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PHOTO GALLERIES: DAY 1 | DAY 2 | DAY 3
Dates: Tuesday, August 11 - Thursday, August 13
Format: 132 Players; 54-hole Stroke Play. There will be a cut to 70 players + ties after the First Round, and a cut to 35 players + ties after the Second Round.
Starting times: Morning wave, beginning at 8 a.m. off tees 1 and 10; Afternoon wave, beginning at 1 p.m. off tees 1 and 10
Defending champion: Jake Griffin
Host site: Mount Vernon Country Club
RECAP (Please note, this recap is courtesy of the Maryland State Golf Association)
Record-setting Round Propels Zack Wilson to 108th DC Amateur Title
Alexandria, Va. – The 108th playing of the DC Amateur took place at Mount Vernon Country Club in Alexandria, Va., from Aug. 11-13. The championship was administered by the Virginia State Golf Association in partnership with the Maryland State Golf Association.
Zack Wilson of Independence Golf Club claimed the 108th DC Amateur title after setting a new course record with a nine-under-par 61 in the second round. Wilson entered the final round with a four-stroke lead and held on to win by two strokes at eight-under-par 202.
Round 1 (Aug. 11)
Tanner Currie of USGA/Maryland-DC GC opened the 108th DC Amateur with a seven-under-par 63 to take the outright lead after the opening round at Mount Vernon Country Club. Currie carded seven birdies without a bogey, setting a new course record in the process.
Not far behind the leader were Connor McGarrity of Kenwood Golf & Country Club and Jon McClements of Argyle Country Club, who shared second place at six-under-par 64. McGarrity carded eight birdies against two bogeys, while McClements fired off four birdies and an eagle.
Chris Kilduff of Eagle’s Nest Country Club and Andrew Klein of Green Spring Valley Hunt Club rounded out the top five at four-under-par 66. Following the opening round, 70 players made the cut and advanced to the second round.
Round 2 (Aug. 12)
In round two, Zack Wilson saw Currie’s course record from the first round and raised him two strokes. Wilson opened his second round on a tear, going eagle-birdie-birdie-par-birdie through his first five holes before adding another birdie on the 9th. He opened his second nine with another eagle before a bogey on the 12th. Wilson bounced back with birdies on the 14th and 15th, finishing with a round-low and new course record of nine-under-par 61 to take a four-stroke lead at 11-under-par heading into Wednesday’s final round.
“I got started off with an eagle on one and birdies on two and three. I kind of got the putter hot early and really just carried some momentum,” Wilson said. “I’m a huge basketball fan, and momentum is a huge thing, so I think I really carried that throughout the round. Eagling 10 was cool. I was just kind of cruising and birdieing when I could. I didn’t really think about the score at all, but that was pretty fun.”
McClements looked to keep pace but stumbled early, opening with a double bogey. He responded with consecutive birdies on the next two holes before giving one back with a bogey on the 5th. After making the turn at one-over-par, McClements opened his second nine with a birdie and added two more on the 16th and 18th against a lone bogey. He finished with a one-under-par 69 and a tournament total of seven-under-par 133, good for second place heading into the final round.
Looking to carry some momentum from his low first round, Currie opened his second with a birdie but faced adversity on the 3rd with a double bogey. He rebounded with a birdie on the 8th to make the turn at even-par. After a birdie on the 12th in his first round, Currie carded a double bogey on the same hole in round two. A birdie on the 16th helped offset the setback, giving Currie a one-over-par 71 and a tournament total of six-under-par 134, dropping him to third place.
McGarrity and Kilduff remained within striking distance of the leaders entering the final round. McGarrity carded a two-over-par 72, with a mix of birdies, bogeys, and a lone double bogey, resulting in a four-under-par 136 tournament total and sharing fourth place entering the final round. Kilduff’s three front-nine bogeys and a birdie were offset by three birdies and a bogey on the back nine, resulting in an even-par 70 and a tournament total of four-under-par 136, also good for a share of fourth place heading into the final round.
By the end of round two, 44 players earned their place in the final round of the 108th DC Amateur.
Round 3 (Aug. 13)
Wilson opened his final round with a birdie and remained steady through his first five holes before running into trouble toward the end of the opening nine. He gave a stroke back with a bogey on the 6th but quickly responded with a birdie on the 7th. Another bogey on the 9th left Wilson at even-par through the first nine.
The second nine proved more difficult for the leader, as Wilson opened with consecutive bogeys on the 10th and 11th. A birdie on the 13th briefly helped his score, but a bogey on the following hole immediately countered it. Wilson settled in over the next three holes before closing with a bogey on the 18th. Despite the difficult final round, Wilson held on to win the 108th DC Amateur by two strokes.
“I kind of had to take it one swing at a time,” Wilson said of his final round. “The middle stretch is where I was kind of struggling along and limping in. I got it back, and I was able to make a couple of good putts towards the end and save some pars.”
Wilson described the victory as a “great” feeling and credited the support he received throughout the week.
“I was lucky enough to have some friends out here supporting me,” Wilson said of his week. “The course was in great shape, the greens were looking nice, and the fairways were pure. I can’t complain, obviously.”
Jett Leard of Draper Valley Golf Club finished runner-up. Leard was the only player to record three under-par rounds, as he carded six birdies against two bogeys for a four-under-par 66 in the final round and a tournament total of six-under-par 204.
Three players shared third place at five-under-par 205, including the low scorer of the final round, Grant Lester of Argyle Country Club. Lester tallied six birdies against one bogey for a five-under-par 65. He shared third with McGarrity, who rebounded from an over-par second round with a one-under-par 69, and Currie, who recorded a second consecutive one-over-par 71.
The MSGA would like to thank the staff and membership of Mount Vernon Country Club, as well as the Virginia State Golf Association, for hosting this year’s DC Amateur.