PREVIEW: 123rd Amateur Championship at Forest Hill FC
Forest Hill Field Club Set to Host the 123rd New Jersey Amateur Championship Presented by Provident Bank
BLOOMFIELD, N.J. - For the first time in 28 years and third time overall, the New Jersey Amateur Championship presented by Provident Bank will visit Forest Hill Field Club from July 8-10 for the 123rd edition of the storied championship.
The NJSGA will be adding articles, photo galleries, videos, and other content before and during the New Jersey Amateur on the Championship HQ page.
Serving as an official USGA Exemption Event, the champion of the 123rd New Jersey Amateur will receive an exemption into the 124th U.S. Amateur Championship at Hazeltine Country Club from August 12-18, 2024.
Year after year, the New Jersey Amateur features the state’s best amateur golfers. Since its inception, the tournament has produced some notable champions including Hall of Fame members, current PGA TOUR players, and more significantly talented competitors.
In more recent years, the Amateur has featured a slew of electric finishes, highlighted by back-to-back seasons with a playoff determining the champion in 2022 and 2023.
Forest Hill hosted its last New Jersey Amateur as part of the club’s centennial in 1996. That year, Bill McGuinness, 36 at the time, won his first of two Amateur titles. The Tillinghast-designed golf course features skyline views of New York City and plenty of risk-reward golf shots. Forest Hill also hosted the Amateur in 1961 as Joseph A. McBride won the title over Lloyd Monroe to cap a phenomenal run of four titles in 13 years.
The DROP Podcast Course Preview with NJSGA Executive Director, Kevin Purcell
Inside the Field
Out of more than 500 entries accepted, 100 advanced to the Championship Proper, including a handful of exempt players. Defending champion Jack Wall, who won last year at Manasquan River Golf Club is among the 24 players who earned a full exemption and will be competing at Forest Hill.
The Championship will be 72-Holes of stroke-play competition. 18-holes will be played on both July 8 and 9. After 36-holes, a cut will be made to the low 40 scorers plus ties. The lowest 40 scorers will advance to July 10, which will be 36-holes.
Spectators are encouraged to attend, and admission throughout the event is free of charge. Use of carts will not be permitted.
PLAYER NOTES
A collection of notable players in the 123rd Amateur Championship:
Gregg Angelillo, 53, has three New Jersey Pre-Senior Championship titles on his resume. This past May, Angelillo cruised to his first NJPGA/NJSGA Senior Open win at Rossmoor Golf Club.
Stephen Boyd, 72, is the oldest competitor in the field. Boyd previously won the New Jersey Father & Son Championship and a pair of New Jersey Mixed Pinehurst Championships.
William Celiberti, 23, is one of five former champions in the field - winning in 2022 by way of a three-hole aggregate playoff. Last season, Celiberti finished t-12 in the New Jersey Amateur and t-10 in the New Jersey Open. He closed out his collegiate career at Santa Clara University this spring.
Mark Costanza, 35, returns to the championship for the first time since 2020. Costanza, the 2020 New Jersey Open Champion finished in third in his last appearance in the Amateur. In 2021, he finished as runner-up at the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship. Currently, Costanza is the top World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) player in the field, checking in at 186.
Austin Devereux, 25, started the summer with a win at the 41st New Jersey Mid-Amateur Championship in his first year eligible for the event. Since winning the New Jersey Amateur in 2020, Devereux has made the cut each year, and finished t-19 last year at Manasquan River Golf Club. He's one of five former champions in the field.
Liam Pasternak, 17, a senior junior on the Morristown High School golf team, won the individual title at the NJSIAA State Championship this spring. In May, Pasternak qualified for the 76th U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, which will be contested July 22-27 at Oakland Hills Country Club. He’s verbally committed to play golf at the University of Notre Dame in 2025.
Troy Vannucci, 32, the 2023 New Jersey Player of the Year is coming off a solid 2023 campaign where he finished as runner-up in the New Jersey Mid-Amateur, a t-6 finish at the New Jersey Amateur and t-3 at the New Jersey Open. He started off 2024 with a quarterfinal appearance in the 41st New Jersey Mid-Amateur.
Jack Wall, 23, looks to defend his title after winning via a three-hole playoff in 2023 at his home course Manasquan River. Wall is coming off a second place finish at the MGA Ike Championship. Wall checks in at 270 in the WAGR.
Qualifying Results
Neshanic Valley GC
Peddie GC
White Beeches G&CC
LBI National GC
Lake Mohawk GC
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