A field of 72 top amateur female golfers will descend upon Western New York from Wednesday June 3rd through Friday June 5th when the 3rd Annual Women’s Porter Cup is contested at the Niagara Falls Country Club. This year’s 54 hole event has Tournament Chairman Brian Oakley excited and ready to go. “We are thrilled to be hosting some of the top female amateur golfers in the world here at the Niagara Falls Country Club” he said. In addition, Oakley is enthused that the field is almost doubled from inaugural 2013 event total of 39 players. Leading the way will be the entire Canadian National team and 6 players ranked in the top 100 by Golfweek, including Maddie Szeryk (Texas A&M), Kelly Grassel (Florida) and Josee Doyon (Kent State). Other international stars include two up and coming Philippine players Pauline Del Rosario and Princess Superal, who finished tied for second in the 2014 Women’s Porter Cup. Among local standouts competing will be Cat Peters of Clarence, currently a member of the University of Michigan women’s team, and Maren Cipolla of Lewiston. It is interesting to note that the event’s first two champions went on to be the low amateur in the U.S. Women’s Open. Last year’s winner Brooke Henderson has turned professional and came in third in one of her first LPGA events.

LEWISTON – Tyler Dunlap’s 40-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole of this year’s Porter Cup had barely stopped rattling around in the bottom of the cup before he was already thinking about next year. “This is one of my favorite events,” said the 20-year-old from Trophy Club, Texas. “It’s one of my favorite places. I’m already looking forward to getting back here.” That bomb on the 18th green gave Dunlap a solo second-place finish, at 11-under 269. In his two Porter Cup appearances, he’s finished second and tied for fifth. Playing in upstate New York holds a special place in Dunlap’s heart, because it gives his grandparents a chance to see him. Fred Dunlap, 85, and his wife, Marilyn, 83, live in Hamilton, N.Y., near Colgate University. Fred Dunlap is a former Colgate football player who later became the university’s athletic director and football coach. “It’s hard to have a bad time when they’re following me,” said Tyler Dunlap. “They’re incredible. They’ll walk all 36 holes with me at tournaments during sectional. I just hope I have a pulse when I’m 85. My grandpa, he keeps shooting below his age. It’s unbelievable.” Dunlap will head to Hamilton on Monday to play in a qualifier for the U.S. Amateur at Seven Oaks Golf Course. His chances Saturday in the Porter Cup came undone because of a leaky driver. “The only fairway I hit today was No. 5,” he said. “My misses weren’t 5 feet from the rough or anything, either. I just kept missing fairways, and when you miss that many, you’re not going to have many birdie putts.” Considering the way he drove the ball, Pendrith was happy with his final round of 1-under 69. When his birdie putt dropped, he waved his cap to the appreciative crowd. “I have to iron those things out and be a little more consistent,” he said. “I’m already looking forward to coming back here next year.” Dunlap had an interesting moment on the 13th green. After placing his ball marker, he tapped it down with his putter. The mark, though, stuck to the bottom of his putter. Dunlap summoned a United States Golf Association rules official to figure out how to proceed. Because the ball marker was moved in the process of marking the ball, there was no penalty assessed. *** The William C. Campbell award, which is presented annually to the individual who records the low aggregate score in the Northeast Amateur, Players Amateur and Porter Cup, was awarded to Michael Weaver. The 22-year-old senior at the University of California shot a combined 6-under in the three events. The low mid-amateur player in the field was 34-year-old Nick Gilliam of Gainesville, Fla., who shot 2-under 278 over four rounds. The low round of the tournament was a 7-under 63 turned in Friday in the third round by eventual winner Taylor Pendrith and Matt NeSmith. The top-25 scores receive invitations to next year’s tournament, with the cut this year being even-par 280. …*** Defending champion Ricky Werenski finished tied for 29th, shooting a final-round 72 to finish 2-over for the tournament. Werenski, however, fully enjoyed his experience. “This is the first time that I’ve ever really had the chance to defend a title. I’ve won some smaller things, but never anything like this, were I could come back and be the defending champion,” he said. “It was a new experience. It’s probably the most fun I’ve had. I didn’t play the way I wanted to, but this tournament is just awesome.” Werenski will next head home to Massachusetts to play in a U.S. Amateur qualifier on Tuesday. *** The best local score was carded by Patrick Sheedy Jr. of East Amherst, at 10-over 290, in a tie for 62nd. One shot behind him was Lewiston’s Michael Boss, the Niagara Falls club champion, who shot 11-over 291 after a final-round 74 to finish in a tie for 65th. Other local participants, in order of finish, were Lancaster’s Austin Nowak, Buffalo’s Michael Carrig, East Amherst’s Raman Luthra and Danny Yustin, Orchard Park’s Jonathan Clark and Buffalo’s P.J. Alterio.

