55th Northest Amateur Invitational Tournament
Northeast Amateur Website
Final Recap
By Paul Kenyon
EAST PROVIDENCE _ When he thinks about the decisions he has made in his life, the one Fred Wedel made to delay turning pro for a few months likely will go down as one of his best ever.
Wedel graduated from Pepperdine last month after compiling one of the best careers ever for a Wave golfer. But rather than turn professional as so many of his contemporaries do, he opted to remain an amateur at least until the U.S. Am at the end of the summer.
Unlike so many others who compete on the national amateur circuit, he does not come from money. He had to spend a summer caddying after his freshman year at Peppedine to earn enough money to stay in school. His best friend’s family, the Hollingers from The Woodlands, Tex., are paying all his expenses to allow him to travel to different events this summer.
``I wanted to wait (to turn pro) because I felt like I wanted to play these amateur events one more time. I didn’t want to play mini tour events,’’ he said. ``I love coming to places like this. It really is special.’’
Wedel made it even more special for himself on Saturday when he won the 55th Northeast Amateur at Wannamoisett Country Club. He shot a closing 2-under 67 for a total of 6-under 270 and survived a wild scramble at the finish that saw six players within one stroke of the lead heading down the stretch.
All the contenders struggled coming home, including Wedel. He bogeyed both 17, after driving into the water, and 18, after driving into the trees. However even with those problems, he was able to win because of the six birdies he made earlier in the day. He did not have the victory until Southern Cal’s Sean Crocker missed a four-foot putt on 18 for bogey. Crocker, the highest rated player in the field, three-putted each of the last two holes for a 70 and 271 total. Patrick Martin, a Vanderbilt sophomore, also tied for second after a closing 69.
Wedel had mixed feelings when he watched Crocker miss the four-footer that could have forced a playoff. Wedel signed his scorecard then headed out to watch Crocker finish.
``I hate to win a tournament that way. We’re very close. We both go to school in Southern California. I actually played with him in his first tournament (for USC) for 36 holes,’’ Wedel said. ``He’s a friend.’’
Those who have followed Wedel’s life and golf career know he was entitled to a good break. When he was 10 years old, his father became ill. It turned out to be an infection of his spinal cord. He became, and still is, a quadriplegic. His dad, also named Fred, had introduced him to golf with a cut down 7-iron.
The situation was devastating. Wedel spoke about how he quit playing golf for several years and was never one of the top rated juniors. His father now lives near Sacremento, Cal., and his mother in Portland, Ore. Wedel has gotten better each of his four years at Pepperdine _ ``Paradise,’’ as he called the school on the California coast.
His victory at Wannamoisett was his second in a week. He won the Texas Amateur last week. He has been through so much that he has a maturity beyond his years in dealing with pressure. He spoke in detail about what it was like going through the pressure of being in contention at such a big tournament for the first time in his life.
``I’ve never felt this way before. I’ve never been in position to win a tournament of this magnitude,’’ he offered. ``It was difficult for me to handle my emotions. . . It’s hard for you not to get ahead of yourself when you’re just a few shots away from winning an event like this.’’
He was not sure where he stood over the final holes, but he did hear someone in the crowd say he was three strokes ahead as he was playing 17.
``I heard that but I kind of blocked it out,’’ he said. On 17, he drove into the water.
``The nerves got the best of me on that one. I don’t even know what happened there. I let one get away from me there,’’ he said. ``I don’t think anything really prepares you for how you feel on the last four, five six holes in a tournament like this. I tried to draw on previous experience of playing well and hitting good quality golf shots and stay in a positive mental said. But like I said, it’s really difficult to handle your emotions and just hit one shot at a time. Your hands are shaking. You are thinking about potential misses. You see more trouble.’’
Everyone else did, too, allowing Wedel to come away with the biggest victory of his life. He is in the process of trying to arrange sponsors for a pro career. He expects to turn pro after The US Amateur in August, although that could change.
``I keep joking that it might be after The Masters,’’ he said. Winning the US Amateur would get him a spot at August.
