermott made the turn in 1-under with a hectic front side that included three bogeys, two birdies and an eagle on No. 7 (par 5, 500 yards) from 12 feet after reaching the green with a 7-iron. He started his back nine with two pars before a three-putt bogey, one of only two three putts on the day, on No. 12 (par 4, 341 yards). Three more pars followed before the 2006 Mid-Am third-place finisher missed the16th (par 3, 163 yards) green left, sculled a bunker shot and recorded a double bogey. He rebounded with a nice birdie on No. 17 (par 5, 500 yards) after almost being blocked out of his second shot from the right side of the fairway and then after clipping a tree on the right side of 18 (par 5, 540 yards) made a solid two putt par from 30 feet with 15 feet of break.
"It was really hard," said McDermott of conditions. "I knew everybody had to play the same conditions so I tried to not to get too upset if I hit it on the wrong side of the hole and three putted or had a short putt you had to lag. I was hitting good shots."
Smeraglio was 3 over on his first 10 holes after recording five bogeys in a six-hole stretch, however, the recent 2008 U.S. Mid-Am Championship contestant, found his rhythm on No. 11 (par 4, 446 yards) and finished strong. He birdied the 11th with a 135-yard wedge to eight feet before recording six straight pars. On No. 18, he came up just short of the green in two and then almost holed his chip. It stopped two feet away for a kick-in 4.
"I’m not going to change too much for tomorrow," said Smeraglio, who tied for runner-up honors in the 2004 Mid-Am. "I want to keep hitting fairways and putting the ball under the hole and giving myself opportunities."
Four players are tied at 2-over par and six others are at 3 over.
NOTES–James Sullivan, Jr., two-time defending Middle-Amateur Champion, stands tied for 34th after carding a 7-over-par 78.
|
Name |
Score |
|
William F. Smith, Chambersburg Country Club |
68 |
|
Glenn Smeraglio, Yardley Country Club |
72 |
|
Michael P. McDermott, Merion Golf Club |
72 |
|
Marc A. Mandel, White Manor Country Club |
73 |
|
Ed Chylinski, Chester Valley Golf Club |
73 |
|
P. Chet Walsh, Philadelphia Country Club |
73 |
|
Drew Panebianco, Talamore Country Club |
73 |
|
Artie Fink, Jr., Sinking Valley Country Club |
74 |
|
Frank Fairman, Totteridge Golf Club |
74 |
|
Mike Owsik, Plymouth Country Club |
74 |
|
Byron W. Whitman, Golden Oaks Golf Club |
74 |
|
Kevin P. Kelly, Philadelphia Cricket Club |
74 |
|
Gregg M. Angelillo, Moselem Springs Golf Club |
74 |
|
James M. Gardas, Honesdale Golf Club |
75 |
|
John Mullins, Spring Ford Country Club |
75 |
|
Adam G. Langford, Totteridge Golf Club |
75 |
|
Michael R. Brown, Philadelphia Publinks GA |
75 |
|
David Liotta, Whitemarsh Valley Country Club |
76 |
|
Kevin T. Haag, Deer Run Golf Club |
76 |
|
Jeff Benton, PGA Individual Member |
76 |
|
James K. Kieserman, Talamore Country Club |
76 |
|
Jason Barkley, Moselem Springs Golf Club |
76 |
|
Scott R. Klee, Indian Valley Country Club |
76 |
|
Christopher L. Schultz, Squires Golf Club |
77 |
|
Ken Matt, Talamore Country Club |
77 |
|
James D. Bohn, Bucknell Golf Club |
77 |
|
Robin S. McCool, Saucon Valley Country Club |
77 |
|
Jud Gemmill, Lancaster Host Golf Resort |
77 |
|
Nick Verrecchio, Rolling Green Golf Club |
77 |
|
Grant T. Liu, Commonwealth National Golf Club |
77 |
|
Warren J. Choate, Williamsport Country Club |
77 |
|
Michael Domenick, Phoenixville Country Club |
77 |
|
Todd Vonderheid, Huntsville Golf Club |
77 |
|
James E. Sullivan, Jr., PGA Individual Member |
78 |
|
Eric Swart, Nemacolin Country Club |
78 |
|
Brian T. Corbett, Huntsville Golf Club |
