Huntingdon Valley to host 112th Amateur Championship

For the first time in 53 years, Huntingdon Valley Country Club is the main stage for the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s Amateur Championship. It hosts the Association’s most prominent and rigorous tournament June 12-14 & 16.

A field of 125 players will look to attain one of 32 available match play spots. To do so, they must advance through a 36-hole stroke play qualifier on the first day - 18 at Huntingdon Valley and 18 at Torresdale-Frankford Country Club (Both venues flipped roles in 2006). A sudden-death playoff will take place to break any ties for the final spots.

First and second-round matches are set for June 13. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be held June 14. The final two will face off in a 36-hole final on Saturday, June 16.

Little Mill Country Club’s Michael Hyland returns as the Amateur’s defending champion. It isn’t an unfamiliar role for the Marlton, N.J. resident. Hyland was the defending champion in the 2001 Amateur Championship at Jericho National Golf Club.

“My major goal is to do better than the last time I defended,” Hyland said. “I lost 7&5 in the first round.”

Hyland may achieve that goal. His game’s been pretty good as of late. He finished third in the Kelly Cup at Lakeside Golf Club in Burbank, Calif. Hyland was also recently a semifinalist in the New Jersey State Golf Association’s Middle-Amateur Championship at Galloway National Golf Club.

To further prepare for next week, Hyland is competing in the Kerwin Cup tomorrow at Torresdale-Frankford. He considers competing against Huntingdon Valley in Week Three of the GAP Team Matches as his practice round.

“They [Huntingdon Valley and Torresdale-Frankford] are both pretty similar,” Hyland said. “They both have hilly, fast greens.”

Philadelphia Cricket Club’s John Brennan also feels that he has momentum entering the Amateur Championship. He captured the Association’s Middle-Amateur Championship last month at Chester Valley Golf Club.

“Looking back at Chester Valley, I didn’t make double bogeys. I made a lot of pars when I needed to,” Brennan, of Audubon, Pa., said. “Par is going to be a great score on Tuesday next week. You have to survive the day and you really can’t get ahead of yourself. It doesn’t matter if you’re [sedded] 1 or 32. Match play is a different animal.”

Also hoping to gain a match play berth is Stephen Hudacek, III of Glenmaura National Golf Club, the 2011 Amateur runner-up. Last year's performance was an emotional boost for the Moosic, Pa. resident.

"That experience was really a confidence builder more than anything," he said. "I think I can carry a positive attitude knowing I can compete."

Huntingdon Valley has fielded a remarkable 13 Amateur Champions, including William Hyndman, III – the Player of the Year Award’s namesake. Reigning titleholder Andrew Mason of Huntingdon Valley will not participate in the Amateur. He is playing in the Sunnehanna Amateur next week.   In addition to determining the match play field, the GAP Amateur Championship qualifier also serves as first two rounds of the Silver Cross Award.

Both the public and media are welcome to attend.

Founded in 1897, the Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) is the oldest regional golf association in the United States and serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. Its 144 Member Clubs and 57,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. As Philadelphia’s Most Trusted Source of Golf Information, the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.