Round 3 Recap
By Paul Kenyon
EAST PROVIDENCE _ Matt Gilchrest could have been upset with the way his day ended Friday in the third round of the Northeast Amateur at Wannamoisett Country Club. But he chose not to be. He kept smiling even, after seeing what had been a four-stroke lead cut to one in his last two holes.
Gilchrest, a senior from Auburn who has held or shared the lead after every round, built his advantage to four strokes with only two to play. But he pulled his three-wood approach on the par-5 17th, lost the ball and made double-bogey seven. He had more tree troubles on the closing hole and bogeyed that one, too.
He finished with an even-par 69 for an 8-under 199 total, one ahead of University of Washington senior Corey Pereira, and two ahead of Southern Cal star Sean Crocker. Crocker had the lowest score of the day, a 65, while Pereira had 67. Because of Gilchrest’s troubles at the end, nine others are within five strokes of the lead creating for what should be a wide open finish on Saturday.
Gilchrest, who is from Southlake, Tex., had displayed an outgoing, engaging personality after opening with back-to-back 65s. He refused to change after the tough finish in the third round.
``I’m ahead. There’s a lot of emotion about the highs and lows today,’’ he said. ``It’s easy to complain and dwell on some mistakes, but you know what, everyone else in the field wishes they were ahead. That’s not boasting. I’ve got to be really positive. I’ve played a lot of good golf. I had one swing get away from me, basically, in three days.
``If I could take one bad swing tomorrow I’d take that right now, not even knowing the outcome. I couldn’t be more positive even though it’s natural in golf to let what happened affect how you feel,’’ he added. ``That would be silly. That would really put me in a bad position. I’m really excited to play golf tomorrow.’’
Gilchrest, who had made four birdies and one bogey before the finish, felt even his one bad shot was not really all that bad. He hit a good drive on the 558-yard hole, the only par-5 on the course and decided to go for the green with a three-wood.
``Any time you’re into the wind you’re under a microscope. It’s going to bend more,’’ Gilchrest said. He pulled his shot left toward the fence that guards the end of the course.
``We all thought it was in, but it must have hit a tree and gone out,’’ he said.
Pereira earned a spot in the final twosome with Gilchrest with his 67. He made only one bogey _ on the last hole. The native of Cameron Park, Calif., is playing the event for the second year.
``I putted really well,’’ he said. ``Curse knowledge helped me with strategy. . . I’m a competitive guy. I look forward to go out there and competing, giving it everything I have tomorrow.’’
Rarely has the national and international flavor of the Northeast been more obvious than it is this year. With one round left, it looks as if the winner will come from Texas or California. Or maybe Honolulu, Hawaii, or Malibu, Cal. Then again, players as close as Connecticut and New York, or as far away as Zimbabwe have put themselves in position to win, as well.
The common thread, of course, is that all of them are college stars. In addition to Auburn’s Gilchrest, Washington’s Pereira and Southern Cal’s Crocker, Matthew Lowe is from Farmingdale, N.Y., and plays for Richmond and Patrick Martin is a Vanderbilt star from Birmingham, Ala. They are tied for fourth at 5-under.
Crocker adds international flavor _ along with massive power. The native of Zimbabwe grew up in Southern California. He had the best round of the day with his 65 after going 69-67 in the first two days. Crocker, who already has won the Monroe Invitational this summer, did something Thursday no one has ever done at the course. He tried to drive the green at the 372-yard, dogleg fifth hole. His shot landed just short and bounced on the green, but then rolled back into the hollow in front of the green. He two-putted for bird.
Still, he and everyone else will be chasing Gilchrest in the final round
``There will be some nerves. There were some nerves today,’’ Gilchrest said. ``But I think I’m having the most fun out of anyone here. I’ve got a great caddie. It’s a great venue. I’m having a blast. I had some fun today I will have some more fun tomorrow. That’s about the only goal I have right now.’’
