FIRST ANNUAL HERSHEY AMATEUR

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

Championship Round - Hershey Links

Practice Pays Off for First Annual HERSHEY AMATEUR CHAMPION

35-year old Chris Landes, from Lansdale, PA, knew he was prepared for the final round of the First Annual Hershey Amateur, but wasn’t as sure if his nerves were?  “I probably hit 10,000 balls this season on the practice range, but this was the first big tournament I played in,” said Landis, who started playing seriously four years ago, “so I am really pleased that I was able to put together a good round.” 

A 19-handicap who plays out of Skippack Golf Course, Landes joins a long list of professional and amateur players alike that have celebrated tournament victories at Hershey.  “The Hershey Golf Collection is steeped in tradition, from hosting the 1940 PGA Championship, to the LPGA’s Lady Keystone Open in the 80’s, to numerous local, regional and national amateur events like the Hershey Amateur, Chris is in good company” announced Ned Graff, the Hershey Golf Collection’s Director of Golf. 

Despite a few stumbles during the round, Landes made a solid two-putt par on the par-four 17th hole at Hershey Links, his last of the day, to post a NET score of 69 (3-under) and take the inaugural title.  “I knew when the tournament staff started keeping track of my scores over the final few holes, I was in the hunt,” said Landes, who also captured the Men’s Flight 2 title after the tournament’s first 36-holes. 

The race for the First Annual Hershey Amateur Championship Trophy was even tighter than Landes knew.  Midway through the back nine, a half dozen players were in contention.  But the Hershey Links proved to be a formidable test for these weekend warriors.  In the end, two players who traveled a good distance to play in the event were in position to win.  John Wilson, an 18-handicap from Dade City, Florida who finished third in the Senior Division Flight 2, and David Chase, a 24-handicap from Point Blank, Texas representing the Super Senior Division, both made solid pars on their final holes to finish with a NET score of 70 (2-under) and one back. 

“The event was great,” said Wilson, whose wife Janice, a 3.5 handicap captured the Women’s Division Flight 1 title, “the Hershey Golf Collection courses were all beautiful and challenging, and the food was delicious, we’ll be back next year!”

The Hershey Golf Collection, who staged the event in partnership with The Golf Connection LLC, treated players in eight divisions to a truly first class tournament experience.  Entry in the tournament included four rounds of golf, breakfast and lunch daily, two dinners, a player gift bag, and of course, an ample supply of Hershey Chocolate. 

Championship Round Scores
Hershey Links, Par 72
Weather:  Low 50’s, sunny, light wind

18-Hole Net

1     Chris Landes (69)     Landsdale, PA        Men - Flight 2

T2   David Chase (70)     Point Blank, TX     Super Senior
       John Wilson              Dade City, FL        Senior - Flight 2

T4   Bob Wilson (71)      Morgantown, PA     Super Senior
       Dave Chapman         Elverson, PA           Super Senior
       Mark Pfeffer             Egg Harbor, NJ       Senior – Flight 1

7     Clem Stone (73)       Pittsburgh, PA         Senior – Flight 1

8     Charles Hensel (74) Thorofare, NJ          Senior – Flight 2
       Bill Quinn                Elverson, PA            Super Senior
       Brian Taylor             Lehi, UT                  Men – Flight 1
       
11   Patrick Brock (76)   Berlin, NJ                Senior – Flight 2
       Roger DeFriez         Bountiful, UT          Senior – Flight 1
       George Marshalek   Exton, PA                 Senior – Flight 1
       Paul Behnke            Woodbury Hts, NJ   Senior – Flight 1

15    John Poole (77)      Newtown, PA            Men – Flight 1
        Derik Taylor           Rexburg, ID              Men – Flight 2

17    Janice Wilson (78)  Dade City, FL           Women – Flight 1

18    Pat Marshalek (79)  Exton, PA                 Men – Flight 1

19    Mo Rengen (80)     Mechanicsburg, PA   Men – Flight 2
        Steve Caldwell       Springville, UT         Senior – Flight 1