LEWISTON — When Michael Vitch was a kid, he lived for the Porter Cup. Vitch would ride his bicycle to the Niagara Falls Country Club and park it near the par-3 16th hole. Then he’d walk up the hill to the 15th green, which sits adjacent to the 16th and 17th tees. “I used to sit right there,” Vitch said Saturday afternoon, pointing to a place behind the 15th green. “This is my spot. It’s still my spot.” The final group was coming up 15, with Canada’s Taylor Pendrith holding an insurmountable six-shot lead. You could watch the groups playing the 16th and 17th from that spot, which provides one of the most majestic golf views imaginable. From the 16th green, you can peek through the trees and see Ontario. Vitch dreamed of playing at Niagara Falls as a boy. Twenty-seven years ago, he finally became a member. His sponsor was Tom Denn, who served the Porter Cup for more than 40 years in a variety of roles, most notably as the booming voice who announced the players as the starter on the first tee. Denn was the heartbeat of the Porter Cup for half a century. He was general chairman at one time. He hosted players at his house for years. He urged people to “taste the Porter Cup experience” by getting involved. He encouraged the children of members to volunteer. He made it a point to learn their names. Porter Cup Tournament Director Steve Denn stands on the 13th tee with Justin Shin, left, and Tyler Dunlap. (Matthew Masin/Buffalo News) Essentially, the Porter Cup was a family event for Denn. You passed the Porter Cup tradition along, like a family keepsake. It’s a spirit that has kept the event going and helped it become one of the top amateur golf events in the world, and a local sporting treasure. “Tom truly loved this tournament,” said Vitch, who was assistant tournament director this year. “And he instilled that in his son.” Steve Denn has been tournament director for 13 years. Denn does the formidable job of putting together the Porter Cup field. Vitch called him one of the finest tournament directors in amateur golf. This year, though, the experience tasted bittersweet for the younger Denn. In January, Tom Denn – “The Voice of the Porter Cup” – died at age 79. They played the tournament in his memory. Every day, they placed photographs of Tom at the first tee, where he used to announce the names of the players in a commanding, stentorian voice. Steve Denn wrote a memorial to his dad in the Porter Cup program. He kept putting the assignment off. The publication deadline approached. Steve finally sat down and wrote a nice tribute, calling his father “the backbone of the Porter Cup, the link between its past and present.” Denn looked up as he was finishing and saw a calendar. It was June 27, which would have been Tom Denn’s 80th birthday. “Obviously, it was words from the heart,” Steve said late Saturday after the awards ceremony. There was a sense of relief and joy in the awards tent. They had finished the tournament without delays, despite intermittent rains on Saturday. As Pendrith accepted the winner’s trophy, someone began singing “O Canada!” Before you knew it, everyone was singing, including Pendrith. It was a touching moment, one Tom Denn would have relished. No Canadian had won in 28 years. Steve Denn claimed Pendrith as a local, saying there hadn’t been a champion from such close geographic proximity since the 1960s. It heightened the feeling of nostalgia among the Porter Cup family. “My family has been involved with this event since 1973,” said Judi Caserta, a former general chairman who was in charge of the mobile leaderboard this week. “It’s in our DNA. Steve Denn is second generation. Dena Elia Armstrong is second generation.” Armstrong, an assistant director and former chairman, remembers working the Porter Cup as a teenager. She and another girl ran the scorecards from the course to the main scoreboard. “The first Porter Cup I worked at, Ben Crenshaw won,” Armstrong said. “Do the math. All the guys from back then are on the Senior Tour now. We’d run the scores, put ’em up, run the scorecards back. Ralph Hubbell did a live radio show through the whole tournament, every day. We used to have a blast.” Armstrong said it was quite emotional when Steve Denn spoke about his father at the players’ dinner last Tuesday. “It brought a tear to the eye of a lot of people who worked with Tom over the years,” she said. Steve Denn had a surprise. He had created an award in his father’s honor. The first Tom Denn award for loyalty and commitment to the Porter Cup went to Max Homa, a Californian who turned down an invitation to the Canadian Open to play at Niagara Falls. Homa, the individual medalist at the NCAA Division I men’s championships, said it was no big deal. He made a commitment to the Porter Cup and felt an obligation to honor it. There are more important things than being a good golfer, he said. A good person, for one. “First of all, I stay with a really great family,” Homa said. “Bob Woods and his family. I’m really close to them. They have two great kids, 9-year-old twins. This is my third year. I wanted to come see them again.” That sort of sentiment brings a smile to the faces of the Porter Cup folks. Yes, these players are enormously gifted. Some will be successful pros some day. But they’re still kids at heart, and they’re not being paid. They play golf for the love of the game. The word “amateur” derives from the Latin for “lover.” When Tom Denn told people to taste the experience, and when he boomed out the names of the players on the first tee, he did it for the pure love of golf. You pass it down through the generations. That’s why Mike Vitch shows up year after year, like the child on the bike, and finds his spot near the 15th green. “As the starter, Tom would always say, ‘Gentlemen, play well,’ ” Vitch said. “We put that up on the stand at the first tee today. Gentlemen, play well. “It’s certainly not the same here without him.”

