(“Ross v. Maryland” Video Courtesy of LOFT – www.loftsuas.com)
The Maryland State Golf Association will conduct the 97th Maryland Open Championship from Monday July 9 to Wednesday July 11 at Fountain Head Country Club in Hagerstown. The format is 54 holes of stroke play, with all players playing 36 holes and a cut to the low 40 scorers and ties for the final round. The professional purse is approximately $45,000. The perpetual silver trophy will be engraved with the champion’s name, and the low amateur’s name will also be engraved onto the Harry Pitt Trophy.
Fountain Head was designed in 1924 by the legendary Donald J. Ross. Through the years the course has made some minor changes but remains untouched by today’s standards and is one of the two remaining Ross designs in Maryland. The course is defined by tree lined fairways and small undulating greens placing a premium on positioning and imagination. Fountain Head Country Club has been referred to by many as a “hidden gem.”
There are a number of past champions and runners-up in this year’s field, Sean Bosdosh the 2016 and 2012 Open champion along with the 2011 champion David Hutsell, will compete for this year’s title. Amateur, Matt Bassler, the 2009 Open champion will be in the field at this years event. Other notable players include four-time runner-up Dirk Schultz of Hagerstown, and 2008 runners-up Jim Estes and Eric Egloff. This years Maryland Amateur Champion (2018), Morgan Egloff, is in the field as well to see if he can follow up his impressive performance at Baltimore CC.
52 of the 129 competitors were exempt from qualifying, while 77 players from the four qualifying sites filled the remaining spots. The first at Holly Hills on April 30, where Robert Menefee, Scott Shapin, and Matt Bassler all carded 73’s to lead the field. On May 8th at Cattail Creek, James “Mac” Webster earned the top qualifying spot for the Open with an impressive 5-under par, 67. The third qualifier at Queenstown Harbor on May 24th was led with a pair of 2-under par 70’s by Chuanjung Chen and Davis Lamb (Low Amateur-2016). At the final qualifier on May 30th at Sparrows Point Carlo Pizzano took the top spot with a stellar 3-under par 69 .
Neither the defending champion,Brad Miller, nor 2017’s low amateur and winner of the Harry Pit Trophy, Patrick McCormick, will be competing in this years event.
The Maryland Open is open to male amateur members of MSGA member clubs with a handicap index of 7.1 or less; to male professionals who are Middle Atlantic PGA members or registered apprentices; to male professionals employed by member clubs; and to male professionals who are residents of Maryland.
Pairings, starting times and scoring are available here.
| Year | Venue | Champion | Runner-up | Harry Pit (Low Amateur) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Woodholme | Brad Miller | Patrick McCormick (a) | Patrick McCormick (Baltimore CC) |
| 2016 | Bulle Rock | Sean Bosdosh | Connor Tendall | Davis Lamb (Congressional) |
| 2015 | Columbia | Denny McCarthy (a) | Billy Hoffman | Denny McCarthy (Argyle) |
| 2014 | Lakewood | Patrick McCormick (a) | Denny McCarthy (a) | Patrick McCormick (Baltimore CC) |
| 2013 | CC of Maryland | Denny McCarthy (a) | Rick Schuller | Denny McCarthy (Argyle) |
| 2012 | Old South | Sean Bosdosh (a) | Denny McCarthy (a) | Sean Bosdosh (Holly Hills) |
| 2011 | Maryland Golf | David Hutsell | Sean Bosdosh (a) | Sean Bosdosh (Holly Hills) |
