Vinay Ramesh, 18, among five qualifiers for U.S. Amateur
It has been a summer of learning for 18-year-old Vinay Ramesh, who graduated last month from Pennsbury High School to cap a year that saw him win the PIAA Class AAA championship.
It has been a summer of learning for 18-year-old Vinay Ramesh, who graduated last month from Pennsbury High School to cap a year that saw him win the PIAA Class AAA championship.
Ramesh, of Newtown, finished as one of five qualifiers Monday for the U.S. Amateur, to be played next month at Olympia Fields Golf Club south of Chicago. On a hot, muggy day in Montgomery County, he followed up a 69 at Cedarbrook Country Club with a 68 at Old York Road Country Club, finishing at 6-under 137.
Ramesh fell a stroke short of qualifying last month in Purchase, N.Y., for the U.S. Open and said it gave him confidence. Last week at Radnor Valley, he missed qualifying for the Pennsylvania Open but admitted it fired him up to play better on Monday.
"It was a great wake-up call," he said. "I made triple [bogey] on the 10th hole there and I just let that get to me too much. I missed [the cut] by one and I just needed to stay levelheaded. I used that as fuel for today."
Ramesh, who will attend Princeton in September, carded eight birdies for the day, five at Cedarbrook. He credited that to "hitting great putts all day."
Henry Smart, an assistant golf coach at College of Charleston, won medalist honors with two rounds of 68 and a 136 total. Smart said he came north to visit former Virginia teammates Cole Willcox, with whom he stayed, and Cory Siegfried. He had played Cedarbrook when he qualified for the 2010 U.S. Amateur at Chambers Bay.
Jack Wallace (138) of Philadelphia Cricket Club and Michael Brown (141) of Links also picked up tickets to the Amateur, Wallace for the first time and Brown the second. Jacob Hicks, an incoming senior at East Carolina, shot 31 on his first nine of the day at Old York Road and also claimed a spot at 137.
Temple's Brandon Matthews, a quarterfinalist in the 2013 U.S. Amateur, shot 143 and missed the cut by 2 despite 10 birdies and an eagle. Matthews, who is entering his senior year, carded four double bogeys and four bogeys.
The qualifiers
(Cedarbrook score listed first, then Old York Road)
Henry Smart, Charleston, S.C.. . . 68-68-136
Vinay Ramesh, Newtown . . . 69-68-137
Jacob Hicks, Mebane, N.C.. . . 71-66-137
Jack Wallace, Beverly, N.J.. . . 69-69-138
Michael Brown, Maple Shade.. . . 71-70-141
Alternates
Roland Massimino, Lumberville.. . . 68-74-142
Kyle Vance, Audubon, Pa.. . . 72-70-142
Hyndman Classic
In a tournament honoring the 100th anniversary of the birth of legendary Philadelphia amateur William Hyndman III, who played outstanding golf well into his 60s and 70s, it was fitting that the winner was a 59-year-old club professional who shows no signs of slowing down.
Bill Sautter of Philadelphia Cricket Club shot a 4-under-par 66 in the searing heat at Huntingdon Valley Country Club and captured a 1-stroke victory in the William Hyndman III Memorial Classic.
Sautter, who went the entire day without a bogey while posting birdies at 6, 7, 10, and 16 over the Toomey/Flynn course, pocketed the $10,000 first prize check. The top prize was boosted by the Hyndman family to celebrate the tournament honoree, who died in September 2001 at age 85.
To further celebrate Hyndman, the Philadelphia Section PGA put up signs at each of the 18 tees with one of his many accomplishments, such as participating in 50 U.S. Golf Association championships.
"I thought it was a nice touch," said Geoff Surrette, the section's executive director. "It was a really nice way to celebrate his centennial, but then also to maybe bring some education to the golf professionals that don't know much about him."
Gulph Mills assistant pro Josh Rackley, who leads the section's season-long points list, finished second at 67. Rich Steinmetz of Spring Ford took third at 68 while defending champion Billy Stewart of ACE Club and John Pillar of Woodloch Springs were tied at 69.
The results
Bill Sautter, Phila Cricket . . . 33-33-66
Josh Rackley, Gulph Mills . . . 35-32-67
Rich Steinmetz, Spring Ford . . . 32-36-68
Billy Stewart, ACE Club . . . 35-34-69
John Pillar, Woodloch Springs. . . 33-36-69
Mike Moses, Concord. . . 35-35-70
Mike Heidler, Golf TEC. . . 36-34-70
Colin Corrigan, Saucon Valley. . . 37-33-70
Jordan Gibbs, Huntingdon Vall.. . . 35-35-70
Stu Ingraham, M-Golf . . . 35-35-70