EMERSON – Danny Harcourt and Nick Bova have been in the lead before, and they’re back with the lead and a chance to win the title.
Harcourt and Bova, both pros, share the first-round lead at 103rd New Jersey Open Golf Championship after carding 5-under-par 67s on Monday at sunny Hackensack Golf Club.
“I’m very excited,” said Harcourt, 26, representing Fiddler’s Elbow. “I’m thrilled with my play, thrilled with my ball-striking and putting and my mental performance.”
“A great round today,” said Bova, 38, representing Hamilton Farm. “I got off to a good start, got a few good breaks early on.”
Harcourt and Bova hold a one-shot lead over two amateurs, Jack Simon of Rockaway River and Troy Vannucci of Little Mill, in a 54-hole championship in which the top pro earns $20,000.
Sitting in a three-way tie for fifth with 69 in this New Jersey State Golf Association event: former champion and pro Brian Gaffney of Essex Fells and amateurs William O’Neill of Spring Brook and 18-year-old Winston Blank of Hollywood.
Former champion Mark Costanza of Hamilton Farm shot 70 and is in a four-way tie for eighth with fellow amateurs Davis Weil of Ridgewood and Chris DeJohn of Arcola and pro Danny Daniels of Knickerbocker.
During the 2019 Open at Trump in Bedminster, Harcourt was a final-round leader and finished third in an unprecedented 1-2-3 finish by amateurs. During the 2021 Open at Spring Brook, Bova had the final-round lead and also finished third.
Harcourt had an eagle, five birdies and two bogeys at the recently renovated Hackensack GC, whose improvements include tree removal that creates better air flow and allowed the course to dry faster in heavy July rain. During his morning round, he eagled the 10th hole, the 537-yard par-5, by sinking a 30-foot putt.
“I thought the course was unbelievable,” said Harcourt, a Fanwood resident and graduate of Gettysburg. “I’m excited to come back and do the same thing.”
Bova had seven birdies and two bogeys during the afternoon wave for his 67. Starting on the 10th, he birdied Nos. 4, 5 and 6 to catapult into a share of the lead. He putted well, sinking an 8-foot birdie on No. 4 and a 12-footer on No. 6.
“My putter kind of saved me,” said Bova, a Hillsborough resident who also made putts of 15 and 20 feet. “and my wedges and my short game.”
Simon, 24, started on the 10thth hole and registered three consecutive birdies. The St. John’s graduate and Sparta resident totaled five birdies and one bogey and said, “I hit the ball really well today.”
Vannucci had a busy round with an eagle, five birdies and three bogeys for his 68. Vannucci, 31, a Marlton resident, said, “I just need to keep the momentum going, basically do what I did today, copy and paste.”
Gaffney, the 2010 titlist and two-time runner-up, said he, “got a lot out of the round.” He hasn’t played a lot this season and was encouraged after registering four birdies and just one bogey for his 69.
“It’s nice to get off to a nice start,” said Gaffney, 52, a Montclair State graduate and Essex Fells resident. “And that gives me optimism for the next two days.”
Costanza is enjoying a bit of home-course advantage, as he grew up in Bergen County and won the 2020 Open at nearby Knickerbocker CC. He has played plenty at Hackensack GC and had four birdies and two bogeys for his 70.
“I’m comfortable on these courses, played them a bunch,” said Costanza, 34, who starred at nearby Bergen Catholic and is a Morristown resident. “So hopefully having the State Open back in Bergen County is helpful for me.”