| 2010 | Manor | Denny McCarthy (a) | Keith Unikel | Denny McCarthy (Argyle) |
| 2009 | Hillendale | Matthew Bassler (a) | Brent Martin (a) | Denny McCarthy (Argyle) |
| 2008 | Fountain Head | Chip Sullivan | Eric Egloff, Jim Estes, Jeff Castle | Terry Burke |
| 2007 | Chartwell | Billy Wingerd | Chip Sullivan | Jason Occi |
| 2006 | Four Streams | Chip Sullivan | Steve Madsen | Richard Holland |
| 2005 | Woodholme | Wayne DeFrancesco | David “Moose” Brown | David “Moose” Brown (Rolling Road) |
| 2004 | Woodmore | Chip Sullivan | Dirk Schultz and Bill Rislove | Chuck Freedman |
| 2003 | Beechtree | Kirk Lombardi (a) | Jim Estes | Kirk Lombardi |
| 2002 | Bulle Rock | Chip Sullivan | Wayne DeFrancesco | Robert Lenkey (Glenn Dale) |
| 2001 | Woodmont | Steve Madsen | Dirk Schultz | Ted Coon (University of Maryland GC) |
| 2000 | Columbia | Dennis Winters | Dirk Schultz and Jack Skilling | Pat Tallent (Congressional) |
| 1999 | Hillendale | Michael Mitchell (a) | Dirk Schultz | Michael Mitchell (Columbia CC) |
| 1998 | Crofton | Keith Unikel (a) | Mark Evenson and Dennis Winters | Keith Unikel (University of Maryland) |
| 1997 | Fountain Head | Dean Wilson | Ricky Touma and Bobby Bilbo, Jr. (a) | Bob Bilbo Jr. (Argyle) |
| 1996 | Old South | Steve Madsen | Woody FitzHugh | Chris Connolly (Chevy Chase Club) |
| 1995 | Chartwell | Wayne DeFrancesco | Dennis Winters | Pat Tallent (Congressional) |
| 1994 | Congressional | Wayne DeFrancesco | Dennis Winters | Justin Kline (Baltimore CC) |
| 1993 | Crofton | Glen Barrett | Webb Heintzelman | Tripp Shreves (Congressional) |
| 1992 | Prince George’s | Del Ponchock (a) | Larry Ringer and Glen Barrett | Del Ponchock (Woodmore) |
| 1991 | Prospect Bay | Jon Stanley | Dennis Winters | Buddy Peoples (Crofton CC) |
| 1990 | Bretton Woods | Bob Boyd | Tom Gross | Martin West III (Columbia CC) |
| 1989 | Sparrows Point | Chris Peddicord | Mike Gornto | Martin West III (Columbia CC) |
| 1988 | Argyle | Joe Klinchock | Ricky Touma (a), Webb Heintzelman and Rick Vaeth | Ricky Touma (Norbeck) |
| 1987 | Fountain Head | Fred Funk | Webb Heintzelman | Martin West III (Columbia CC) |
| 1986 | Lakewood | Martin West III (a) | Fred Funk | Martin West III (Columbia CC) |
| 1985 | Chartwell | Larry Rentz | George Graefe | Martin West III (Columbia CC) |
| 1984 | Woodmont | Gary Marlowe | Fred Funk | Henry Blue (Green Spring) |
| 1983 | Suburban | Fred Funk | Gary Marlowe | David Nocar (Chartwell) |
| 1982 | Bethesda | Mark Alwin | Bill Winters | Gary Marlowe (Woodmont) |
| 1981 | Crofton | George Graefe | Wheeler Stewart | Gary Marlowe (Woodmont) |
| 1980 | Indian Spring | Larry Ringer | George Graefe | Larry Rentz (Crofton CC) |
| 1979 | Hillendale | Wheeler Stewart | Peter Chapin | Martin West III (Columbia CC) |
| 1978 | Manor | Gary Marlowe (a) | Mark Alwin and Ron Terry | Gary Marlowe (Woodmont) |
| 1977 | Maryland Golf | Martin West III (a) | Doug Ballenger | Martin West III (Columbia CC) |
| 1976 | Woodmont | George Graefe (a) | Martin West III (a) and Joe Walters (a) | George Graefe (Holly Hills) |
| 1975 | Talbot | Martin West III (a) | Chris Pigott | Martin West III (Columbia CC) |
| 1974 | Indian Spring | Chris Pigott | Martin West III (a) | Martin West III (Columbia CC) |
| 1973 | Crofton | Henri deLozier (a) | Bobby Morris | Henri DeLozier (Columbia CC) |
| 1972 | Congressional | Larry Ringer | Chris Pigott (a) | Chris Pigott (Turf Valley) |
