Beck, Kosup a winning team in Senior 27-Hole Challenge

   The winners of the last two Brewer Cups, Bob Beck of Lehigh Country Club and Bert Kosup of The Ridge at Back Brook proved to be a formidable team in the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s Senior 27-Hole Challenge Tuesday at French Creek Golf Club in East Nantmeal, Chester County.

Beck won this year’s Brewer Cup, presented by Callaway Golf, at Overbrook Golf Club while Kosup captured the Cup last summer.

   The 27-Hole Challenge presented a unique challenge at the 6,294-yard, par-71 French Creek layout, designed by Gil Hanse, who received quite a bit of acclaim for the job he did building the Olympic Golf Course for the return of golf to the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro. The first nine holes are better-ball of partners, the second nine are select drive/alternate shot and the final nine are aggregate total.

   The 56-year-old Beck and Kosup, 61, went 34, 34 and 71 for a 2-under 139 total, which gave them a four-shot edge over the Lancaster Country Club pair of Kenneth Phillips and Daniel Burton, who trailed by just a shot after going 33-36 heading into the final nine before posting an aggregate 74 for a 2-over 143 total.

   Beck and Kosup might have wrapped up the title at the par-5 fourth hole on their final nine as both made birdie, Beck reaching the green in two with a 3-hybrid and two-putting from 15 feet and Kosup dropping a 12-foot birdie try.

   “I think his strength is that he doesn’t have a weakness,” Kosup told the GAP website concerning Beck’s game. “He hit the ball very well today. He hits the ball very far off the tee – 30 yards past me. He’s very consistent and makes being his partner pretty easy.”

   Robert Wagner of Merion Golf Club and John Leboeuf of Philadelphia Country Club finished alone in third place with nines of 34, 37 and 74 for a 145 total.

   Six teams finished tied for fourth at 146.

   The pair of Bob Majczan of Lookaway Golf Club and James Prendergast of Bellewood Country Club and the Cedarbrook Country Club duo of Jack O’Hara and Vince Yost both finished strong with identical aggregate totals of 70 on their final nine.

   Majczan and Prendergast had a 35 in the better-ball opening nine, but struggled to a 41 in the alternate-shot second nine. O’Hara and Yost went 37-39 in their first 18 holes.

   Also in the group at 146 were: Wild Quail Golf & Country Club’s Alan Wagenschnur and Buddy Reed (35-37-74); Jim Yenser of Raven’s Claw Golf Club and David West of Whitford Country Club (34-37-75); Alan Van Horn of Commonwealth National Golf Club and Duke Delcher of Sandy Run Country Club (35-39-72); and the Commonwealth National pair of John Alterman and John Nottage (36-36-74).

   Charles Dowds III of Applebrook Golf Club and Mark Szilagyi of Brookside Country Club got off to a fast start with a 32 on their opening better-ball nine, but cooled off with nines of 41 and 74 to finish in a tie for 10^th at 147.

   They were joined at that figure by Ray Pyontek of Mercer Oaks Golf Club and Gregory Buliga of Yardley Country Club (33-38-76) and Gary E. Daniels of Applebrook and Michael Rose of Talamore Country Club (34-38-75).

   The winning team in the Super-Senior division took shape at this year’s Brewer Cup. Saucon Valley Country Club’s Robin McCool defeated Frank Polizzi of Whitemarsh Valley Country Club at Overbrook in the Brewer Cup Super-Senior final and afterward McCool asked Polizzi if he’d like to team up for the 27-Hole Challenge.

   McCool and Polizzi fired a 32 on the better-ball opening nine at French Creek and never looked back, adding an alternate-shot 38 and an aggregate total of 71 to finish at 141, finishing five shots clear of the field.

   On the opening nine, Polizzi hit a pitching wedge to four feet at the short par-3 third and made birdie, McCool dropped in a six-foot birdie putt for birdie at the par-5 fourth and then nearly holed his approach to the par-5 sixth for a tap-in birdie and Polizzi finished off the blazing start by knocking a gap wedge four feet away and making the birdie putt at the ninth.

   Craig Scott of Great Bear Golf Club and GAP legend David Brookerson of Huntingdon Valley Country Club (34-39-73) and the Rolling Green Golf Club duo of Edward Pappas and Robert Billings (35-40-71) shared second place at 146.

   Reigning three-time GAP Super-Senior Player of the Year Don Donatoni of White Manor Country Club and Steve Tagert of Spring-Ford Country Club had nines of 34, 38 and 75 to finish alone in fourth place at 147. The Lookaway pair of Thomas Mallouk and Michael Anton went 34, 39 and 75 to finish fifth at 148.