LEWISTON — It’s a dead heat between Texas and California at this year’s Porter Cup. Beau Hossler hits his tee shot on the 7th during the third round of the Porter Cup at Niagara Falls CC in Lewiston. (Mark Mulville/Buffalo News) Both universities have five players in the field at Niagara Falls Country Club. “There hasn’t been any real trash-talking. We’re in different conferences, so we don’t see each other that much,” said Cal junior Brandon Hagy. “I wouldn’t say there is really a rivalry, but obviously there’s a lot of respect between the two teams.” In the final rankings of the Golf Coaches Association of America, Cal finished first and Texas was third, although neither program captured the NCAA Division I national championship that went to Alabama. “I don’t think there is any doubt Cal, Alabama and Texas are going to be the top three teams again next year,” Hagy said. “It’s made for a fun summer leading up to it.” It’s also comforting for the players in the field to see familiar faces. “It helps keep you loose,” Hagy said. “It almost has the feel of a college tournament.” Hagy, a senior, shot a 1-under 69 Friday in the third round. He’s at even par 210 for the tournament, in a tie for 23rd place. Max Homa, who finished his collegiate career in the spring as the NCAA individual champion, is the lowest Golden Bear in the field, in a tie for ninth place at 4-under after a round of 1-under 69 Friday. Cal sophomore Shotaro Ben is tied for 19th at 1-under 209 after shooting a round of 3-under 67 Friday, while the other two Cal players are sophomore James Yoon (tied for 46th at 5-over) and senior Michael Weaver (6-over, tied for 50th). The low Longhorn through three rounds is 18-year-old redshirt freshman Beau Hossler, who’s tied for fifth place at 6-under 204. “All the guys on our team really feed off of each other. I couldn’t be happier with the group of guys we have at school,” he said. “I’m really proud of the people that they are and the golf games that they’ve created. We definitely compete against each other in practices as well as tournaments.” Hossler and incoming 18-year-old freshman Gavin Hall are part of a strong recruiting class for the Longhorns. “It’s good having those guys around, for sure,” said Texas junior Kramer Hickok. “Definitely from a team-bonding standpoint. I don’t know them too well and it’s good for us to spend some time together, for them to feel what it’s like to play in a tournament like this. It’s good for all of us.” Hall and Hickock will play together today in the final round, as they are part of a tie for seventh place at 5-under. The other Longhorns in the field are senior Toni Hakula, who’s tied for 16th at 2-under, and spring graduate Julio Vegas, who is 8-over for the tournament (tied for 59th). “We’ll be either just as good or even a little better than last year, and I know Cal will be the same,” Hickok said. “It will be extremely competitive toward the top.” … It’s a homecoming not for 19-year-old competitor Hagen Barmasse of Houston, Texas, but rather his caddie and father, Scott. A native of Wilson, Scott Barmasse and his wife, Sheryl (who’s from Youngstown), moved to Houston 20 years ago. “That’s how I knew about the Porter Cup and how great it was,” said Hagen Barmassse, who earned a spot through last month’s qualifying tournament. “It’s amazing just to see everybody that my dad grew up with. It’s a world-class experience to come here with all this great competition.” The Barmasses still have several family members in the area, so it’s been quite a homecoming trip for Scott. “My mom still lives in Wilson. My brother’s in Lockport and my in-laws are in Youngstown,” he said. “When Hagen started to play golf and really getting pretty good, we said, ‘we’ve got to get you in the Porter Cup.’ It’s awesome for them to get a chance to see him play.” Hagen Barmasse is a sophomore at Rogers State University, a Division II school in Oklahoma. … Matt NeSmith, a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of South Carolina, posted a 63 as part of a morning group that tied for the best round of the day. An honorable mention All-American as a freshman with the Gamecocks, NeSmith moved from a tie for 66th to a tie for 29th, at 1-over 211 for the tournament. “It was kind of my day,” said NeSmith, who tied for 37th last year in his first Porter Cup. “I don’t know if I was expecting it, but I knew I could do it.” NeSmith opened with birdies on the first two holes. Most surprising about his round is that he managed to go bogey free and shoot 7-under without making a single birdie on any of the three par-5 holes. He saved par three times on the front nine from 10-plus feet. NeSmith closed his round by chipping in for birdie on the par-3 18th. “I hit a chip that came out way too quick, he said after just missing his career round by one stroke. “It smacked the pin dead center and was in. That summed up by day.”

LEWISTON – Jim Holtgrieve is more than just an interested spectator at this year’s Porter Cup. The captain of this year’s United States Walker Cup team is on a scouting mission. Holtgrieve is looking to fill out the final five spots on the American side for the biennial event against Great Britain and Ireland. This year’s match, which will be the 44th played, will be held Sept. 7-8 at the National Golf Links of America in Southampton – site of the inaugural Walker Cup in 1922. “It’s coming down to the very end,” said Holtgrieve, who captained the American team in a losing effort in 2011. “There are some really hard decisions to make.” The 65-year-old Holtgrieve played in three Walker Cups, in 1979, ’81 and ’83. He’s amazed at the ability of players today. “My goodness, these guys are so good,” he said. “When you go to watch them play, particularly at tournaments like the Porter Cup, they all hit it so well. There are some guys who probably should be on the team, but for one reason or another, they’re not going to make it.” Holtgrieve said he’s interested in not just a player’s ability, but on their composure on the course. “In a tough situation, how do they handle themselves? How do they manage their game? Because it’s not just about the talent, it’s about representing the United States of America, which is a big thing for me,” he said. Holtgrieve successfully lobbied the United States Golf Association to reserve two spots on the 10-player squad for mid-amateurs, players 25 years or older. “When the Walker Cup started, it was all about building relationships and using the game of golf to do that. It was about bring two continents together after World War I,” Holtgrieve said. “If we don’t keep getting mid-ams, maybe that tradition doesn’t get passed along. I don’t want the Walker Cup to be a stepping-stone to the professional ranks. To me, it’s all about building relationships.” Last week, five players were named to the squad – Patrick Rodgers, Max Homa, Michael Kim, Justin Thomas and Cory Whitsett. Two of them – Rodgers and Homa – are in this week’s Porter Cup field. Holtgrieve will attend the Western Amateur and U.S. Amateur before naming the final five members of the team. The mid-amateurs in the field this week recognize the opportunity before them. “I’ve played a few more tournaments and done a lot more traveling. I’ve found myself getting a little bit worn out at this point,” said 35-year-old