21    Stephen Sokira (81)  Newark, DE           Men – Flight 1

22    Ron McDowell (83)  Somers Point, NJ   Super Senior

23    Rick Storms (85)     Gilbertsville, PA      Men – Flight 2

24    Carol McDowell      Somers Point, NJ    Women – Flight 2

T25  Mark Kunze (WD)  Gilbertsville, PA      Men – Flight 1
        Glenn Abel (WD)    Downingtown, PA   Super Senior


Round Two - East Course, Hershey Country Club

“The Sweet Taste of Victory” -- Flight Winners Announced at First Annual Hershey Amateur

Eight players were recognized Tuesday night for their achievement as individual Flight Winners in the First Annual Hershey Amateur hosted by the Hershey Golf Collection.  Clem Stone, a winner in the First Flight of the Senior Division from Pittsburgh, PA said, “what a blast, we’ve enjoyed two great days of golf, great food, and it’s not over yet!”  The Flight Winners, along with 18 other participants, will square off in head to head NET stroke play competition on Wednesday, October 14th at the demanding Hershey Links, host site for the 2010 NCAA Division III Men’s Golf Championship next Spring.       

With an impressive 2-hole “eagle-birdie” stretch on the back nine of the Hershey Country Club’s tough East Course, Patrick Marshalek of Exton, PA marched to a commanding 5-stroke victory in the Gross Division. 

FLIGHT WINNERS
East Course, Par 71
Weather:  High 50’s, partly sunny, light wind

36-Hole NET                                               

Women's Division   
Flight 1         157   Janice Wilson – Dade City, FL
Flight 2         179   Carol McDowell – Egg Harbor, NJ
   
Men's Division
Flight 1        153   John Poole – Newtown, PA   
Flight 2        143   Chris Landes – Landsdale, PA       

Senior Men's Division
Flight 1        147   Clem Stone - Pittsburgh, PA
Flight 2        148   Patrick Brock – Berlin, NJ
           
Super Senior Men's Division

Gross Division


Round One - West Course, Hershey Country Club

The inaugural tee shot of the first annual Hershey Amateur was fired at 8:30 am Monday morning by Clem Stone from Pittsburgh, PA, a 3.3 handicap playing in the Senior Men's Division.  The field is comprised of players in seven divisions, with participants coming from as far away as Utah, Texas and Florida.  The player with the lowest handicap is Patrick Marshalek from Exton, PA at 1.2 in the Men's Division; while Bob Wilson from Elverson, PA, playing in the Super Senior Division sports the highest at 32.0. 

During a festive Opening Reception Sunday night, participants were officially welcomed to Hershey by Maarten Van Wijk, General Manager of the Hershey Golf Collection and given an informative look into the long-standing tradition of golf at Hershey by Director of Golf, Ned Graff.  Players enjoyed a full buffet dinner, hosted bar and tournament gift bags featuring products from event sponsors Peter Millar Apparel, NIKE Golf, Sunbuster, the USGA Members Program, Amateurgolf.com and Critical Care Systems. 

Rd. 1 Leaders
Weather:  Low 50's with Overcast Skies
Par 72

18-Hole NET

Women's Division        
78  Janice Wilson – Dade City, FL
85  Carol McDowell – Somers Point, NJ         

Men's Division
Flight 1       
73  Patrick Marshalek – Exton, PA                            
74  Brian Taylor – Lehi, UT                     
75  John Poole – Newtown, PA                      

Flight 2       
68  Chris Landes – Landsdale, PA    
74  Rick Storms – Gilbertsville, PA
82  Mo Rengen – Mechanicsburg, PA 

Senior Men's Division
Flight 1       
69  Steve Caldwell - Springville, UT
73  Clem Stone - Pittsburgh, PA
73  Roger DeFriez     - Bountiful, UT

Flight 2       
73  Patrick Brock – Berlin, NJ
80  Charles Hensel – Thorofare, NJ
82  John Wilson – Dade City, FL

Super Senior Men's
Division       
69  Bill Quinn – Elverson, PA
69  Glenn Abel – Morgnatown, PA
74  Dave Chapman – Elverson, PA
           
Gross Division   
74  Patrick Marshalek – Exton, PA
77  Clem Stone - Pittsburgh, PA
81  Brian Taylor – Lehi, UT