Three share medal in Amateur qualifying at Quail Brook
Vince Palazzolo of Colts Neck, Mark Lyszczasz of Neshanic Valley and Erik Stevens of Hawk Pointe all shot one-under-par 71 and shared medalist honors at the qualifying round of the 118th NJSGA Amateur Championship on Saturday, June 1, at the par-72, 6,509-yard Quail Brook Golf Course in Somerset.
Sixteen golfers who shot 75 or better qualified for the Amateur, presented by Provident Bank, which takes place July 9-11 at Neshanic Valley Golf Course in Neshanic Station.
Tied for fourth place at even par were Tom Timby of Mercer Oaks, Gavin Rau of Neshanic Valley, Ethan Wall of Manasquan River and Nick Loughlin of Green Knoll.
Palazzolo, who won the 2014 NJSGA Billy Y. Dear Junior Championship, shot four under par over his final four holes, including an eagle on the 333-yard. par-4 No. 16, when he chipped in from 10 yards.
“I graduated from college (George Washington) last May and I took a breather from golf last year, but I got the urge again this winter. I’m starting to play better. I finished 16th at the New York City Amateur last week,” said Palazzolo, 22, who lives in Colts Neck and works in marketing.
He has performed well in the NJSGA Amateur, placing T-12 in 2013 at Canoe Brook and T-26 in 2014 at Knickerbocker.
Lyszczasz, 28, lives in Green Brook and frequents Somerset County public courses, including Quail Brook. He shot two-under-par 34 with three birdies and a bogey on his final nine holes over Quail Brook’s front nine.
“That’s my best round here. I rolled it well today. The course is in such good shape today. The pins were tough but fair. Because of the soft conditions, you could be aggressive on your approach shots,” said Lyszczasz, who played golf at Southeastern University in Florida and now works as a store manager.
Stevens, 18, a senior at North Hunterdon High School won the boys high school Group 4 championship two weeks ago at Hopewell Valley. The Monmouth University-bound golfer continued his hot play with a round that included four birdies, one bogey and a double bogey.
“I never played here before, but the course was in really nice condition,” Stevens said. “The fairways were nice and the greens were rolling well. The key for me was the putting. I putted really well.”
