The 29th Philadelphia Challenge Matches returns to Saucon Valley Country Club, as the honorary team event will tee off Oct. 16 on the glorious Grace course.
The Philadelphia Challenge Matches pits two 12-man teams, including two senior contestants (55 years or older), from the Golf Association of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Section of the PGA in a concurrent individual match and four-ball match. Each match is worth one point. Ties are halved.
In last year's competition at Lehigh Country Club, the GAP took home the trophy with 10 points overall bettering the Section's 8. The Section team currently leads the all-time series, 21–3 with four ties.
Meet the Golf Association of Philadelphia team below. Note - stats are from the 2019 season.
Honorary Team Captain: Robin McCool, Saucon Valley Country Club
- Two-time Silver Cross Award winner (1990-91); 2018 Super-Senior Silver Cross winner
- Two-time Brewer Cup Senior winner (2010, 2013)
- Senior Amateur Champion (2006)
- Three-time Tournament of Champions winner (2006-07, 2012)
Jeff Allen, Wild Quail Golf & Country Club
- Finished tied for second in Warner Cup (Gross)
- Finished tied for sixth in Chapman Cup (Gross)
- Finished third in Senior Amateur Championship
- Senior Silver Cross runner-up
- Currently second in Senior Player of the Year standings
Andy Beittel, Manufacturers' Golf & Country Club
- Finished tied for third in Middle-Amateur
- Currently tied for 23rd in the William Hyndman, III Player of the Year standings
John Brennan, Philadelphia Cricket Club
- Marston Cup Champion
- Finished eighth in Middle-Amateur Championship
- Tied for third in Open Championship
- Currently 10th in William Hyndman, III Player of the Year standings
Michael Brown, Jr., Lu Lu Country Club
- Finished tied for 17th in Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship
- Finished tied for third in DSGA Amateur Championship
- Reached Match Play in NJSGA Mid.-Am. Championship
- Qualified for USGA Mid-Amateur Qualifier, reached Match Play
- Currently ninth in William Hyndman, III Player of the Year standings
Zach Falone, Sakima Country Club
- Reached Round-of-16 in BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship
- Currently 27th in William Hyndman, III Player of the Year standings
Matthew Finger, DuPont Country Club
- Tied for 10th in DSGA Amateur Championship
- Tied for 15th in Joseph H. Patterson Cup
- Finished 11th in the Middle-Amateur Championship
- Finished tied for eighth in Open Championship
- Qualified for USGA Mid-Amateur
- Currently 14th in William Hyndman, III Player of the Year standings
Danny Harcourt, Mercer Oaks Golf Course
- Reached Semifinals in the BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship
- Finished tied for second in Joseph H. Patterson Cup
- Finished third in NJSGA Open Championship
- Finished tied for 14th in Open Championship
- Finished fifth in the Silver Cross
- Currently second in William Hyndman, III Player of the Year standings
Matt Mattare, Saucon Valley Country Club
- Reached Quarterfinals in BMW Philadelphia Amateur
- Finished tied for fifth in Open Championship
- Tied for 10th in Silver Cross standings
- Qualified for the USGA Mid-Amateur
- Currently fifth in the William Hyndman, III Player of the Year standings
Connor McNicholas, Lu Lu Country Club
- Finished tied for 15th in Joseph H. Patterson Cup
- Finished tied for fifth in the Open Championship
- Currently 21st in the William Hyndman, III Player of the Year standings
Oscar Mestre, Overbrook Golf Club
- Won the Warner Cup (Gross)
- Won the Senior Silver Cross Award with a score of 292
- Runner-up in the Chapman Cup (Gross)
- Semifinalist in the Brewer Cup presented by Callaway Golf at Fieldstone; lost to Rand Mendez of the host club, 3&1
- Qualified for the U.S. Senior Amateur
- Co-runner-up in the Senior Four-Ball Stroke Play; teamed with Overbrook’s Andy Thompson
- Finished third in the Delaware State Golf Association Senior Amateur Championship at Back Creek Golf Club
- Tied for seventh in the 49th Senior Amateur Championship
- Posted a Top-10 finish in the 117th Joseph H. Patterson Cup presented by Callaway Golf at Applebrook Golf Club
- Currently first in the Senior Player of the Year standings
Troy Vannucci, Little Mill Country Club
- Reached Match Play in the BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship
- Finished fifth in the NJSGA Amateur Championship
- Reached Match Play in the NJSGA Mid.-Am. Championship
- Finished ninth in the Silver Cross
- Qualified for the USGA Mid-Amateur
- Currently 15th in the William Hyndman, III Player of the Year standings
Eric Williams, Honesdale Golf Club
- Reached Match Play in the BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship
- Finished tied for second in the Joseph H. Patterson Cup
- PAGA R. Jay Sigel Match Play
- Finished fourth in the Silver Cross
- Currently seventh in the William Hyndman, III Player of the Year standings