Scott Harvey of Greensboro, N.C. “I’ve changed some of the state stuff I usually play to more national events.” Harvey is tied for 25th through the first two rounds this week, at 1-over 141 after a 69 Thursday. The low mid-amateur in the field is 34-year-old Nick Gilliam of Gainesville, Fla., who is tied for 21 at even par. “There’s a lot of excitement among the mid-ams, for sure. Everybody’s working hard for it and playing a lot more golf. It puts a little pressure on everybody,” Harvey said. “It doesn’t matter who makes it – whether it’s me or somebody else – it’s a great thing. That is the pinnacle of amateur golf, for sure. It would definitely be an honor, to be able to represent your country.” The perceived favorite for one of the spots is 34-year-old Nathan Smith of Pittsburgh. He’s played on the last two Walker Cup teams and won the 2012 U.S. Mid-Amateur, becoming the first player to win that event four times. That earned him a spot in this year’s Masters Tournament. Smith, though, is struggling this week, at 10-over par through two rounds. The decision to have two mid-amateurs on the team is not permanent. Holtgrieve said the USGA will revisit the decision after this year’s match, but he’s not worried about older players being able to keep up with their younger competition. “I think they can do it. National Golf Links isn’t a really long course, so I’m not worried about that,” he said. “I think it’s good for the game.” … Mid-amateur Tripp Davis is realistic about his chances for the Walker Cup, saying he hasn’t played enough golf to take a serious run at it this season. Davis owns Tripp Davis & Associates, a golf architecture firm based in Oklahoma. His company redesigned the par-4 second hole at Niagara Falls Country Club. The hole opened last season in the Porter Cup, but Davis wasn’t in the field. He’s back this year for his 11th Porter Cup. Even though he knows the hole better than anyone else, Davis bogeyed it in the first round Wednesday. “I birdied it today, though,” he said with a laugh after his second round. “I guess I’m a quick study.” … East Amherst’s Patrick Sheedy Jr. tied for the low round of the day, carding a 5-under 65. That moved him all the way up from a tie for 70th to a tie for 25th. Sheedy is tied for the low local score in the field with Buffalo’s Michael Carrig, who shot a 1-under 69 Thursday and is at 1-over 141 through two rounds. Michael Boss, the Niagara Falls Country Club champion, shot a 1-over 71 in the second round. He’s in a tie for 62nd place at 7-over 147.

Tyler Dunlap hits out of the sand on the 11th hole en route to a birdie during the second round at Niagara Falls Country Club. (James P. McCoy/Buffalo News) by Jay Skurski, The Buffalo News LEWISTON – Tyler Dunlap has a simple plan for playing Niagara Falls Country Club. Attack the par 5s and driveable par-4 15th hole, then don’t force anything on the rest of the course. So far, he’s executing it flawlessly. Dunlap has made birdie on holes 3, 11, 13 and 15 each time through the first two rounds of the 55th Porter Cup, helping him to consecutive rounds of 5-under 65 that has him in the lead at 10-under 130, one shot clear of Justin Shin. “You’ve got four holes that you can get after, so you have to take care of business there,” said Dunlap, a 20-year-old from Trophy Club, Texas, playing in his second Porter Cup. “It’s kind of boring, but it’s a good way to play it. I’m just trying to execute on those holes.” Dunlap’s only slip-up in the first two rounds has come on the No. 1 handicapped hole at Niagara Falls, the par-4 fifth, which he has bogeyed each day. “I have to try to do a little bit better there on the weekend,” he said, “but I just have to keep doing what I’m doing. I like the course. I’m playing it well.” That’s a bit of an understatement. Dating back to last year, Dunlap has shot 65 in four of his six Porter Cup rounds. He opened and closed last year’s tournament with 5-under rounds, but shot 72-69 in between to finish in a tie for fifth. “I didn’’t like the way I played the middle two rounds last year. I felt like I got in my own way during those two rounds,” he said. “So I feel like if I just play confidently and use my game plan, I think it will continue to work.” Dunlap had shoulder surgery for a torn labrum in November, but still was able to earn honorable mention All-American status as a sophomore at Texas A&M. He’s ranked 101st in the latest Scratch Players World Amateur rankings and coming off a ninth-place finish in last week’s Southern Amateur. While he’s pleased with how he’s been playing, his approach has been very business-like. “We’re halfway there. There’s going to be somebody who’s six back who’s going to shoot something like 12 under on the weekend and there’s going to be people where we’re at who aren’t going to play as well,” he said. “I’m just going to worry about playing the same way I’ve been playing these last two days. “You put 80 great players on any golf course, there’s going to be a lot of low numbers.” Shin, the first-round leader from Hamilton, Ont., backed up an opening round of 64 with a 3-under 67 Thursday. He again blitzed the back nine, shooting 31 coming in. He’s 10-under on the back nine and 1-over on the front in the first two rounds. “I guess so,” he said with an awe-shucks grin when asked if he liked the back nine. “I got momentum going again.” The 21-year-old did so by making a birdie on the par-4 10th, which had the tees moved forward Thursday. He followed that with an eagle on the par-5 11th, tucking a 250-yard hybrid second shot to within 5 feet for an eagle. Shin’s back nine could have been even better. He missed birdie putts of less than 6 feet on the 13th, 14th and 16th holes. “I had a lot of opportunities, but it was ok. You can’t make every putt,” he said. “I was happy to give myself a lot of chances.” Three shots back of Dunlap sits 18-year-old Beau Hossler of Mission Viejo, Calif. He was happy to salvage a round of 2-under 68 that moved him to 7-under 133 for the tournament. “I played the golf course a lot differently today because I was in the trees on like every hole,” said Hossler, who redshirted in the spring at the University of Texas. “I scrambled. I got a lot out of my round, and that’s all I can ask for. I really didn’’t hit the ball well at all.” Hossler’’s missed opportunities included pars on all three par-5 holes. He dropped shots at the par-3 seventh hole and difficult par-3 16th, but made four birdies thanks largely to laser-like wedge play. “You just gotta keep posting under par rounds, that’s the key,” he said. “It’s going to be tough to be in contention if you turn in an over par round out here. The golf course is very gettable, especially with the greens being pretty soft and pure as they are. You can make a lot of putts.” Dunlap, Shin and Hossler will be in the final threesome today, teeing off at 12:30 p.m. They will be preceded by the group of Peter Williamson, Brady Watt and Taylor Pendrith. Watt, a 23-year-old Australian player ranked 11th in the world by the Scratch Players, tied for the low round of the day with a second-round 65. He’’s in fifth place, one shot behind Pendrith, a 22-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., who is at 6-under 134. Williamson, from Jupiter, Fla., is part of a group of three players tied for sixth place at 4-under.

