Bernstein & Young Lead the Field at 2-Under After Round 1 of N.Y.S. Men's Amateur
VERONA, N.Y. -- After working a long weekend in Scotland at the Open Championship, Mother Nature quickly turned her attention to some golf tournaments stateside, not the least of which was the 93rd New York State Men’s Amateur Championship.
A strong northwest wind on the heels of a refreshing cold front Tuesday at Turning Stone Resort’s Kaluhyat Golf Club drove scores up. Still there were five players under par on the 6,844-yard par-72 layout, designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr.
A pair of players from Westchester County, Sam Bernstein from Century Country Club and Cameron Young from Sleepy Hollow Country Club, carded 2-under-par 70s in the afternoon wave, during which the wind reached 20 miles per hour with higher gusts.
Three more players scored 1-under 71s, Billy Gaffney and Daniel Yustin from the Buffalo area and Brian Viola from Poughkeepsie.
Bernstein, a 2014 Yale University graduate who suffered a serious knee injury last year, recorded five birdies against three bogeys. “It was difficult out there,” Bernstein said. “The targets are really small and it got to the point where you had to try to figure out where to miss".
The 18-year-old Young, bound for Wake Forest next month, made a 20-foot putt to save a bogey on the par-5 13th hole that he said kept his round going. “You can live with a bogey or two but those double bogeys ruin your score".
Young tied for fourth last week at the New York State Open, held at Bethpage Black.
Two rising juniors at strong Division I college programs were a few strokes off the first-round pace but are still within striking distance.
Derek Bard of New Hartford, who plays for the University of Virginia, shot 73. Gavin Hall of Rochester, who plays for the University of Texas, carded a 74.
Defending champion Luke Feehan from Mahopac Golf and Beach Club in Carmel managed a 77. Reigning State Mid-Amateur champion Jamie Miller, from Tri-County Country Club near Buffalo, shot 73.
There will be a cut after Wednesday’s second round to the low 40 players and ties and anyone within 10 strokes of the lead.
The survivors are scheduled to play 36 holes Thursday.
To view full results from Round 1, click here.
To view pairings for Round 2, click here.
To view photos from Round 1, click here.
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Chuck Harty
