Andrew Young. Hilary Abramowitz Win At Tournament Of Club Champions
Andrew Young of Metuchen shot 3-under-par 69 and Hilary Abramowitz of Rutgers carded an 80 to win the men’s and women’s divisions , respectively, of the 15th NJSGA Tournament of Club Champions at Crestmont Country Club in West Orange on Tuesday, October 18.
Young, a native of Rhode Island and former assistant professional at Canoe Brook, collected a birdie on the 18thhole to edge Mike Stiles of Indian Springs by a shot. Kyle Hartlaub of Canoe Brook (71) and Chris Gotterup of Rumson were third and fourth.
Abramowitz, who won the event in 2009 at Upper Montclair, topped four-time champion Fran Gacos of Copper Hill by two shots and Michelle Karlik of Ridge at Back Brook by four strokes.
PHOTO GALLERY MEN'S SCORING WOMEN'S SCORING
“I’m an up-and-down player, but this is the biggest win for me,” said Young, 42, “I drove it good and kept it in the fairway. I’d never seen the course, but the guys I played with hit it about 100 yards past me. I stayed away from problems with me hitting 270 off the tee.
“The course was nice. There weren’t a lot of blind shots. I play at Metuchen where it’s very narrow. This was nice in that it was kind of open. I was able to get the ball onto the green,” he said.
Young played golf at the University of Rhode Island and played in the U.S. Amateur in 1996. He served as an assistant pro, first at Pawtucket, then at Canoe Brook (2000-1). In that time, he played in three State Opens.
His round at Crestmont, which played 6,447 yards, included four birdies, a double bogey, a bogey and an eagle-2 when he holed out from 60 yards at the short par-4 seventh hole.
“That put me at three-under for seven holes. But I bogeyed the ninth hole. On the back I had eight pars and the birdie on 18 when I reached in two and two-putted. I enjoy playing to win. It’s nice to win this for the club,” Young said.
Abramowitz carries a seven handicap and has overcome numerous injuries such as back fusion and a knee replacement.
“I didn’t lose my cool today. Our forecaddie really helped with the putting and I struck the ball pretty well,” said Abramowitz, 63, who is a native of Zambia. She came to the U.S. in 1979 to work in the computer industry and never left, raising two sons in Westfield where she resides.
“It helps to know the greens here. I‘ve never beaten Fran Gacos before. She’s a much better player than me.”
Her round included a birdie on the par-4 No. 10 when he blasted out of a bunker and made a 20-foot putt.
Abramowitz is a champion of golf for young ladies and is a long-time volunteer with LPGA/USGA Girls golf of Greater Newark. She also volunteers for Renaissance Golf of Newark.
“I help to get young girls and minorities to play golf. It’s all about getting young girls playing golf,” she said.
