Mattare wins Middle-Amateur Championship in a playoff

The key to victory in the Golf Association of Philadelphia's Middle-Amateur Championship for Matt Mattare probably came on Wednesday, when he gave himself a pep talk after he missed a 5-foot birdie putt that didn't come close to going in.

"I just waved at it," the 30-year-old Saucon Valley member said Thursday after capturing the Middle-Amateur in a three-man playoff. "It was my 11th hole. I was like, 'What are you doing being tentative? You're not even in the tournament. Start being decisive.' From that point forward, before every shot, I was like, 'Be decisive.' "

Mattare, who works in wealth management in New York and lives in Jersey City, N.J., shot a 1-over-par 72 at Waynesborough Country Club in Paoli to finish at 1-over 143. Michael Brown, the 2009 Middle-Amateur champion, already was at that number for 36 holes after a 70.

Together, the two waited as Matthew Finger, a co-leader after the first round, lined up a 4-foot par putt at the par-5 18th that would give him the victory. But Finger missed, and a four-hole aggregate-score playoff ensued, which Mattare won by 1 shot over Brown with a 1-under 14.

The highlight of the playoff for Mattare came on the third hole, hole No. 8 at Waynesborough, where he struck a 108-yard approach shot with a lob wedge to 2 feet and made the putt for birdie to go up by 1 shot. He played solidly on the final hole with a drive in the fairway, an approach to 30 feet and two putts for the win.

"I live outside of New York but these are the most important tournaments of the year to me," he said. "I've got a great group of friends down here. It's great to see everybody. It means everything. If you look at the guys who have won . . . there's a bunch of great players but also a bunch of friends. It's great to join that little club."

It was a tough loss for Finger, of DuPont, whose team made the match-play round of the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship earlier this week at Winged Foot in suburban New York. After a bogey at the tough par-3 17th, Finger reached the 18th in regulation but had a 60-foot putt for birdie that he struck 4 feet past and above the hole.

"I played a left-edge putt and pulled it, just didn't finish," Finger, who carded a 74, said of the par putt. "I don't know what else to say. That one's going to hurt but hopefully it will make me stronger."

p-Matt Mattare, Saucon Valley . . . 71-72-143

Matthew Finger, DuPont . . . 69-74-143

Michael Brown, Phila. Publinks . . . 73-70-143

Scott McLaughlin, LuLu . . . 74-70-144

Jeff Osberg, Huntingdon Valley . . . 71-73-144

Gregor Orlando, Phila. Cricket . . . 70-74-144

John Brennan, Phila. Cricket . . . 72-73-145

Michael McDermott, Merion . . . 76-70-146

Chris Ault, Yardley . . . 75-71-146

Dan Rudershausen, Kennett Square 73-74-147

Michael Hyland, Little Mill . . . 72-75-147

Ben Feld, Green Valley . . . 71-76-147

Benjamin Smith, Huntingdon Valley 70-77-147

Dan Bernard, Aronimink . . . 70-77-147