by Jay Skurski, Buffalo News LEWISTON — Cool temperatures and a tricky wind befuddled the majority of players in the first round of the Porter Cup on Wednesday. Justin Shin had never shot a 29 before Wednesday. He birdied five of the final six holes. (Matthew Masin/Buffalo News) Justin Shin, however, had no trouble getting acclimated to the conditions, firing a 6-under-par round of 64 that included a 29 on the back nine at Niagara Falls Country Club. That was good for a one-stroke lead over both Tyler Dunlap and Beau Hossler. “It was tough out there,” said Shin, a 21-year-old from nearby Hamilton, Ont. “When I played the practice round, it wasn’t windy at all. As soon as I teed off, though, it was really windy. Some of the hole locations were really difficult, too. I thought if I shot 2 or 3 under, that would be a good score, but somehow I shot 6 under, so I’ll take that.” Shin made the turn at even par but got things started with a birdie at the par-4 10th hole. He missed an opportunity at the par-5 11th by making par, but Shin closed with birdies on five of the final six holes. “I didn’t expect it,” Shin said of shooting 29, which he had never done before. “I wasn’t thinking about it. I was just trying to make as many birdies as I can.” Shin’s precision driving of the ball and timely putting set up his impressive round. On the only hole in the final six that he failed to birdie, the par-3 16th, he started to walk home the putt before it somehow stayed out of the hole. “It just trickled off to the left side,” he said, “but I finished birdie-birdie after that.” Not bad for a round that almost never got started. Shin is commuting daily from Hamilton, and he almost missed his 8:50 a.m. tee time Wednesday. He finished his collegiate career at New Mexico State in the spring and has a student visa. That has created some border-crossing troubles. “I was late for the Ham-Am on Tuesday because I was stuck at the border for an hour. I barely made it,” he said. “Even today, I was stuck for like 40 minutes. I had only a 20-minute warm-up and just went out there and played. No expectations, just go play.” Shin won the prestigious Northeast Amateur in 2012. While he’s ranked just 129th in the Scratch Players World Amateur Rankings, he has been in good form lately. He missed out on a playoff for a qualifying spot in the PGA Tour’s RBC Canadian Open by just a stroke Monday after shooting a 67 at Heron Point Golf Links. “It felt really great,” he said. “The RBC would have been great, it’s a pro tournament, but the Porter Cup is a top-five amateur tournament. I’m definitely happy to be here.” Shin saw his number stand up on a day in which several players said the 6,874-yard, par-70 layout was playing longer than usual. “It was really windy on the front side. I had a lot of long irons into the greens,” said Dunlap, who like Shin shot even on the front. “On the back side, I put the ball in play off the tee pretty well and had a lot of wedges. You can capitalize on the par 5s.” The 20-year-old junior at Texas A&M did that by making birdie at the par-5 11th and 13th holes on his way to a back-nine 30. Dunlap, who finished tied for fifth last year in his first Porter Cup, closed his first round Wednesday with a birdie on the par-3 18th hole, hitting a 6-iron to 15 feet on the 189-yard hole and converting the putt. “You have to keep the ball below the hole and not short side yourself,” he said. “It’s a good start, but there are so many good players here that you’ve got to keep your head down and keep plugging away. It’s a long tournament.” Hossler, an 18-year-old from Mission Viejo, Calif., made an eagle on the par-5 third hole when he hit a 3-wood on his second shot from 270 yards out to within a foot of the hole. He followed that with a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-4 fourth hole, finishing with a round of 65. “I figured anything under par was in contention,” he said. “Whether you’re leading by three or three behind after the first round, it really doesn’t’ matter. There’s a long way to go, especially on this golf course because the scores are going to keep getting lower and lower. I’m very happy with the position I’m in.” Hossler played in one of the marquee groupings, along with Gavin Hall, the 18-year-old from Pittsford, and English player Charlie Bull. Hall, who will be a teammate of Hossler’s in the fall at Texas, shot an opening-round 68 that has him four shots back. “I had a few opportunities I left out there, but I was pleased with the round,” Hall said. “It’s a good start to the week. Playing with Beau and watching his 65 was great. I’m just hoping I can keep up with him.” Defending champion Richy Werenski opened with an even-par round of 70, in a group tied for 16th place that includes Max Homa, the 2013 NCAA individual champion. The second round begins today at 8 a.m.

