Russo takes Galloway National by storm to claim Chapman Cup

   Joseph Russo seems to save some of his best golf for when he tees it up at Galloway National Golf Club in Absecon, N.J.

   Russo rode a hot start to a 2-under 69 over the 6,351-yard, par-71 Galloway National layout Wednesday and survived deteriorating conditions, including a one-hour-20-minute weather delay for a four-shot victory in the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s Frank H. Chapman Memorial Cup (gross).

   Russo, a 58-year-old Washington Township, N.J. resident, had back-to-back birdies to open the round at one and two and did it again at eight and nine. He struggled a little on the back nine as the wind really started howling, but he drilled a 4-iron to five feet at the 217-yard, par-3 17^th for a final birdie that gave him the only sub-par round of the day.

   “This really is a hard golf course,” Russo, a retired police officer, told the GAP website. “For some reason, I usually score pretty well here. Was I expecting to shoot 69? No. I’ve been struggling with my putter a little bit. In fact, the putter that I had here today is one I hadn’t putted with in almost a year.

    “Sometimes you have to put them on the shelf and make them wonder what’s going on.”

   Jim Gavaghan of Jericho National Golf Club was the runnerup with a 2-over 73 followed by Bob Beck of Lehigh Country Club in third at 3-over 74.

   Three players – Doug Fedoryshyn of Concord Country Club, Glenn Smeraglio of LuLu Country Club and Thomas Alestock of Running Deer Golf Club – finished in a tie for fourth at 4-over 75. Glenn Zuck of host Galloway National and Bert Kosup of The Ridge at Back Brook were another shot back in a tie for seventh at 5-over 76. Tom Bartolacci Jr. of Saucon Valley Country Club rounded out the top 10 with a 77.

   In the simultaneous Chapman Cup Super-Senior event, the beat goes on for White Manor Country Club’s Don Donatoni, who cruised to a four-shot victory with a 3-over 74 at Galloway National, which played to 6,096 yards for the Super-Senior set.

   Donatoni is the reigning three-time GAP Super-Senior Player of the Year and it was the third time the 68-year-old Malvern resident has won the Chapman Cup Super-Senior division. He survived a double bogey on the first hole and adjusted his game to the gusty winds that buffeted Galloway National.

   Donatoni was rock solid down the stretch with eight pars and a birdie on the back nine to secure the victory.

   Clay Hamlin III of Merion Golf Club and Robert Billings of Rolling Green Golf Club finished in a tie for second, each carding a 78.

   Four more players – Daniel Burton of Lancaster Country Club, Ralph Bincarowsky of Kennett Golf & Country Club, Raymond Pawulich of Little Mill Country Club and William Lawler of Fox Hill Country Club – all posted 79s to finish in a tie for fourth.