Connell, Anthony capture Francis B. Warner Cup (Net) titles at Yardley

   Playing a little catch-up on the Golf Association of Philadelphia scene, starting with …

   Mike Connell’s first trip around Yardley Country Club proved to be a winning one Tuesday as The Springhaven Club member captured GAP’s Francis B. Warner Cup (Net) in a match of cards after he and Thomas Schaible of Chester Valley Golf Club finished tied for first, each carding a net 3-under-par 69.

   “The greens were challenging and the course was fun to get around,” the 63-year-old Connell told the GAP website concerning the 5,924-yard, par-72 Yardley layout. “I had a few bad holes to go along with the good ones and it worked out in the end.”

   Connell, a Wallingford reisdient in his fourth season at Springhaven, got off to a good start when he drained a 12-foot birdie putt on the short par-4 fourth hole. He hit an 8-iron to eight feet at the 130-yard, par-3 ninth hole and dropped that birdie putt for a net eagle.

   He made four net birdies on the back nine, although a couple of net bogey saves on 12 and 14 might have helped save the round as much as anything. It added up to a gross 84. His net total on the final six holes, the second tiebreaker, gave him the edge over Schaible.

   W. Frank Skilton of Manufacturers Golf & Country Club finished alone in third place with a net 2-under 70. Sharing fourth place at 1-under 71 were a couple of players out of Talamore Country Club, Hal Morris and Doug Putnam.

   John Sly Jr. of St. Davids Golf Club and Ned Moore of Manufacturers shared sixth place, each with a net of even-par 72.

   Six more players ended up tied for eighth with net 1-over 73s, including Lee Cox of White Manor Country Club, Don Neill of LuLu Country Club, Luke Pape of Tavistock Country Club, Charles Caparo of Plymouth Country Club, Timothy Joyce of the Philadelphia Publinks Golf Association and Ernest Eichenberg III of Waynesborough Country Club.

   The event also included a women’s division, the first time GAP has crowned a champion in Senior Women’s competition.

   And that inaugural champion was Josie Anthony of White Manor, Anthony also winning in a match of cards after finishing tied for first with playing partner Monique Allen of Cherry Valley Country Club, each ending up with a net 78.

   The 58-year-old Anthony, a West Chester resident, carded a gross 94, but her net back nine of 41 was one shot better than Allen’s net 42, which proved to be the difference.

   Alison Kellock of Flourtown Country Club finished alone in third with a net 81, Christine Mulligan of Downingtown Country Club took fourth at 84 and Betty Satterley of The Bucks Club was fifth at 87.