Lucas & Mike Artigliere repeat as Father and Son Champions at Hawk Pointe G.C.
Defending champions Lucas and Mike Artigliere of Mount Tabor registered three birdies on both the front and back nines, powering their effort of a six-under-par 66 to win 97th NJSGA Father and Son Championship at par-72, 6,360-yard Hawk Pointe Golf Club in Washington.
The Artiglieres were one shot better than Mike and Michael Paduano of Eagle Oaks in the gross division. Kyle Lisa of Pinch Brook and dad Mark Lisa of Neshanic Valley shot a net-65 to claim the net division.
“We had a goal today. We shot even par to win last year at New Jersey National so we wanted to shoot 66 today to prove we had what it took to repeat,” said Mike Artigiliere, 51, a health and physical education teacher and golf coach at Millburn High School. “There are some great names of father-and-son teams on that trophy. It’s nice to be on there twice.”
Son Lucas Artigliere, 19, is a former high school Group 2 champion for Madison High School who is a rising sophomore at Drew University. This spring he was named Landmark Conference Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year after winning the conference championship at Dauphin Hills in Pennsylvania.
“I was able to keep my drives in play so we usually had short clubs into the greens. We had good birdie opportunities all day,” he said.
The Artiglieres strung together birdies on the par-4 No. 6, the par-5 No. 7, and the par-4 No. 8 to get to three-under-par at the turn. Mike’s pitch from 40 yards on No. 6 set up a two-foot birdie putt. On the par-5 No. 7, the Artiglieres reached the green in two, and two-putted from 30 feet for a birdie. On No. 8, Mike’s pitch shot from 80 yards ended just five feet from the hole.
At the par-5 No. 10, Lucas lofted a 45-foot chip to just three feet or a birdie look. On the dogleg par-4, No. 14, Lucas sank a 15-foot birdie putt, and on the par-4 No 17, it was Mike who drained a curling 12-footer for yet a sixth birdie.
“Lucas bombs it off the tee and my short irons are usually good, so we complement each other out here,” Mike said. “You need a short game to score."
Said Lucas: “My biggest improvement the last year has been with my short irons. It allows me to shoot under par a lot more.”
