The field of 48 qualifiers took to the Lake View Country Club, albeit 4 hours after the scheduled shotgun start due to the steady morning rain, in search of one of the 31 spots available to make the match play bracket, joining the defending champion, Matt Barto.

It was a basically miserable day with not only rainy and wet conditions but also cool temperatures. Ryan Ferry was able to conquer both the conditions and the course finishing atop the field with a one-under par round of 71 which included 4 birdies and 3 bogies. Closely behind was his former Gannon teammate, Abe Holmes who, along with 2-time EDGA Amateur Champion Tyler Cozad shot rounds of one-over par 73’s. Isaiah Swan was alone in 4th with 74.

Another Gannon alum and 4-time EDGA major champion, Drew Deimel was next, along with Dave Spitzer and Zach Henry at 75. Mike Wolfe shot 76. The top 10 was rounded out with 5 players at 77 which included Breckin Taylor, Maclain Deitrick, Mike Newcomer, T.J. Mitchell, and Dustin Coleman.

Alex Weir, the runner up in the last two match play events as well as the last two EDGA Amateurs shot 78 and will face fellow Kahkwa member Mike Capotis in his quest for his first EDGA title. That path will be a tough one as the defending champion, Matt Barto as well as Mike Wolfe, Abe Holmes and Isaiah Swan are all in the top half of the bracket. The bottom half is led by qualifying champ Ryan Ferry. The lower half includes former EDGA champions Drew Deimel, Tyler Cozad, Ron Coleman, Ted Grassi, III, Jon Merriott, Sean Sculley and Rob Nicotra.

Match play begins on Friday morning with 16 first round matches teeing off on both the 1st and 10th tees. Winners will face off on Friday afternoon. The quarter-finals and semi-finals will be held on Saturday and the finals are scheduled for Father’s Day Sunday.

Click here for event results.

 

The EDGA is happy and proud to announce the addition of five individuals into the Erie District Golf Association Hall of Fame. This brings the number of hall of famers to 53, with the first inducted 71 years ago in 1951.

The last inducted ceremony was in 2018 and the EDGA had hoped to have a ceremony in either 2020 or 2021 but those plans were put on hold due to the pandemic. Due to that delay this year’s class is larger than usual.

This year’s class includes the following players :

• Dario Cipriani
• Dr. Edward Podufal
• Ellery Tarbell
• Dave Smith
• Lester White

Click on the names above to read their bio.

The induction ceremony is on October 8, 2022 at the Ambassador Banquet and Conference Center with cocktails at 5:00 pm and the dinner and ceremony to follow at 6:00 pm. The ceremony will also recognize existing hall of famers present as well EDGA and EDWGA major champions since our last ceremony in 2018.

Click here for tickets and more information.

Connor Bennink ran away with his second consecutive EDGA Amateur Championship title. Leading by 5 entering the final round, Bennink birdied holes 3 through 6 to extend his lead to 9. With another birdie on 8 and Alex Weir faltering his lead grew to 11 at 17 under par. He experienced some unexpected troubles on the closing 9 with 3 three putts and a double bogey on the fourteenth but by then victory was firmly in his grasp. With 2 more birdies on the back he closed with 37-69 and a record total of 15 under par. The previous record was -9 accomplished by Austin Romeo in 2009 and Patrick Kelly in 2018. All totaled Bennink recorded 22 birdies in the event’s 54 holes.

Alex Weir finished as the runner up in his 4th consecutive EDGA major, having been the second in both the EDGA Match Play and Amateur Championships in 2021 and 2022. Starting at a 5 shot deficit, he would need a fast start and he did birdie the first hole to get one closer, with an opportunity to pick up one more he missed from 8 feet on number 2. When he tapped in for a two putt birdie on number three the lead was down to 3 but Bennink had a birdie putt of his own, which he made, the first of 4 in-a-row which, for all intents and purposes ended the hopes for any potential challengers. Weir finished with a 1 under par 71 and a 54 hole total of 8 under par 208, the lowest score ever recorded by a non-winner.

Mike Wolfe, who started 9 back could not find a birdie on the outward nine, recording 9 pars. At that point he was 13 back and playing for second. When he holed out for an eagle 2 on the 10th hole he momentarily forged a tie with Weir for second. Weir would follow that up with a 30 foot birdie putt and then a chip in birdie on the 12th while Wolfe was making back-to-back bogies leaving Weir 4 clear in second. Wolfe finished with 5 pars and a birdie on the last 6 holes for a 71 and a tie for third with Abe Holmes at 5 under.

Holmes was the only player in the field to match one of Bennink’s rounds with his 69 in the final round, the same as Bennink. Holmes round included 4 birdies and a bogey and followed rounds of 75 and 67 for his 3rd place total of minus 5. Holmes’ teammate, Ryan Ferry was one of three players to break par in all three rounds, with Bennink and Weir. After two rounds of 71 he closed with 70 for a 4 under total, good for 5th. Ferry recorded 6 birdies in each of his 3 rounds in the tourney.