There are tournament directors, and then there is Steve Denn. Denn oversees the Porter Cup, one of the most important independent stroke play events in the world. The invitational tournament, which limits its field to just 84 of the world’s best players, celebrated it’s golden anniversary in 2008 and will be played for the 55th time at Niagara Falls Country Club on July 24-27, 2013. Porter Cup Tournament Director Steve Denn – amateurgolf.com photo To understand Denn is to understand Niagara Falls Country Club and its heritage as a proud booster of the competitive amateur game. In late June, I had the opportunity to play the club with him and learn more about the tournament and what an important part of his life it has been. It all started for Denn with his father Tom, a longtime NFCC member and wearer of many Porter Cup committee “hats” over the years, including starter. Tom Denn passed away this year, and when I played with Steve he was in middle of the difficult process of writing a remembrance to his father that will be part of the 2013 tournament program. As we walked the fairways, and Denn told me how the young guns play the course – cutting corners I couldn’t dream of and hitting irons into par fives I couldn’t reach in two – I learned about how the Porter Cup hooked him at an early age. Like many tournaments, member families typically host players, and Denn’s household was full of life during tournament week. “I remember how much I enjoyed the players staying over,” Denn explained. “When the tournament was over and they had long gone, I was sad for the next week.” For Niagara Falls Country Club and its members to be so giving of their course and time is pretty amazing. Some tournaments have lost their momentum, or disappeared completely because modern day club members don’t understand why they would want to give up their course for a full week. And at Niagara Falls CC – so close to Canada that the Toronto skyline can be viewed from the back deck — the season isn’t particularly long to begin with. But Denn told me the members really enjoy tournament week. “Our members volunteer and their businesses often sponsor The Porter Cup.” Denn explained. “They also attend a dinner dance and many of them play in the Ham-Am tournament. The course is open late each afternoon during the tournament so between that and the Ham-Am they can play quite a bit of golf if they want to.” Between volunteering, spectating, and hosting the players, I doubt the members are too worried about playing their own golf during Porter Cup week. And while it’s rare for any but the biggest of amateur golf tournaments to draw galleries of any size, residents of Niagara Falls (and the town of Lewiston, where NFCC is located) embrace the Porter Cup as their own, with fans coming out by the thousands and lining the par-3 finishing hole like a web.com Tour event. The club holds so many events around tournament week that the tournament earns the nickname “The Party Cup” – players participate in the Ham-Am with members, attend a big opening dinner, get to view Niagara Falls from the “Maid of the Mist” and much more. As we walked the fairways of the tight but relatively short A.W. Tillinghast layout, I learned something else about Denn. He possesses a deep knowledge of the collegiate and amateur game at the highest levels, and he has remained close to many past Porter Cup players and other tournament directors. To select and invite this level of talent Denn has to do a great deal of research and spend time on the phone and email like his predecessors, Dick Harvey, Bill McMahon, and Tad Murray, who founded the tournament in 1959. Just as a legendary college football program like USC, Michigan, or Alabama has a relatively easy time recruiting top talent, Denn’s role is different but no less difficult – he has to make sure the tournament stays on top and do so in a way that is cooperative with other tournaments. How coveted is a Porter Cup invitation? Each year the tournament holds an open qualifier and draws close to100 players. The 2013 qualifier had 95 players playing 18 holes for a eight spots, with several players flying in or make long drives for the chance to play. This year’s medalist, Bryce Edmister of Rochester, fired 5-under 65 and it took 1- under 69 to get into the field. A player from California (Kevin DeHuff at 67) and a player from Texas (Hagen Barmasse at 69) were among those that qualified. THE 55th PORTER CUP – July 24- 27, 2013 In 2012, Richy Werenski of South Hadley shot 17-under 263 (including a second round of 62) to edge Denny McCarthy (265) and a trio of players at 267 that included two-time USA Walker Cup team player Patrick Rodgers. Werenski and the rest of the field will be playing 18 holes of medal play per day over four days just like they do on the PGA Tour. There is only one difference. Once you’re invited to the Porter Cup you don’t get sent home until you’ve played 72 holes. The tournament has no cut. MORE PORTER CUP FACTS A Phil Mickelson comeback – just like the Open Championship Denn and hundreds of NFCC members and local fans likely smiled as Phil Mickelson holed his final putt to come back from 5 down to win the 2013 Open Championship at Muirfield. Because Tiger may not have won the Porter Cup, but Phil did. In 1990 Mickelson came back from 6-shots with a 7-under 63 to win the Porter Cup over David Duval by a single shot. Tiger Woods played too: In 1994, Tiger Woods gave a junior clinic during the tournament. When a young attendee asked his father Earl if he lived in a mansion, the man known to never mince his words replied, “I live in a house. The mansion is coming.” The final round was washed out that year and Woods finished T8 at 6-under. Allen Doyle (9-under) won it that year, and Chris Riley finished second. There are actually three Porter Cup tournaments: The inaugural Women’s Porter Cup was played June 12-14, 2013. It drew a solid field of women from around the world; Casie Cathrea of California won just weeks before earning low amateur honors at the U.S. Women’s Open. The Senior Porter Cup was revived by 29-time NFCC club champion Fred Silver. It has been played since 1978. This year’s tournament is Sept. 4-6. Learn more about the Porter Cup’s rich history: The history section of portercup.com has one of the most complete online archives in amateur tournament golf. The tournament’s past champions list includes everyone from modern day stars Phil Mickelson and David Duval to legends like Ben Crenshaw and Jay Sigel (a 3-time winner) and just about everyone in between. Winning the Porter Cup is no guarantee of professional success, but playing in it seems to be a prerequisite, because a list of who has competed over the years includes just about every major American Tour star, Walker Cup team member, and dozens of major champions.