Round 2 Recap
By Paul Kenyon
EAST PROVIDENCE _ The college stars who dominate the Northeast Amateur every year display some great examples of the drive and desire, as well as ability, needed to reach golf’s top level. On Thursday, Matt Gilchrest provided one of the best demonstrations that anyone could want to see of that type of personality.
Gilchrest, a star at Auburn who lives in Southlake, Tex., went out with the early starters at Wannamoisett and put together his second straight 4-under-par 65. His 8-under 130 total not only gave him the lead by two. It is one of the lowest scores in the tournament’s 55-year history.
So how did he react?
``I was really battling my swing on my back nine. I’ve got to go out and practice,’’ he said. ``I was scrambling out there to make pars.’’
There was not even a thought about resting on his laurels. He thinks he could play even better. Gilchrest did birdie two of his last three holes, his fifth and six birds of the day to give him 12 in the first two days of the 72-hole event. But there was no celebrating. He was ready to head out and do more work, although he did talk about how he was happy to do it.
``I was happy to be here last year when I finished 40th,’’ he said. ``How can you not be happy out here? I’m at this 130-year-old place that’s beautiful. Just look at it out here. How can you not enjoy yourself?’’
Gilchrest’s performance was part of a history making day. Given windless conditions much of the way and soft greens from early-week rain, players did things never before seen in the tournament. Like how about two holes-in-one on the same day?
It happened in round two thanks to 16-year-old Texan Noah Goodwin and Duke senior Max Greyserman.
Goodwin, one of the top rated juniors in the country (he celebrated his 16th birthday last week), picked a great time to get his first ace, even if he did have a wait a couple minutes to realize he did it. He registered it with a 4-iron on the 214-yard 15th hole. It helped him on his way to a 65 on the day, a 132 total and second place.
Goodwin was in the second group off the tee, starting on the back side. He was 1-under on the day when he got to the uphill 15th. Players cannot see the green from the tee and there was no one around the green. His shot headed toward the pin.
``As we were walking toward the green I took out his putter and went to give it to him,’’ said his father, Dr. Jeff Goodwin, who was caddying for him. ``He said, `Dad, I might not need it.’ ‘’
``I knew I had hit a good shot,’’ said Noah Goodwin, who already has committed to SMU even though he still has two years of high school remaining. As the twosome approached the green there was only one ball visible.
``I was afraid he might have gone over,’’ Jeff Goodwin related. His son did not agree. He went directly to the cup. And saw his ball at the bottom. The ace helped Goodwin to a 65 on the day and a 6-under 132 total and second place.
When word of Goodwin’s ace got around, officials tried to research the last ace in the tournament.
``I asked Denny Glass (the former tournament director) and he could not remember any,’’ said Ben Tuthill, who is in his third year at tournament director. Tuthill went to Bob Ward, the RIGA’s executive director, and Ward could not recall a Northeast ace, either.
No one had to wait long for another ace. About three hours later, Greyserman, who has been the runner-up in the past year in both the New Jersey Amateur and the New Jersey Open, had another one. His came on the 211-yard 12th hole, the hole course designer Donald Ross once call ``the finest one-shot hole in America.’’
Greyserman hit a 5-iron that landed pin high, about 12 feet right of the hole. The pin was near the bottom of the bowl shaped green and the ball took a right-hand turn, as expected, and went in the hole. It was the third of his career for Greyserman. It helped him get as low as 4-under for the round, but he finished at level-par 69 for a 137 total.
Four-time Rhode Island Amateur champion Brad Valois, who was in the afternoon half of the field and breezes began blowing, got as low as 6-under and in the tie for second with Goodwin. He finished with a 72 for 137.
Brandon Pierce, an LSU star, contributed to fun. He was tied for last after the first day with a 79, without a birdie. He went out Thursday and improved his score by a whopping 15 strokes. His 64 meant he went from tied for highest score one day to the lowest score the next day.
The scoring average among the 92 players was 70 for the second straight day, unheard at Wannamoisett. In other years a player who was at even midway through the tournament was in contention to win. This year, that score left a player in a tie for 31st.
