Llanerch Country Club's Rick Osberg, just a few days removed from a trip to the U.S. Amateur, fired a 3-under 68 at soggy Philadelphia C.C. Monday to take medalist honors in local qualifying for the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship.
Osberg had claimed medalist honors in local qualifying for the U.S. Amateur in early August at Llanerch and Rolling Green G.C. Osberg failed to qualify for match play at last week's U.S. Amateur at Erin Hills in Erin, Wis. and was happy to rebound quickly and earn a trip to another USGA event. The Mid-Am will be played Sept. 17 to 22 at Shadow Hawk G.C. in Richmond, Texas.
"Coming back from the (U.S.) Amateur where I didn't have a good showing, it's nice to qualify for this," Osberg told the Golf Association of Philadelphia website. "(The Mid-Amateur) is a lot more of the working-class people as opposed to the college students who are about to turn professional. I just hope to make match play and see how it goes from there."
The greenskeeping crew at Philly Country had to work overtime to get its course in shape less than 48 hours after Hurricane Irene roared through the region.
"The course was fantastic," said Osberg, who spent his Sunday helping remove a tree that fell into his girlfriend's house during the hurricane. "I maybe had one ball that had mud on it. What they did here to get the course ready is unbelievable. It doesn't even look like it rained here."
Osberg got his round going with a couple of two-putt birdies after reaching both par-5s on the front side at Philly in two. He sandwiched birdies at 11 and 13 around a bogey at the par-4 12th on the backside.
"I just hit it well," Osberg said. "The goal in most of these qualifiers is to just try for even-par. A course like this sets up well for me. I took advantage of some of the shorter holes and just played smart on some of the more difficult ones."
Michael McDermott, the five-time Hyndman Player of the Year who plays out of Merion G.C., was one of nine players who returned to Philly Tuesday morning in search of the final two qualifying berths and two alternate spots. The players finished in a tie for seventh at 3-over 74 in the battle for the eight tickets to Shadow Hawk.
But McDermott was unable to survive the playoff. McDermott, the former Haverford High and Saint Joseph's University standout, spent 2010 away from competitive golf. His 2011 season has been marked by solid play, but a notch below the level he displayed as the top mid-amateur player in the region for most of the first decade of the 2000s.
A couple of Overbrook G.C. veterans, Oscar Mestre and Frank McFadden, had nice showings at Philly C.C., with a 75 and 76 respectively. Pete Moran of Edgmont C.C. was also at 76 and Michael McDermott's younger brother Kevin, a Llanerch member, was at 77.
Philadelphia Section PGAOverbrook G.C. pro Scott Hunter posted an 8-under 134 total to capture the Pro-Am for Wishes event at Penn Oaks C.C., which concluded Aug. 22.
Hunter completed a 2-under round on the first day Aug. 21, although half the field couldn't beat the rain and had to complete the first round the next day.
Hunter ripped off four birdies in a row on the front nine of his second round on his way to a 6-under 65 for a three-shot victory, his first win on the Philadelphia Section circuit.
"It feels great to finally get that first win," Hunter said. "I have been close a few times, especially this year and each time I've learned something new. Becoming more familiar with the players and courses makes all the difference."
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