LEWISTON – Gavin Hall is ready to make his long-awaited return to the Porter Cup. Hall, the 18-year-old Pittsford phenom, is part of a world-class field assembled for the 55th playing of the tournament, which starts today at Niagara Falls County Club in Lewiston. As a 15-year-old in 2010, Hall finished tied for second behind eventual winner David Chung. He missed the last two years because of a right wrist injury that required two surgeries. “It’s awesome being back,” Hall said Tuesday before taking part in the annual Ham-Am event. “I’m really appreciative of being 100 percent healthy again and playing summer golf. Being away from the game for so long made me realize how much I love it and how I kind of took it for granted. To be at a top premier event like this during the summer, feeling good about my game, I’m excited to see what I can do this week.” Gavin Hall watches his tee shot on the par 4 17th hole during the final round of the 2010 Porter Cup. Mark Mulville/Buffalo News file photo Hall’s remarkable run in the 2010 tournament featured a final-round 65. He shot 9 under over the final two rounds. “It gave me a ton of confidence, just knowing I could play with Peter Uihlein, with Russell Henley, with David Chung, all those guys,” Hall said. “It was pretty incredible, knowing that if I play well, I can somewhat have a chance with them. .” Hall, as polite and mature as an 18-year-old could ever be, won the 2011 Junior Players Championship and played on the 2012 U.S. Junior Ryder Cup, but really established himself on a national stage earlier this year when he qualified for and was the youngest player in this year’s U.S. Open field. “It was a great wake-up call just to see what I need to work on and how I stack up against those guys,” he said. “Ultimately, that’s what I’m looking to do down the road. To have a little glimpse of that is huge as a learning experience.” Being back at NFCC feels like a homecoming for Hall. “I get the same feeling being here the last couple days that I did in 2010. The community is awesome,” he said. “Just to have an event so close to home is awesome. I’ve got a lot of family and friends coming. I’m feeling pretty good about my game. The golf course suits my eye pretty well.” Hall tees off at 11:50 a.m. in one of the featured groups along with Beau Hossler and Charlie Bull. Hossler, a fellow 18-year-old, will be teammates with Hall this fall with the University of Texas golf team. He finished tied for 29th in the U.S. Open in 2012 as a 17-year-old after briefly leading the event. “It’s going to be a low score that wins it,” said Hall, who enrolled at UCLA in January before leaving the school after just two months and joining the Longhorns in May. “It’s going to come down to how many putts you can make and how close you can hit it. I’m ready to get after it in the first round. Perhaps the man most happy to have Hall back is Porter Cup Tournament Director Steve Denn. “I don’t want to say most pleased, but I’m certainly thrilled,” Denn said. “The fact that he’s back to full health, playing well … he’s going to have a gallery following him. A lot of people take interest in Gavin, because he’s an up-and-comer. He’s got a ton of game. Hopefully we have Gavin for not only this year, but a few years to come.” Denn has established a world-class field for this year’s tournament. Here are six more players to watch: • Max Homa: The 22-year-old is playing in his third Porter Cup. Homa won the NCAA individual championship in the spring and participated in the U.S. Open. He’s No. 6 in the Scratch Players World Amateur Ranking. • Sean Dale: The 23-year-old graduated from the University of North Florida in the spring. He was a second-team All-American and winner of the prestigious Jones Cup in February. • Brandon Hagy: A teammate of Homa’s at the University of California, Hagy is another second-team All-American. He’s ranked 14th by the Scratch Players and might be the longest hitter in Porter Cup history, according to Denn. • Michael Johnson: The world’s 41st-ranked amateur, the 20-year-old Johnson is making his Porter Cup debut. The junior at Auburn won this year’s Dogwood Invitational, posting a ridiculous 28-under-par score of 260. • Richy Werenski: The defending champion, Werenski struggled in his junior season at Georgia Tech, but Denn said his game is rounding into form in the summer, as evidenced by a 12th-place finish in the Northeast Amateur. • Patrick Rodgers: The Stanford junior won the 2011 Porter Cup and finished third last year. He’s the highest-ranked player in the field, at No. 4 in the Scratch Players.

LEWISTON — It’s been 28 years since a Canadian player has sipped champagne from the Porter Cup. Taylor Pendrith takes a one-shot lead into today’s final round of the Porter Cup as he stands at 13-under-par after firing a 63 on Friday. (Mark Mullville/Buffalo News) That streak will be in serious jeopardy today at Niagara Falls Country Club. A sparkling round of 7-under 63 Friday in the third round gave 22-year-old Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., a three-round total of 13-under-par and sole possession of the lead on a postcard-perfect day along the Niagara escarpment. He’ll be in the final group teeing off at noon today, joined by his teammate with the Canadian national team, Justin Shin, who at 12-under is just one shot back, and Texan Tyler Dunlap, the second-round leader who is at 10-under 200 after an even-par round of 70 Friday. “I played pretty solid all day,” said Pendrith, a senior at Kent State whose 63 was just one shot off his career low round. “I was just trying to make as many birdies as possible and take one shot at a time. I knew birdies were out there.” Pendrith started cashing in his chances early, making birdie on the par-5 third hole and then the difficult par-4 fifth, when he hit his approach shot from 140 yards out to within 10 feet and converted the putt. He followed that up by tucking an 8-iron on the par-3 seventh hole to within 3 feet for a kick-in birdie, playing the front nine in 3-under. That was a big turnaround from the first two rounds, when he played the front nine in 2-over. “I got off to a lot better start today,” he said. He also got some good breaks, like on the par-5 11th when he was going for the green in two and blasted it way right of the hole. He was able to recover by putting his third shot on the green and two-putting for par. He also sank a 25-foot putt on the difficult par-3 16th hole to keep his bogey-free round intact. “They were very