It was only supposed to take 36 holes.

Thirty-six holes of 90-degree heat. Thirty-six holes of walking through sand dunes, waste areas both up and down hills. Thirty-six looks at imposing fairways, gorgeous golf settings and intimidating greens.

"I'll sleep fine tonight," said John Appleget out of Blue Heron Pines Golf. "I'm dragging my putter behind me right now."

But 36 wasn't enough.

Appleget and Laurel Creek's John DiMarco finished tied at 4-over 144 in the Philadelphia Open at the par-70 Pine Valley Golf Club on Monday. The two endured 36 holes on one of the world's top courses - if not the top course - just to come back this morning for 18 more. The playoff begins at 7:30 a.m., but spectators will not be allowed in. The winner will take home a check for $7,035, compared to a second-place check for $5,925, but then this isn't the Greater Milwaukee Open. This means something more.

"I kept it in play and kept hitting on the right side of the greens, which is what you have to do here," said DiMarco of Moorestown, whose 71-73 was matched only by Appleget's 73-71. "I've played here about five times, and it's been about six years. It's a course that's special. I left about two or three shots out there, but then so did everyone else."

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But then on Pine Valley, that's understandable.

The two stood atop the leaderboard of 60 names in the 98th edition of the Golf Association of Philadelphia tournament. Pine Valley hosted the event for the first time in 1923, and again in 1941, when C.W. Hackeney won with a four-round total of 298 or 18 over, a score when prorated for the 72-hole format, only eight of the present competitors could have beaten.

"That's one of the special things about this course," said Appleget, who lives in Dorothy, Atlantic County. "It's held up over time. I know that the same shots I faced today, golfer's faced years ago. If you see Shell's World of Golf, they're trying to hit the same shots into the green that we are today.

"I drove the ball real well. I missed one fairway all day. Pine Valley is a course that has really withstood time and equipment."

But for the final two, that doesn't matter.

Not to mention, it took a strong second 36 holes by Appleget and the early struggles of DiMarco to set up today' s round. After he shot a 71 in the morning round, DiMarco shot a 39 on the par 35 front nine. He saw his score jump from one over to five over.

"I thought two over was going to win; I thought my score would be in the hunt," DiMarco said. "I shot one under on the back after a really shaky front. I was three over after five, and suddenly I'm five over for the day. I knew some guys were at two, so let's just keep making pars and see what happens. On a day like this at a course like this, the field is going to come back as long as you make pars."

For Appleget, the biggest challenge could be coming back after a long day and challenging a friend.

"If I had to play against anybody, it would be John DiMarco. He's a great player and a fine gentleman," Appleget said. "To win this tournament, at a place like Pine Valley, would be the biggest victory of my career."

And for DiMarco, the Philadelphia Open would be just as special.

"Winning this would be right there with my New Jersey Open championship and qualifying for the U.S. Open," said DiMarco, 40. "It's great to just be in contention."