June 9, 2019. At the Chevy Chase Club, for the first time in the 98-year history of the Maryland State Golf Association its Amateur championship ended in a concession when Pete DeTemple’s aching back and blistered feet forced him to retire after 24 holes, giving Billy Peel, IV, 5 up at the time, the title.
Four months later, the points awarded for their 1-2 finish served as a springboard to earning the MSGA’s Player-of-the-Year and Senior Player-of-the-Year honor, respectively for Peel, 30, from Columbia Country Club, and DeTemple, 57, from Breton Bay G&CC. It marked the first time in the annals of the Association that the Amateur finalists would go on to be so honored.
Peel collected 375 points for his Amateur play, another 225 for finishing second in the Mid-Amateur, and ended with 870 (tied for third all-time with Chris Baloga, 2010),. behind only Denny McCarthy, 1,080 in 2015 and 985 in 2014. Overall, he earned points in nine events.
“Thinking about the Amateur,” Peel said, “the only different preparation for it was a change in my schedule, as I played in the U.S. Four-Ball with Colin St. Maxens and I made the U.S. Open Sectional. It allowed me to play great golf and sharpen my game for the summer tournaments.
“At Chevy Chase, I had two concessions (on Friday) on my way to the final. We had a very competitive first 18 holes, but I had some good golf early in the second round and started to pull away. The concession was unfortunate, but I enjoyed competing against Pete and it was a day I’ll never forget.
“Pete is a fantastic player who played some really good golf to get to the final. I applaud him for his achievements this year.”
Peel is a graduate of Winston Churchill High School and Eastern Kentucky University, where he was a “preferred walk-on” and had some good years. He currently works for the family-owned Datawatch, a company his grandfather started more than 30 years ago. “I’m fortunate to be there, because my dad has always encouraged me, so I have the flexibility to play competitively while maintaining a work-life balance.
“I started [in golf] at a young age when, as the story goes, I was dropped off at the driving range because I was tired of going to swim team practice. My mom and dad did not play golf, but they encouraged their children to try multiple sports and I learned golf would be my sport. I was very fortunate because Columbia exposed me to Inter-Club and area tournaments so I was able to learn how to play competitively.”
Peel, a former USGA Boatwright Intern with the MSGA, where he benefitted from learning about the behind-the-scenes work of golf administration, says of other teachers: “From the beginning, I worked with [CCC head professional] Bob Dolan and I still go to him for advice. However, in 2013, I started working with John Bierkan and he has truly transformed my game. I know I’m better because of him and I can’t thank him enough.”
Chuck Thatcher, from Beaver Creek CC in Hagerstown, was second in the point standings with 635 (six events), followed by Davis Lamb, Congressional CC, 585. Lamb compiled points in just four events, but two of them were the Maryland Open (winner, 365 points; MSGA Amateur, on-site qualifying medalist and second round, 150 points).
DeTemple was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, and moved to the U.S. when he was “maybe 2-3.” He started playing golf when his parents moved to Arizona, when he was halfway through the 10th grade. “Our back yard backed up to a golf course fairway and on the other side of the fairway was a driving range.
“I thought I ought to learn how to play golf so I went to the pro shop, asked if I could come out weekends and clean carts and pick the range in exchange for them letting me practice for free. They agreed,” and the rest is history.
After graduating from high school, DeTemple moved to Maryland, got married the following year and three children quickly followed. “Golf kind of went by the wayside,” he said, “and I only played maybe 2-3 times a year. I coached my children in Little League and when they got to high school they had regular coaches so I decided to start playing golf again.
“I joined Breton Bay, played in the men’s group and in a Southern Maryland tournament the club hosts. In 2006 and 2007, they let me play in the MSGA “A” Team Matches and we won the state championship both years.
“I’ve been good friends with Vance Welch for years and he kept telling me I should play in Maryland State events. I kept telling him I wasn’t that good, but in 2008 he convinced me to play. I signed up for Maryland Amateur qualifying, made the on-site qualifier and match play, then reached the quarter-finals before losing to Richard Holland at his home course, Columbia CC.
“Still, it’s hard to compete against younger players when you are in your 40s, but at 50 you can look forward to trying to qualify for the U.S. Senior Open. I tried and made it, tying for medalist. I knew when I turned 55. I wanted to play all over and see how I competed against other Seniors. I did and found out I could compete with the best of them. Since then, I’ve won four tournaments and finished second in the Canadian Senior Amateur.
“This year, my goal was to play in some Senior invitational events and to win the MSGA’s Senior POY. As it developed, I played in the Baltimore-Washington, Mason-Dixon, and Four-State team matches.” In the last, he finished birdie-birdie-eagle to win his match, helping Maryland to win the team trophy.
“As for the Amateur, I had always heard great things about the Chevy Chase Club, so when I saw it would be the site of the Amateur I signed up just so I could play the course. I did not have any expectations, did not play a practice round, and figured I’d just play the qualifying round and not make match play.”
Instead, he tied for sixth place in qualifying with a 68 and made it all the way to the final. “I did like the course,” he said, “I was very pleased with how I played, especially in how consistently I hit the ball, but it was hard to compete against younger players [DeTemple turned 57 the week after the Amateur] when I had back issues and blistered feet. Unfortunately, these forced me to withdraw from the U.S. Senior Open qualifying and the Virginia State Stroke Play event. Overall, however, I’m pleased with my golf game as a Senior.”
In earning the Senior POY honor, DeTemple compiled a record-setting total of 565 points in eight events, highlighted by the 300 he received for his runner-up finish in the Amateur. The previous Senior record was 490 by Matt Sughrue, Bethesda CC, in 2016. Tom Winegardner, the Cannon Club, was second with 225 points, trailed by Lee Flemister, University of Maryland GC, 155 points.
Reported by John Stewart
Photo: Peter DeTemple, Left, and Billy Peel, Right (MSGA, USGA/Chris Keane, & USGA/Steven Gibbons)