tough finishing holes. If you can play them even or 1-over, you’re probably picking up some shots on the field,” he said. Pendrith and Shin haven’t played many competitive rounds together, but they’re both members at the same club, Summit Golf and Country Club, and expect that measure of familiarity to help calm their nerves in the final round. “I feel comfortable doing that,” Pendrith said of playing with the 21-year-old Shin. “I’ve got to know him pretty well, and he’s a great player, so it will be fun.” Shin kept with his theme from the first two rounds: a ho-hum front, followed by an assault on the back nine. He made the turn at even in his third round, then birdied the par-4 10th for a third straight day. “Maybe put Justin Shin on the flag,” he joked when asked whether they might consider naming the hole after him. From there, he made back-to-back birdies on the par-5 11th and par-3 12th holes, then nearly holed his second shot on the par-4 15th hole. His tap-in birdie got him to 13-under, but he dropped a shot after a wayward drive on the par-4 17th. Despite that bogey, he’s still played the back nine in 13-under par for the week. “I’m excited to go out tomorrow and play with my buddy,” he said. Not since Danny Mijovic in 1984 has a Canadian player won the Porter Cup, and the only other one to do it was Gary Cowan in 1969. Shin and Pendrith almost didn’t get a chance this year. Both played in the qualifier for the RBC Canadian Open on Monday, with Shin missing out on a playoff by just a shot, but they’ve positioned themselves for one heck of a consolation prize. “It’s pretty nice to see that all the guys have been playing good,” Pendrith said of the Canadian national team. “Golf in Canada is improving, and there are some players who can really play.” Pendrith and Shin – who is commuting daily from Hamilton – will be joined in the final threesome by Dunlap, who followed consecutive rounds of 65 with an even-par 70 in the third round. An eagle on the par-5 11th got him to 1-under for the day, but he dropped a shot on the par-4 15th. The final group will be preceded by the threesome of Australian Brady Watt, Beau Hossler and Cameron Wilson. Watt made a bogey on the par-4 first hole, then birdied five holes to shoot a round of 4-under 66 that got him to 9-under for the tournament. Hossler, who played in the final group Friday, shot his first over-par round of the tournament, a 71 that featured bogeys on the par-4 fifth and par-5 13th hole against a lone birdie on the par-3 sixth hole. Wilson, meanwhile, birdied all three of the par-5 holes on his way to a 66 that moved him up from a tie for 14th at the start of the round into a tie for fifth heading into the final day.

Welcome to the Niagara Falls Country Club, host of the 55th Annual Porter Cup. Each year, the tournament builds on the foundation laid down previously to reach new heights of excellence in amateur golf. The tournament is pleased to again have a collection of the world’s best collegiate, international and mid-amateur golfers. Top players from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, England and Finland will be vying to have their name engraved on the Alexander L. Porter Cup. Richy Werenski (left) and Patrick Rodgers 2012 Porter Cup Champion Richy Werenski will return to defend his title and will have many challengers including 2011 Champion Patrick Rodgers, 2013 NCAA Champion Max Homa and 2012 USGA Mid-Amateur Champion Nathan Smith. We would like to thank our Official Corporate Sponsor M&T Bank for their long-time financial support of the tournament. Without our partnership, the tournament simply could not exist in its present capacity and we are excited about continuing our relationship for many years to come. The Committee would like to acknowledge the membership of the Niagara Falls Country Club for enthusiastically and graciously sacrificing a week of mid-season golf in the spirit of maintaining the wonderful tradition of Porter Cup. Your support of the tournament is greatly appreciated. We would also like to thank Jamie Mandell, our 2013 General Chairman, and his Committees of volunteers for the dedication and commitment they have displayed to make this special week run so smoothly. Special appreciation is in order for our Grounds Superintendent Khlar Holthouse and the entire Grounds crew. Allan Irwin and his dedicated staff in the office and kitchen and Head Golf Professional John Boss and his folks in the Pro Shop are to be acknowledged for their efforts and professionalism. Finally, we are grateful to lead official Mike Murphy and his Committee for returning to NFCC to once again coordinate and enforce USGA Tournament Rules. We look forward to another successful Championship and hope you enjoy the 55th edition of Porter Cup.

Canadian Taylor Pendrith lifts the Porter Cup Trophy – Stanley Cup style – after his win. (Matthew Masin/Buffalo News) And the winner is: Taylor Pendrith, a 22-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., who is a senior at Kent State. Pendrith is only the third Canadian winner of the Porter Cup and the first since Danny Mijovic in 1984. Pendrith’s winning score of 16-under-par 264 is the third-best in Porter Cup history. Battle for second: Tyler Dunlap, a 20-year-old from Trophy Club, Texas, holed a 40-foot birdie putt on the par-3 18th to finish in second place by himself at 11-under 269, a stroke ahead of Canadian Justin Shin and Australian Brady Watt. Low round: Toni Hakula, a native of Finland who plays collegiately for the University of Texas, had the low round Saturday, a 6-under 64. That moved him up from a tie for 16th at the start of the day to fifth place, at 8-under 262 for the tournament. Hakula holed his second shot on the par-4 sixth hole for eagle as part of a bogey-free final round. Oh, Canada: Pendrith showed his roots run to the Great White North during the awards ceremony, when he lifted the Porter Cup up over his head, Stanley Cup style. A short time later, the gathered crowd broke out into an impromptu rendition of his national anthem, “O, Canada.” By the numbers: The field average of 70.85 strokes was only slightly up from the third round, when it was 70.71. For the entire tournament, the average score of 336 rounds played was 71.17. Saturday’s most difficult hole was the par-3 fourth hole, at an average of 3.40 strokes, while the par-5 third hole was the easiest, at an average of 4.51 strokes. Up next: The Senior Porter Cup will be contested from Sept. 4-6 at Niagara Falls Country Club.