Golf Association of Philadelphia Magazine

For All Your • Printing • Design • Fulfillment • Warehousing • Online Ordering REQUEST A QUOTE barthur@mckella280.com “Winning that at home was the highlight of the summer,” said Mason, a Huntingdon Valley, Pa resident. “I wanted to really, really play well in that and I was able to. My game peaked at the right time.” Five days later, Mason was back at it in the Pennsylvania Amateur at Lancaster CC. Proving his Open win was no fluke, Mason closed the 54-hole event with a third-round best 1-over 71 on a day when an astounding 77.3 was the scoring average. Thick rough and lightning greens made scoring difficult. “On a personal level, winning the Open was the most important event to me this summer,” said Mason, who finished the three rounds of the Pennsylvania Am. at even par, “but nationally, the State Amateur was probably my biggest win of the year.” Mason proved clutch in the Pennsylvania Amateur, securing victory with a 20-foot, up-the-hill par save on No. 18 for what ultimately was the defining margin. The magical ride continued shortly thereafter in the U.S. Amateur Championship Qualifier at Llanerch CC/Rolling GC on Aug. 1-2 where he posted a solid 2-over-par finish. He captured one of the four available positions to advance to his first National Championship. “It was great to qualify and have the chance to compete against the best in the country,” said Mason. “That’s what you want if you are a competitor.” (He failed to qualify for match play in the Championship proper.) Mason put his final stamp on the 2011 season a short 10 days later. He led gate-to-wire in the 109th Patterson Cup at White Manor CC. Mason joined iconic figures James McHale, Jr. (1948) of Whitemarsh Valley CC; Hyndman, III (1968 and 1969) and Sigel (1980 and 1986) as the only individuals to record victories in both the Association’s Open Championship and Patterson Cup in the same year. “It’s a great honor being on the same list as those great champions of the past,” said Mason. “I hit it great for 25 holes and the last 11 I was really bad. I got really down on myself. I started thinking about the Silver Cross instead of keeping my priorities in-line.”

Andrew Mason with parents Judith and John Mason and girlfriend Kathleen Sweeney at the 2011 Player’s Dinner.

Commercial Printing Needs

Mason held as large as a five-shot advantage before pulling out a one-stroke victory over the late-charging James Kania, Jr. of Overbrook GC. (His 140 total in the Patterson Cup also pushed him into second place in the Silver Cross.)

“Andrew’s playing so well he should have his own flight,” said Kania in jest at the Patterson Cup.

What did Mason the student, who will graduate in May from Temple with degrees in finance and real estate, learn about himself this summer?

“I learned how to shave a few strokes off my scores and I learned how to win in a few different ways, whether it is on the lead or coming from behind,” said Mason. “That gives me a lot confidence heading into next season.”