78 |
|
James J. Bryan, Latrobe Country Club |
78 |
|
Nate M. Reck, PGA Individual Member |
78 |
|
Eric W. Williams, Honesdale Golf Club |
78 |
|
Robert Gill, Fox Hill Country Club |
78 |
|
Philip D. Petroll, Penn Oaks Golf Club |
78 |
|
Gary E. Daniels, Applebrook Golf Club |
79 |
|
Chip Lutz, LedgeRock Golf Club |
79 |
|
Santo T. Lafoca, Huntsville Golf Club |
79 |
|
Chance W. Miller, Meadia Heights Golf Club |
79 |
|
Keith A. Matt, Talamore Country Club |
79 |
|
Richard J. Kinkela, Rolling Hills GC |
79 |
|
Donny Wessner, Golden Oaks Golf Club |
80 |
|
Craig S. Kliewer, Meadia Heights Golf Club |
80 |
|
Douglas E. Gregor, Huntingdon Valley Country Club |
80 |
|
Heath Davidson, Carlisle Country Club |
80 |
|
Jeff DellaFranco, Concord Country Club |
81 |
|
Jim Simmons, Stonewall |
81 |
|
Marlin Detweiler, Lancaster Country Club |
81 |
|
John K. Sweeney, Lancaster Country Club |
81 |
|
Joe Corsi, Hannastown Golf Club |
81 |
|
Oscar L. Mestre, Jr., Overbrook Golf Club |
81 |
|
Kenneth A. Phillips, Lancaster Country Club |
81 |
|
Ben E. Spence, Jr., Woodstone Golf Club |
81 |
|
Eric Fonner, Huntingdon Valley Country Club |
81 |
|
Gregory Ulp, Country Club of Harrisburg |
81 |
|
Robert P. Billings, Rolling Green Golf Club |
81 |
|
James E. Sullivan, Sr., Huntingdon Valley Country Club |
81 |
|
Mike Danner, Lu Lu Country Club |
82 |
|
Ryan J. Gelrod, Commonwealth National Golf Club |
82 |
|
Tim J. McNerney, Philadelphia Publinks GA |
82 |
|
John W. Robinson, Commonwealth National Golf Club |
82 |
|
Steven E. Johnson, West Shore Country Club |
82 |
|
Gregory A. Sheva, North Hills Country Club |
82 |
|
Brad Flickinger, Country Club of Scranton |
82 |
|
Rick Bojalad, First Tee of Greater Pittsburgh Golf Club |
83 |
|
Peter J. Moran, Edgmont Country Club |
83 |
|
Michael B. Quinn, Edgmont Country Club |
83 |
|
Scott Pezanowski, Penn State Golf Courses |
84 |
|
Frank D. Boensch, PGA Individual Member |
84 |
|
Anthony G. Kondracki, Fox Hill Country Club |
84 |
|
Scott V. Carney, Commonwealth National Golf Club |
85 |
|
Mark A. Studer, Oakmont Country Club |
85 |
|
Rick A. Scott, West Shore Country Club |
85 |
|
Brian J. Degnan, Philadelphia Publinks GA |
85 |
|
Shane M. Gunning, Silver Creek Country Club |
86 |
|
Brad Sokol, Green Valley Country Club |
86 |
|
Ed Strickler, Huntingdon Country Club |
86 |
|
John Rodney, Diamond Run Golf Club |
86 |
|
Andrew Speaker, Jericho National Golf Club |
86 |
|
Glenn D. Dolfi, Birdsfoot Golf Club |
86 |
|
Jason A. Miller, Irem Temple Country Club |
86 |
|
Joe Dellicarpini, Philadelphia Cricket Club |
87 |
|
Edward H. Knoll, Deer Run Golf Club |
87 |
|
Jim R. Willoughby, Bellewood Golf Club |
87 |
|
Robert Howell, Dauphin Highlands Golf Course |
88 |
|
John R. Cattoni, Williamsport Country Club |
88 |
|
Jay R. Stoner, Deer Run Golf Club |
89 |
|
Michael DiGiandomenico, French Creek Golf Club |
89 |
|
Laurence A. Hirsh, Blue Ridge Country Club |
89 |
|
Kevin M. Wall, Old York Road Country Club |
90 |
|
Damon C. Barbacci, Huntsville Golf Club |
90 |
|
Jeffrey L. Barber, Totteridge Golf Club |
90 |
|
Jason R. Sieminski, Philadelphia Cricket Club |
90 |
|
Sean T. Cabry, Lancaster Host Golf Resort |
91 |
|
Dave Saunders, Talamore Country Club |
93 |
|
Jonathan D. Brust, French Creek Golf Club |
93 |
|
Michael Bennis, Talamore Country Club |
95 |
|
Bill Seng, Golf Club at Felicita |
WD |
|
Gary A. Stewart, II, Country Club of York |
WD |
|
Joseph M. Cordaro, Longue Vue Club |
WD |
|
Rodney L. James, Five Ponds Golf Club |
WD |
|
Ron A. Weaver, Meadia Heights Golf Club |
WD |
|
WD-withdrawal |
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