Scott McNeil’s birdie on the 18th hole gives him his second Golf Association of Philadelphia Middle-Amateur Championship
McNeil, who also won the championship in 2015, birdied the last two holes at Lookaway Golf Club in Bucks County to capture a one-stroke victory.
Scott McNeil sank a 9-foot birdie putt Thursday on the 18th hole at Lookaway Golf Club in Buckingham, Bucks County, to win the Golf Association of Philadelphia Middle-Amateur Championship for the second time.
McNeil, 35, representing the Philadelphia Publinks Golf Association, fired a 3-under-par 69 and completed 36 holes at 5-under 139. Matthew Mattare of Saucon Valley and Sean McMonagle of Tavistock tied for second at 140, with Mattare carding a 69 and McMonagle a 70.
Patrick Knott of Merion finished in fourth place at 141 after a 71 with Ben Feld of Green Valley (72-142) in fifth.
McNeil, of Philadelphia, trailed Mattare by two strokes going to the par-5 17th but birdied the hole and moved into a tie for the lead when Mattare bogeyed No. 18. McNeil hit his drive at the 18th in the fairway and struck a 6-iron to within birdie range, making the putt and punching the air.
“Honestly I thought I had left it a little bit short but it had perfect pace,” McNeil said. “To the course’s credit, [the greens] are so pure that that thing just kept tumbling end over end and went right in the middle.”
Feld, McMonagle and Knott all came to the 18th tee at 4-under par but couldn’t get the birdie they needed to tie McNeil for first place.
McNeil is the fifth player in GAP history to win more than one Middle-Amateur title, adding the 2021 title to the one he captured in 2015.