Finishing tied for 6th were 2-time champion Tyler Cozad (74-215) and 2021 PSAC individual champion Isaiah Swan (73-215). Swan was hot early but 4 consecutive bogies on the back nine kept him from a higher finish, he finished 4th last year. That left 7 players under par for the event, which is the most in EDGA Am history.

A familiar name occupied the next position, 4-time EDGA major champion Drew Deimel. Deimel improved 2 strokes each round, and with 74-72-70 he finished even par. Deimel added one more under par round to his record and now has 14. The top ten were rounded out by 2 Lawrence Park members. Jimmy Callaghan finished 9th with 76-218 and Billy Colbert in 10th with 75-220.

The top 15 and ties receive a pro shop credit prize which can be redeemed at Lawrence Park. Those players include 3 players tied for 11th at 222, Matt Barto, Zach Henry, and Dean Rainville. With 73-223 Ted Grassi, III was alone in 14th. Two players finished with 224 and tied for 15th, Ryan Peters and his former college coach Ron Coleman.

Thanks to Mac Wolfe and Terry Teasdale for their assistance with this event as well as Scott Jenkins and the staff at Lawrence Park for presenting a wonderful tournament site for the players and, as always, to Marquette Savings Bank for their sponsorship and commitment to the EDGA and local golf.

A reminder that there will be a hall of fame induction ceremony this fall on October 8th at Lake View Country Club. This year’s inductees include Dario Cipriani, Ed Podufal, Ellery Tarbell, Dave Smith and Lester White. Click Here to purchase tickets.

Full Field Results

Defending champion Connor Bennink extended his lead to 5 after completion of the second round in the 102nd EDGA Amateur Championship. His round of 65 puts him at 12-under par for 36 holes. His performance thus far has been record breaking. His 7-under par 65 betters the mark of 6-under held by 5 players, the 36-hole score of -12 is 5 shots better than the record held since 1988 by Mike Capotis. The tournament record of -9 is certainly in jeopardy with one round to go. He also can become the event’s 10th back-to-back champion.

The previous low score at Lawrence Park was 68. Thus far that mark has been beat 4 times, twice by Bennink with his rounds of 67 and 65, and twice more in round two by Abe Holmes and Alex Weir who both shot 67. Weir, last year’s runner up and the runner up in the last 2 Match Play Championships sits in second at -7 on rounds of 70 and 67. Mike Wolfe, who missed last year’s playoff by 1 stroke is 3 more back at -4 with a second round 68.

The 2022 EDGA Match Play Champion Matt Barto is tied for 4th with 2017 & 2019 Champion Tyler Cozad. Both players had rounds of 70 and 71. There are 4 players tied for 6th at 2-under par, Abe Holmes (75-67), Jimmy Callaghan (71-71), Ryan Ferry (71-71) and Isaiah Swan (70-72).  The top ten is rounded about by 3 players at +2, Billy Colbert (75-71), 4-time EDGA Major Champion Drew Deimel (74-72), and 2021 EDGA Match Play Champion Jon Merriott (72-74).

The cut line fell at a score of +7 151 with 24 players and ties. The players will play in the event’s final round tomorrow beginning at 9:30am at Lawrence Park. Prizes will be awarded to the top 15.

Full Field Results

Full Field Results

2021 Champion Connor Bennink picked up right where he left off with a second consecutive 67. The last one was in the final round of the 2021 EDGA Amateur Championship at Lake View which he later won in a playoff. Today’s 67 was in the first round of the 2022 Amateur at Lawrence Park GC, 2 shots better than Joe Fugagli.

Bennink’s round included 7 birdies offset by 2 bogies, going out in 33 and back in 34. Fugagli had the lowest front 9 with a 4-under 32 and then came home in 37 for 69.

Four players completed the first round with 2-under par 70 including 2-time Champion Tyler Cozad, this year’s match play champion Matt Barto, last year’s Amateur runner-up Alex Weir and 2021 PSAC individual champion, Isaiah Swan. There were two others who broke par, Jimmy Callaghan and Ryan Ferry. Both players shot 71 and are 4 shots back.

The 2021 EDGA Match Play Champion, Jon Merriott sits tied for 9th with Mike Wolfe and Evan Rowane at even par. Mac Deitrick sits alone in 12th with 73 before a group of 4 who finished with 74. That group includes 4-time EDGA Major Champion Drew Deimel, 2-time Champion Ted Grassi, III, Dean Rainville, Carter Hassenplug, and Michael Wareham.

Round 2 begins tomorrow at 10am at the Park. After 36 holes the field will be cut to the top 24 and ties. Currently 24th place is at +4.

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