A timbering project is underway, clearing most of the trees from a previously dense wooded area located just east of The Rookery along Broadkill Road.
The transformation of this land into the final phase of the Woodfield Preserve subdivision is visually remarkable, particularly for local golfers who have enjoyed the well-known public course since it opened over twenty years ago.
This section will feature the construction of thirty-five new homes, along with the development of four new streets and a pond near The Rookery’s practice area.
The rectangular piece of land lies north of the third fairway and was previously overrun with brambles and trees. An abandoned vehicle had remained there for years, located about 20 yards from the property line, and it was still present as of April 25.
Initially, when The Rookery opened, the left rough of the third hole was marked with white out-of-bounds stakes. Over time, the course changed these to red/green stakes—allowing players to drop a ball near the cart path if they ended up in the woods, with a one-stroke penalty.
With the development of six homes along the third fairway, it will be interesting to see if the stakes undergo another change.
Cape Golf Team Triumphs
On April 29, the Cape golf team visited Hooper’s Landing in Seaford to compete against Laurel High, following their earlier defeat of Delmar at the same venue on April 17.
The Vikings varied their starting lineup, allowing more players to reach the six-match minimum for DIAA state championship eligibility.
Kingston Davis achieved medalist honors for the third time this season, scoring three-over par 39 on the front nine, leading his team to a 168-235 victory. Jacob Gabbard followed with a 40, while Jack Tunnell shot 42. Dalen Daminger and Joe Skelly both recorded 47s, and Eddie Ghabour finished with a 49.
Vikings coach Bill Geppert expressed satisfaction that Gabbard and Ghabour could meet their match count goal, stating, “We’re striving to enhance the team’s competitiveness for the conference tournament and states.”
Seahawks Narrow Victory
The Sussex Academy Seahawks secured a narrow victory over Delmar on April 30, winning by a single stroke with a score of 163-164 on the front nine at Kings Creek Country Club.
Caleb Richey of Delmar and Sussex Academy’s Ryan Dostal shared medalist honors, each shooting a 39. Sam Metz contributed a score of 40 for the Seahawks, while Quentin Bowman and Austin Dostal each posted 42s.
Coach Doug Grove noted, “Both teams were slightly off their game. We were lucky to come out on top and will keep moving forward.”
Royals Face St. Anne’s
Delmarva Christian played against Middletown at The Links at St. Anne’s on April 29, finishing the match with a score of 169-187. This event provided the Georgetown team with important insight into the golf course, set to host this year’s DIAA state golf championship.
Hayden Mazurek and Aidan Quintana earned co-medalist status for the Cavaliers with matching scores of 39 on the par 35 front nine. The Royals’ best score came from Avery Brown at 41, followed closely by Joel Perry with a 42 and teammates Avery McCoy (49) and Connor Wall (55) rounding out the scoring.
Remembering Jay Sigel
Jay Sigel, the renowned Philadelphia-area golfer with an illustrious amateur career spanning decades, passed away on April 19 at the age of 81 due to pancreatic cancer.
His accolades include titles like the U.S. Amateur, the British Amateur, and the U.S. Mid-Amateur. He later joined the PGA Tour Champions at age 50, winning several championships and earning over $9 million.
I met Sigel last year at a book signing for John Riley, who wrote an acclaimed biography about another notable amateur, Bill Hyndman.
Upon learning of Sigel’s passing, Riley mentioned he had been working on Sigel’s autobiography, highlighting Sigel’s status as perhaps the greatest amateur golfer since Bobby Jones. Sigel had expressed urgency to complete the book after his cancer diagnosis, stating, “I’ve had a great life. I wouldn’t change a minute of it.”
Local Club Competition Highlights
The Mulligan’s Pointe Ladies League hosted a Crier’s Tournament on April 29, just before the Delaware state income tax filing deadline—demonstrating the league organizers’ sense of humor.
Karen Feuchtenberger, Valerie Grib, and Pat Burke triumphed in the first flight, while Rita McConnell, Allison Sapka, and Pam Pichola claimed the second flight.