| 1971 | Hillendale | Doug Ballenger (a) | Dave King (a) | Doug Ballenger (Worthington Valley) |
| 1970 | Argyle | Bill Sporre | Bobby Morris (a) | Bobby Morris (Argyle) |
| 1969 | Fountain Head | Dick Whetzle | Jim Hiskey and Billy Wolfe | Kent Englemeiner |
| 1968 | Woodmont | Leo Wykle | Dick Whetzle | John Eisinger (Congressional) |
| 1967 | Turf Valley | Leo Wykle | Dick Canney | Harry Cain (Bethesda CC) |
| 1966 | Columbia | Deane Beman (a) | David Jimenez | Deane Beman (Bethesda CC) |
| 1965 | Woodholme | Charlie Bassler | Leo Wykle | Dave Bimestefer (Baltimore CC) |
| 1964 | Prince George’s | Paul Haviland | Lou Graham | Steve Johnson |
| 1963 | Suburban | Clarence Doser | Cosimo Tiso and Dick Whetzle | Paul Grabarek (Argyle) |
| 1962 | Woodmont | Dick Whetzle | T.R. Sleichter | Dick Latimer (Columbia CC) |
| 1961 | Elkridge | Melvin Rowe | Walter Romans and Dick Latimer (a) | Dick Latimer (Columbia CC) |
| 1960 | Manor | Lloyd Kelley | Walter Romans | |
| 1959 | Woodholme | Walter Romans | Otto Greiner | |
| 1958 | Chevy Chase | Charles Bassler | Claude Wild (a) | |
| 1957 | Hillendale | Charles Bassler | Paul Haviland and John O’Donnell | |
| 1956 | Woodmont | Walter Romans | Jack Isaacs | |
| 1955 | Baltimore CC | Charles Bassler | John Eisinger (a) | |
| 1954 | Manor | John O’Donnell | Jack Isaacs | |
| 1953 | Prince George’s | Charles Bassler | Dan Herring | |
| 1952 | Fountain Head | Jack Isaacs | Ralph Bogart (a) | |
| 1951 | Suburban | Jack Isaacs | Bobby Brownell (a) | |
| 1950 | Columbia | Charles Bassler | Jack Isaacs, Bobby Brownell (a), and Harold Cross (a) | |
| 1949 | CC of Maryland | Jack Isaacs | Charles Bassler, Ken Scales (a), and Col. Jim Wilson (a) | |
| 1948 | Chevy Chase | Charlie Bassler | Robert T. Barnett | |
| 1947 | Rolling Road | Spencer Overton (a) | Ralph Bogart (a) and Leo Walper | |
| 1946 | Columbia | Harry Griesmer | Lewis Worsham | |
| 1945 | Kenwood | Lewis Worsham | George Diffenbaugh | |
| 1944 | Woodholme | Cliff Spencer | Andy Gibson | |
| 1943 | Not held | |||
| 1942 | Prince George’s | Wiffy Cox | E.R. “Rut” Coffey | |
| 1941 | Elkridge | Bobby Brownell (a) | Andy Gibson | |
| 1940 | Columbia | Cliff Spencer | Al Houghton and E.R. “Rut” Coffey | |
| 1939 | Hillendale | John O’Donnell | Lewis Worsham | |
| 1938 | Congressional | Andy Gibson | Cliff Spencer | |
| 1937 | Woodholme | Cliff Spencer | E.R. “Rut” Coffey | |
| 1936 | Manor | Al Houghton | Roland MacKenzie | |
| 1935 | Rolling Road | Vic Ghezzi | Gene Kunes | |
| 1934 | Indian Spring | Al Houghton | George Diffenbaugh | |
| 1933 | Baltimore CC | Al Houghton | Ralph Beach | |
| 1932 | Columbia | Al Houghton | George Diffenbaugh | |
| 1931 | Congressional | Ralph Beach | Archie Clark and Alex Taylor | |
| 1930 | Rolling Road | Glenn Spencer | George B. Smith | |
| 1929 | Elkridge | Gene Larkin | Ralph Beach and George B. Smith | |
| 1928 | Baltimore CC | Bobby Cruickshank | Tommy Armour | |
| 1927 | Fountain Head | Fred McLeod | Mel Shorey, Warner Mather, and Eddie Towns | |
| 1926 | Rolling Road | Leo Diegel | Fred McLeod | |
| 1925 | Rolling Road | Charlie Betschler | Warner Mather | |
| 1924 | Baltimore CC | Fred A. Savage Jr. (a) | Charlie Betschler | |
| 1923 | Baltimore CC | Tom Sasscer (a) | Frank Sweeney (a) | |
| 1922 | Rolling Road | B. Warren Corkran (a) | Kenneth Allen (a) | |
| 1921 | Rolling Road | D. Clarke Corkran (a) | B. Warren Corkran (a) |
Past Champions