Round 1 Recap
By Paul Kenyon
EAST PROVIDENCE _ Officially, the 55th annual Northeast Amateur Invitational Tournament began Wednesday at Wannamoisett Country Club. According to at least one tournament veteran, though, it was almost as if this was a brand new tournament on a very different golf course.
``It’s not playing like Wannamoisett,’’ said four-time Rhode Island champion Brad Valois. ``It’s soft. The rough is not as high as it usually is. The greens are fast for a normal country club, but they’re not Northeast fast.’’
The bottom line is that the old Donald Ross-designed course was dramatically softened by a huge storm Tuesday morning that brought a half inch of rain in about 15 minutes. That made the course vulnerable for 90 of the world’s best amateurs and they took advantage, posting lower scores than usual, some of the lowest overall scores ever.
Valois helped lead the way. He went out in the third group off the tee in the morning and posted a 4-under 65 to tie for the lead despite a bogey on his final hole, the 18th. Several players got lower than that at one point in their rounds, but no one was able to beat the 65. Three others did match it to tie Valois for the lead.
Dawson Armstrong of Brentwood, Tenn., the 13th ranked amateur in the world, John Flaherty, a recent University of Connecticut grad, and Matt Gilchrist, one of four Auburn stars in the event, all posted 65s. There were five more at 66 and nine more at 67 on the 6,732-yard, par-69 layout. The scoring average for the field was 70.3, thought to be unheard in tournament history.
In other years, a player who shot 70 usually was in good position. On this day, it meant he was in a tie for 42nd.
Armstrong, a star at Lipscomb University in Nashville, had one of the wildest 65s in tournament history. Armstrong, who not only is playing in New England for the first time _ ``This is the first time I’ve ever been in this part of the country,’’ he said _ fired his way to 7-under through his first 14 holes, putting him in range of the course record. His early work included holing out from 60 yards on the par-4 14th for eagle (He began on the back nine).
Armstrong had a memorable finish for the wrong reasons. He bogeyed six and seven, his 15th and 16th holes. Then, on the 453-yard ninth hole, he hit his approach on the green. But on the wrong green. He ended up about 30 yards left and long of where he wanted to be, on the 18th green. He called over rules official Brian Harbour to ask what he should do. Harbour did not realize at first what the problem was.
``I told him, `Nice shot. He was about 20 feet from the pin,’’ Harbour related. ``Then he told me it was the wrong green.’’
Armstrong had to go to the far side of the green, even farther away from the ninth, and take a drop. He pitched just short of the green, then got up and down from there for a bogey and his 65. Armstrong, an outgoing, engaging personality, took his crazy day in stride, even smiling about everything that happened with the disappointing finish. He already has won four college tournaments, led his Lipscomb team into the NCAA Regionals and finished second earlier this month in the Tennessee Open.
Valois had a more normal 65. He had five birdies and did not have a five on his card until his last hole, the ninth. There he took three to get down for his only bogey of the day.
Flaherty overcame a double-bogey six on the fourth hole on his way to 65. The double came when he casually tapped in his first missed putt, but saw that one lip out. Flaherty made up for it with six birdies, including four in a row beginning at the 11th.
Gilchrist was one of the last players to begin and had to deal with changing conditions that included a 45 delay because of threatening weather conditions. He had played only four and one-half holes before the delay.
While he plays for Auburn, he is from Southlake, Tex. He is playing at Wannamoisett rather than in his Texas Amateur.
``When you get an invitation to play here, it’s not a tough decision on what to do,’’ he said. ``It wasn’t a tough decision. This is one of the best amateur tournaments with an elite field.’’
Stories of players doing things not usually done at Wannamoisett happened all over the course.
Sean Crocker, a Southern Cal star who won the long drive competition in Tuesday’s am-am drove the green at the 372-yard 5th hole on the way to shooting 69. His round also included an eagle on the par-4 11th.
Rhode Island Interscholastic League champion Will Dickson suffered double bogies on two of his first six holes. Yet he recovered to post even-par 69.
Six holes, five on the back side, played under par.