McNeil holds on to take GAP Middle-Amateur crown

   Bala Golf Club’s Scott McNeil, who had established a three-shot lead with a 2-under-par 68 in Wednesday’s opening round, held off some Golf Association of Philadelphia heavyweights Thursday to win GAP’s first major title of the season, the Middle-Amateur Championship.

   McNeil, the 29-year-old parking facilities manager at 10 Rittenhouse Square, struggled to a 5-over 75 over the testy 6,557-yard, par-70 St. Davids Golf Club layout, a typically classic Donald Ross design, but his 3-over 143 total was good enough to hold off hard-charging Jeff Osberg, the reigning Philadelphia Amateur champion, by a shot.

   Osberg, a Huntingdon Valley Country Club member who played out of Llanerch Country Club for a couple of years, fired a 2-under 69 Thursday to finish at 4-over 144.

   “(It’s a) great feeling,” McNeil, who was the qualifying medalist in a U.S. Open local qualifier at Trump National earlier this month, told the GAP website. “(I’ve put in) lots of hard work early on in the season (and) I’m glad is has finally paid off.

   “I’ve been close before, but for once I put myself in good position and (was) able to drive the bus rather than riding in the back of it and looking to get to the front of it.”

   Merion Golf Club’s Michael McDermott, who has won this title four times among his nine career GAP majors, made some noise as well. McDermott, the Haverford High and Saint Joseph’s University standout who grew up playing at Llanerch, matched Osberg’s 1-under 69 and grabbed a share of third place at 5-over 145. 

   Plymouth Country Club’s Michael Carr, who had an opening-round 71, had a 74 Thursday to share third with McDermott. Stephen Dressel, the reigning club champion at St. Davids, briefly had a share of the lead with McNeil before falling back. He had a pair of 73s to finish alone in fifth at 146.

Llanerch’s Brian McDermott, Michael’s younger brother, had one of Thursday’s best rounds, a 1-over 71, to finish in a tie for ninth at 148.

   A couple of Overbrook Golf Club players, Brad McFadden (74-76) and the ageless Ray Thompson (76-74), were in a large group at 150.

   Another large group at 153 included Overbrook’s Oscar Mestre (74-79), Aronimink Golf Club’s Jeff Klagholz (79-74), Rolling Green Golf Club’s Jon Lavin (75-78) and Llanerch’s Brandon Murdock (74-79).