103rd New Jersey Open Golf Championship
at Hackensack GC, Emerson
Couple: 72; Yardage: 6,983
First of three rounds
Danny Harcourt, Fiddler’s Elbow 67
Nick Bova, Hamilton Farm 67
a-Jack Simon, Rockaway River 68
a-Troy Vannucci, Little Mill 68
a-William O’Neill, 69 Spring Brook
Brian Gaffney, Essex Fells 69
a-Winston Blank, Hollywood 69
a-Mark Costanza, Hamilton Farm 70
a-Davis Weil, 70 Ridgewood
Danny Daniels, Knickerbocker 70
a-Chris DeJohn, Arcola 70
a-William Celiberti, Arcola 71
a-Trevor Randolph, Arcola 71
Brendan Davis, Arcola 71
Jaimie Pierson, Baltusrol 71
a-Austin Devereux, Manasquan River 71
a-Thomas O’Neill, Hackensack 71
a-Johnny Bush, Plainfield 71
Jim McGovern, White Beeches 72
a-James Arbes, Watchung Valley 72
Brian Krulfeifer, North Jersey 72
Tyler McArdell, Essex County 72
a-Reed Greyserman, Hamilton Farm 72
Mike Meisenzahl, Little Mill 72
a-Stephen Walsh, Baltusrol 72
Brent Paladino, USGA 73
a-Pat Wilson, Hamilton Farm 73
Gregory Baker, 73 Rockaway River
a-John Havay, High Bridge Hills 73
Brent Studer, Metedeconk 73
Ryan Hager, Plainfield 73
a-Jack Wall, Manasquan River 73
Brian Varsey, Essex Fells 73
a-Mac Bredahl, Fairmount 73
a-Todd Shagin, Arcola 74
a-Jason Bataille, Raritan Valley 74
a-Thomas Lee, NJSGA E-Club 74
Marc Issler, Toms River 74
a-Connor Bekefi, Pine Barrens 74
a-Colin Summers, Plainfield 74
David Quinn, 74 Laurel Creek
a-Tyler Lee, Ridgewood 74
a-Henry Bolster, NJSGA E-Club 74
Ryan Fountaine, Baltusrol 74
Bryan Dougherty, Hollywood 74
Lou Kubisa, Knob Hill 74
Joseph Kogelman, GolfTEC Moorestown 74
a-Brendan Hansen, Spring Lake 74
Matthew Hardy, 74 Mendham
Mark DeLaura, Crestmont 74
Tony Perla Forsgate 74
John McCarthy, 74 Knoll
a-Peter Byrne, NJSGA E-Club 74
Jeffrey Maines, 75 Spring Brook
Bill Hook, Knickerbocker 75
a-Jimmy Apostolico, Rockaway River 75
Peter Springstead, 75 Hackensack
Mark McCormick, Suburban 75
a-Max Bichsel, Baltusrol 75
Brian Gussis, GolfTEC Woodbridge 75
a-Michael Brown, Rock Spring 75
Danny Lewis, Hollywood 75
Brian Mackey, North Jersey 75
Kyle Nestor, Preakness Hills 75
a-Reid Bedell, Manasquan River 75
a-Vincent Palazzolo, Metedeconk 75
Frank Esposito Jr., 75 Mountain Ridge
Vince Ramagli, Montclair 75
a-Garrett Kessler, Mountain Ridge 75
David Reasoner, 76 Ridgewood
Sam Kang, 76 Essex Center
a-Brandon Valvano, North Jersey 76
Andy Brock, Inspiration Range 76
Chris Dymek, Manasquan River 76
a-Ricky Calve, Colts Neck 76
a-Katherine Lu, 76 Cranbury
Jacob Smith, Fiddler’s Elbow 76
a-Joey Lostumbo, Stanton Ridge 76
Evan Jones, Hamilton Farm 77
a-Shiv Manhas, NJSGA E-Club 77
Edward Whitman, Knickerbocker 77
a-William Canon, 77 Forest Hill
a-Nate Beck, Mountain Ridge 77
a-Gavin Rau, Neshanic Valley 78
Pat Fillian, Echo Lake 78
a-Jack Strippoli, Essex Fells 78
a-Chad Buchanan, Beacon Hill 78
a-William Bello, NJSGA E-Club 78
Christoff Els, 78 Montclair
Tyler Hall, 78 Upper Montclair
Keith Grassing, Royce Brook 78
a-Brody O’Connor, Essex Fells 78
a-Arav Patel, 78 Forsgate
Craig Smith, Morris County 78
Will Halamandaris, Baltusrol 78
Aaron Asedo, Mountain Ridge 79
a-Michael Stamberger, Manasquan River 79
a-Travis Dix, Eagle Oaks 79
a-Peter Kozubal, NJSGA E-Club 80
a-Shane Quinn, NJ National 80
Leo Lee, 80 Ridgewood
a-Niall Handley, Knoll 80
Steven Taraska, 81 Ridgewood
a-Paul Giovannoli, NJSGA E-Club 81
Sung Lee, D1 Academy 82
Junghyun Oh, D1 Academy 83
Lowell Miller, 83 Rockaway River
a-Tucker Sandercock, NJSGA E-Club 83
Steve Sieg, Navesink 83
a-Dan Douches, Watchung Valley 84
Ryan Buckley, Fiddler’s Elbow 84
a-Matthew Porter, Colts Neck 85
Rylee Plitz, Eagle Ridge 86
Pat Keenan, Deal 89
a-Brett Inserra, NJSGA E-Club WD
a-denotes amateur
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Former contenders share early lead at 103rd New Jersey Open golf