Aug. 1—Two golfers who are members at Berks County clubs made the U.S. Senior Amateur through Monday’s qualifying tournament administered by the Golf Association of Philadelphia at Kennett Square Golf & Country Club.
Chris Fieger Sr., a member at Heidelberg Country Club, earned medalist honors with a 2-under 69, and Chris Storck, a member at LedgeRock Golf Club, finished second at 70.
The top five earned spots in the 68th U.S. Senior Amateur, which will be held Aug. 26-31 at Martis Camp Club in Truckee, Calif.
Fieger, a 60-year-old from Denver, Pa., won the Berks County Golf Association Senior Amateur last fall.
He made a double bogey on his first hole Monday, No. 10, but made birdies on No. 11, sinking a 35-foot putt, and No. 16 to make the turn at even par.
Fieger made a 2-foot putt for birdie on No. 5, then a 10-footer for birdie on No. 9.
“I have been playing a lot this year and been hitting the ball great,” he said.in a release on the GAP’s website, gapgolf.org. “My putter has been horrible and you usually can’t score that well by just hitting the ball great. I loved the speed of the greens here today. I putt better on faster greens.”
Fieger qualified for the U.S. Senior Amateur for the third time. He also made it in 2019 and 2021.
“It’s awesome to qualify again,” said Fieger, a three-time GAP Senior Amateur champ (2019-20, ’22).
Storck, 56, has qualified for the U.S. Senior Amateur in both his attempts. Last year, the Reading resident had to survive a playoff at the qualifier at Old York Road Country Club in Ambler.
“It is so difficult to get into USGA events,” said Storck, a three-time BCGA Amateur champion. “You never know what game you will have on that given day. I’ve been fortunate enough to play well on this qualifying day the last two years. This is one day I have circled on my calendar every year.”
While Storck said he struggled to make putts Monday, he played well enough to head to his final hole, No. 9, at 2-under. He then made his only bogey of the day.
“The last couple holes, I just wanted to get to the clubhouse,” said Storck, who made birdies on 16 and 18. “My brother Scott did a great job keeping me in the moment. He helped talk me through shots and offered some positive reinforcement. I wish I had my putter working today, but hopefully the putts will fall when I need them to.”
Last year, Storck did not advance to match play at the U.S. Senior Am.
“You have a checklist of things you hope to experience at a USGA event and it exceeded everything I thought of,” he said. “You get to meet so many new people and develop relationships you wouldn’t have otherwise.”
Also Monday, Bill Thornton of Reading shot a 77 and Perry Landis of Kutztown an 86.
Reading’s Chip Lutz already had earned an exemption to the U.S. Senior Am through his 2015 title.
