McDermott wins Mid-Amateur title in playoff

Michael McDermott of Merion Golf Club sank a 12-foot birdie putt on the final hole of a four-hole, aggregate-score playoff Thursday to win the Golf Association of Philadelphia's Middle-Amateur Championship for a record fourth time.

McDermott, a five-time GAP player of the year, birdied the final hole of regulation play at Fieldstone Country Club in Greenville, Del., for a par 71 to tie Peter Barron III of Stone Harbor after 36 holes at 142. Barron birdied two of his last three holes to card a 69.

In the playoff, Barron took a 2-stroke advantage on the first hole and still led by 1 with one hole to play, the 523-yard, par-5 18th. But McDermott hit his third shot into birdie range while Barron saw his approach roll off the front of the green.

After Barron chipped on and missed a 25-foot par putt, McDermott knocked in his putt for the win.

"The playoff was such a roller coaster," said the 38-year-old McDermott, of Bryn Mawr. "Pete outplayed me. He did everything but win the playoff. Then I made a great birdie at the last. I'm very, very excited."

Jeff Osberg of Huntingdon Valley shot a 68 and took third at 144.

Joe April of Philadelphia Cricket Club, the first-round leader with a 67, fell out of contention with three straight double bogeys early in his second round. He finished with an 83 and tied for 20th place.

Defending champion Stacy Lewis leads a field of 144 players, including all of the top 10 players on the current LPGA Tour money list, who will compete in the ShopRite LPGA Classic beginning May 31 at the Bay Course of the Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club in Galloway, N.J.

The 54-hole tournament offers $1.5 million in prize money, with $225,000 going to the winner.

Lewis, who has won two events in 2013 and holds the No. 2 spot in the world rankings, will be joined by this season's other six tournament winners - world No. 1 Inbee Park, Jiyai Shin, Beatriz Recari, Suzann Pettersen, Cristie Kerr, and Jennifer Johnson.

Past ShopRite winners scheduled to compete include Kerr, Ai Miyazato, Brittany Lincicome, Se Ri Pak, Angela Stanford, and Juli Inkster, a two-time champion. In all, 47 of the top 50 money winners are entered.

One of the highest winner's paychecks of any PGA of America event in the country will be at stake Tuesday when the Philadelphia Section PGA conducts the annual Drexel Morgan & Co. Classic, where a field of 129 professionals will battle for the $75,000 first prize.

The tournament, formerly known as the Haverford Trust Classic, will take place at Sunnybrook Golf Club in Plymouth Meeting. The course will play at 6,893 yards.

Scott Reilly of Philadelphia Country Club won last year's event by 5 strokes, firing a 6-under-par 66. Other past champions in the field include Hugh Reilly (no relation), George Forster, Dave Roberts, Dave Quinn, and Paul Oglesby.