Kevin Guidera Wins Men's Public Links By One Shot At Rockleigh
Kevin Guidera of Galloping Hill shots rounds of 70-71-141, but his chip-in on his 31sthole of the day led to his first NJSGA Championship, NJSGA Public Links Championship , by one stroke over Gabriel Rivera of Mattawang, at Rockleigh Golf Course in Rockleigh on a 95-degree day on Thursday, July 20.
Rivera shot back-to-back even-par 71s for a 142 total.Tied for third were Dan Joseph of Mercer Paks at 74=70-144 and Max Johnson of Heron Glen at 76-68-144. The 68 was the low round of the day.
Guidera, a native of Union who now lives in Belleville, had to overcome a double bogey on his second hole of the afternoon session, No. 11,, when the club slipped from his hand and he topped the ball off the tee.
But he rallied with birdies on his ninth hole, the par-4 No. 18, his 13th hole, the par-3 No. 4, and his 14th hole, the par-5 No. 5. He birdied his final hole of the day, the par-4 No. 9 when he drained a 15-foot putt.
His biggest shot of the day came on his 13th hole, the par-3 No. 4, when he hit his tee shot long and left into a stream. His chip of 45 yards from the drop zone was perfect as it bounced into the hole for a saving par.
“I had some good bounces out there . My putter decided to come alive for me. With the opportunities I had, I put the ball in the hole,” said Guidera, 36, an elementary school teacher in Elizabeth. “It’s funny. Two weeks ago I put a new grip on an old bullseye putter and I’ve been doing well with it ever since.”
On Tuesday, Guidera and his uncle Dennis Guidera qualified for the NJSGA Four-Ball Championship.
Guidera has had success at Rockleigh. He qualified for the State Open and the Met Publinx on the course.
“I hit it fairly well. Not great. It was about patience. I used to be my own worst enemy, getting too emotional.Now I’m trying to be patient out there,” said Guidera who was on the golf teams at Roselle Catholic, where he was a conference champion, and at St. Peter’s College.
“I put in a lot of time this year working on my ball-striking with Pete Busch at Galloping Hill. It’s making a difference,” he said.
Rivera, who turns 20 on August 28, is a rising junior at Penn State. While not a member of the golf team there, he is in the professional golf management program.
He found himself one shot out of the lead after the morning 18 holes, as Guidera and Jack Panagos of Neshanic Valley each shot 70..
“I knew I’d be up there for the first round, but I didn’t even look at the scoreboard. I felt like the course was gettable. I just wanted to stick to my game plan, keeping the ball in the fairway and hitting a lot of wedges in,” Rivera said.
“My game has always been there. It’s clicking now. I’m getting off the tee and putting myself in good position,” Rivera said. “IT’s the mental side. I’ve matured and cut a couple strokes off my game this year.”
