Marie tops Men's division, Knowlton the Women's winner in Tee it Forward -- Fall Net Championship at Rolling Green

    Jason Marie of Five Ponds Golf Club arrived at Rolling Green Golf Club, the William Flynn gem that hosted the 2016 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, for the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s Tee it Forward – Fall Net Championship Monday playing some pretty good golf.

   Marie kept that roll going with a solid 9-over-par 80 gross score over the 5,540-yard, par-71 Rolling Green layout that, with his handicap, translated to 42 points in the Stableford scoring format and his second career GAP victory.

   Originally scheduled to be played at Medford Lakes Country Club, the Tee it Forward – Fall Net Championship was moved to Rolling Green due to coronavirus-enforced restrictions on travel to New Jersey. Marie was well aware of the reputation at Rolling Green, in Springfield, Delaware County, particularly on Flynn’s sprawling green complexes, which are routinely among the quickest in the region.

   The 42-year-old Maple Glen resident piled up some points on three holes in which gross birdies resulted in net eagles.

   The first came at Rolling Green’s first hole, a 389-yard, par-4 at which Marie chipped in for birdie. At the 359-yard, par-4 fifth hole, Marie stiffed his approach with a gap wedge for a tap-in birdie.

   Marie added a third birdie at Rolling Green’s tough 210-yard, par-3 10^th hole as his 4-iron tee shot rolled onto the green and he converted the putt.

   Marie has a GAP victory in the 2018 Spring Net Championship at Coatesville Country Club on his resume. In recent weeks, Marie teamed with Five Ponds clubmate Mark Peters to finish in a tie for 21^st place in the net scoring in the Four-Ball Championship at Indian Valley Country Club and took top honors in a GAP Member Play Day at Manufacturers Golf & Country Club.

   “I was proud of the way I played today, especially on these greens,” Marie told the GAP website. “I’ve played in a bunch of net events lately, so I know what I needed to do.”

   Thomas Brennan of Moselem Springs Golf Club was the runnerup with 40 points. Joseph DeAngelis of Makefield Highlands Golf Club and Evan Berson of Radnor Valley Country Club shared third place, each coming in with 38 points.

   A couple of entries from The Shore Club, Richard Breder and Jay Dilworth, headed a group of five players tied for fifth place with 36 points. Joining Breder and Dilworth at that figure were Matthew Miller, a Golf Tour Greater Philadelphia entry, Tom Watterson of Loch Nairn Golf Club and Larry McClure of Frosty Valley.

   David Kearney of Lehigh Country Club finished alone in 10^th place with 34 points followed by James Reger of McCall Golf Club in 11^th with 33 points.

   Two more McCall entries, John O’Rourke and John Kivitz, headed a group of five players tied for 12^th place with 32 points. Joining O’Rourke and Kivitz in the tie for 12^th place were Frank Andrusiewicz of Mercer Oaks Golf Course, Rob Armstong of Phoenixiville Country Club and George Crouse of Ramblewood Country Club.

   Elizabeth Knowlton of Hickory Valley Golf Club finished with a flourish to claim a victory in the Women’s overall scoring with 41 points.

   Knowlton, who played college golf at Ohio Wesleyan, came home from Columbus, Ohio during the coronavirus quarantine and decided to work on her golf game with an eye on getting a handicap that would enable her to play some competitive golf.

   Knowlton posted a gross 90, getting an assist from the Rolling Green pro shop. Knowlton’s trusty driver started coming apart after her drive on the par-5 ninth hole. Some quick work with a wrench got the Big D back on track and Knowlton proceeded to pile up 22 of her 41 points on Rolling Green’s incoming nine.

   Knowlton’s big shot, though, was an 8-iron off the tee at the 122-yard, par-3 16^th hole that took a fortuitous kick toward the hole and finished five feet away. There are no easy five-footers at Rolling Green, but Knowlton buried the birdie putt for a net eagle.

   Bogeys at Rolling Green’s tough finishing holes, 17 and 18, were net pars and added to Knowlton’s winning total.

   Men’s winner Jason Marie wasn’t the only member of Team Marie that got it going at Rolling Green. His wife Jill Marie, playing with her husband, earned 38 points to earn runnerup honors among the gals, three points behind Knowlton.

   Lisa Dichter of Meadia Heights Golf Club and Pat Ellis of Spring Mill Country Club finished in a tie for third place, each picking up 28 points.

   Carol Landgraf of Riverton Country Club and Muffy McCabe of French Creek Golf Club shared fifth place as each earned 27 points.