Merion's Bradbeer wins Patterson Cup by one shot
The 19-year-old sophomore-to-be at Bucknell shook off a double bogey on the 13th hole and sank a clutch birdie putt at the 17th for the win.
A dejected Peter Bradbeer walked off the 13th green at the South course of Wilmington Country Club with a double bogey to fall out of the lead Thursday in the final round of the Patterson Cup, and it was reasonable to wonder how long he would remain in a funk.
How about the time spent to take 10 steps?
"I try to give myself 10 steps," he said. "It's the Tiger [Woods] rule, give yourself 10 steps and then you're cool. So I tried to do that."
The 19-year-old Bradbeer waited to capitalize on another chance and he got it, sinking a 20-foot birdie putt at the 17th hole to regain the lead and making a solid par on 18 to win the 115th Patterson Cup – the Golf Association's stroke-play championship – by one shot.
Bradbeer, of Merion Golf Club, who is entering his sophomore year at Bucknell, closed with a 1-over-par 72 over the 7,172-yard layout for a 2-under 140 total. Ben Smith of Huntingdon Valley kept pace with Bradbeer with a 71 but finished at 141.
Former champions Cole Berman, of Philadelphia Cricket, and Chris Ault, of Yardley, finished in a three-way tie for third at 142 with St. Davids' Brian Gillespie, who tied for low round of the day with a 69.
Bradbeer was 3-under par after sinking birdie putts of 18 feet at No. 10 and 5 feet at No. 12. But the double at 13 dropped him one stroke behind Smith, who was playing in the group directly in front of him.
"My game plan obviously wasn't to be perfect," Bradbeer said. "I knew I was going to make some bogeys. But I knew if I stuck with it and stuck with it and stuck with it, I could finish strong."
Smith bogeyed the par-5 16th to fall back into a tie for the lead at 1-under, and Bradbeer saw his chance. He stuck a 5-iron at the par-3 17th on the green but the ball rolled to the back collar. The birdie putt was pure, so pure that Bradbeer let out a yell when it dropped into the cup.
"That was just a rush of emotion there," he said.
"I asked it to go once and then I saw it rolling and I thought, 'That has a chance. That has a chance,' " he said. "Then came the exclamation point at the end. But yeah, it was really special."
Bradbeer hit the par-4 18th in regulation but needed a towel before his birdie putt because "I was so nervous." He lagged his ball to tap-in range, and made par to win GAP's final major of the season.
"It means the world to me, absolutely," he said. "The Patterson is one of the few tournaments I really look forward to in the summer. I was really excited that I was exempt for it and I tried to take full advantage of that, and luckily I did."
Bradbeer also won the GAP Silver Cross, given to the player with the best total score from the 36-hole Philadelphia Amateur qualifying rounds and the Patterson Cup.
Smith posted his best finish – and his fourth consecutive top-five placing – in the Patterson Cup.
"I've always had success in this event, just a good vibe coming in," Smith said. "I'm very happy with my finish."
The results
Peter Bradbeer, Merion 68-72—140
Ben Smith, Huntingdon Valley 70-71—141
Brian Gillespie, St Davids 73-69—142
Cole Berman, Phila. Cricket 72-70—142
Chris Ault, Yardley 69-73—142
Gregor Orlando, Phila. Cricket 71-72—143
Chris Crawford, Spring Mill 69-74—143
Matt Mattare, Saucon Valley 75-69—144
J.D. Hughes, LedgeRock 74-70—144
Jay Whitby, Wild Quail 73-71—144
Jeff Osberg, Huntingdon Valley 71-73—144
Michael McDermott, Merion 71-73—144
Connor McNicholas, LuLu 76-69—145
Robert Firth Jr., Commonwealth Natl. 74-71—145
Michael Brown, LuLu 73-72—145
Mark Benevento Jr., Greate Bay 72-73—145
Aaron Fricke, Lancaster 72-73—145
John Barone, Glenmaura Natl. 72-73—145
Danny Harcourt, Mercer Oaks 71-74—145
Ben Feld, Huntingdon Valley 76-70—146