Unless, of course, you were one of the competitors trying to unlock the mystery of the two stroke-play venues for the 122nd US Amateur Championship. For the second day in a row, The Ridgewood Country Club and co-host Arcola Country Club presented a daunting challenge to the world’s best amateurs.
With a setup evocative of a US Open – 5-inch rough coupled with firm and fast greens rolling as fast as 13 feet on the Stimpmeter – just making par was a challenge. The venues played to stroke averages well over par: 76.8 at par-71, 7,403-yard Ridgewood and 75.2 at par-70, 7,251-yard Arcola.
That explains why only eight players finished under par for 36 holes. Half of those earned co-medallist honors at three-under-par 138: Michael Thorbjornsen, fellow 2022 US Open qualifier Fred Biondi, Luke Gutschewski, the son of PGA Tour veteran and two-time Korn Ferry Tour winner Scott Gutschewski and Hugo Townsend.
The four co-medallists mark the highest total in US Amateur history, while Australians Connor McKinney and Hayden Hopewell advanced to the match play, with compatriot Karl Vilips to take part in a 15 player play-off for 11 spots on Wednesday morning local time.
Thorbjornsen, who won the 2018 US Junior Amateur at Baltusrol Golf Club in nearby Springfield, was in position for solo medallist honors until he stumbled with a double-bogey 6 on his final hole at Arcola to post an even-par 70.
RIGHT: Fred Biondi was one of the four players to share medalist honors in New Jersey. PHOTO: USGA.
Townsend fired a 67 at Arcola, while Biondi carded a second consecutive 69, this time at Ridgewood. Gutschewski posted an even-par 70 at Arcola.
They were one stroke ahead of 2022 NCAA individual champion Gordon Sargent, who shot the only bogey-free round of the championship, a 65 at Arcola, the lowest score of the week by two strokes.
The good news for the players? Everyone who advanced to match play – the cut came at 5-over – starts from scratch in the Round of 64. Stroke-play scores are forgotten and it’s now head-to-head competition over the next five days to see whose name will be engraved on the Havemeyer Trophy.
Thorbjornsen battled with his driver the entire round and despite making four birdies, including three straight from No.8, against two birdies over his first 17 holes, it caught up with him on the 452-yard closing hole.
“It doesn’t really matter,” said Thorbjornsen about being a co-medalist versus a solo medalist. “Kind of just more disappointed in myself for just doubling the last hole, whether it’s for nothing or to win the US Amateur. I just don’t like playing bad golf.”
Gutschewski, one of six first-round co-leaders, also made a push for solo medalist when he reached 5-under overall after a two on the 238-yard 2nd hole, his 11th of the day. Bogeys on 4 and 9 pushed him back to even par for the day.
“It feels good,” said Gutschewski, who failed to qualify for match play in last year’s US Junior Amateur. “Obviously you can’t win if you don’t make match play, right? It’s just another step along the way.”
Karl Vilips will have his tournament future decided in a 15-way play-off on Wednesday morning. PHOTO: USGA.
Biondi, who started on No. 9 at Ridgewood, kickstarted his round with three consecutive birdies from No. 13, including a 25-footer on the par-3 15th. He added another birdie at the par-5 5th before suffering his second bogey of the round on the 471-yard eighth, statistically the second-hardest hole during stroke play.
Carrying his own bag, Townsend, the son of past Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup and Ryder Cup competitor Peter Townsend, used an eagle on the par-5 9th at Arcola to post a three-under 67, the lowest round of the week at the venue. He made a 30-foot putt and quickly followed with a birdie on No. 10 and played his final eight holes in one-over.
“I was just happy to be out early,” said Townsend, who was born in the Republic of Ireland but resides in Sweden. “I played [Ridgewood in the] afternoon yesterday, and the greens were getting baked, the wind was picking up. I mean, the courses are tough, the rough is thick. I felt like if I could keep some balls in the fairway this morning, I could take advantage of the first 12 holes with a little softer greens, and maybe a little more true roll to the ball.”
McKinney was the best of the Aussies, finishing in a tie for 14thth after a 68 at Arcola following his opening 74 at Ridgewood, while Hopewell’s second straight 72 earned him a share of 30th and a match play spot.
Vilips very well could have avoided the headache of tomorrow’s play-off after turning in one over at Arcola, the US based Aussie made a double bogey at the par-3 7th (his 16th hole of the day) to sign for 73 for the second consecutive day to drop him out of automatic advancement.
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