Three Teams Advance to 10th U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship; New Jersey's Pasternak and Blake Co-Medal
BASKING RIDGE, N.J. - Three teams co-medaled in the qualifying round for the 10th U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship on Monday at New Jersey National Golf Club.
Ben Shields (Towson, Maryland) and Mike Filler (Glen Burnie, Maryland), Blake Barnes (Westfield, New Jersey) and Liam Pasternak (Morristown, New Jersey), and Matthew Vital (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania) and Bennett Espenshade (Baltimore, Maryland) earned their spot to compete at Plainfield Country Club from May 17-22, 2025.
All three teams fired a 7-under par 65 on the 6,839-yard course.
Shields and Filler closed out their round with three consecutive birdies beginning on No. 16 to claim their spot.
The local New Jersey duo of Blake and Pasternak started strong at 5-under par on the front nine.
"We decided that we were going to try to play our own ball, make as many birdies as we can, and compete against each other that way,” Pasternak said. “That’s what we do on a regular basis, and we didn’t want to change that up.”
The two are looking forward to competing at Plainfield Country Club together.
“We played off each other really well,” Blake added. “We did a good job of not stepping on each other’s shoes.”
Vital, a rising sophomore at Temple University and Espenshade, an incoming freshman at Rutgers University stayed consistent throughout the round at 4-under par on their front nine and 3-under par on their back nine.
After a 6-for-2 playoff for the alternate spots, Eric LeFante and Tyler Brewington grabbed the first alternate and Justin Chae and Tucker Sandercock took the second alternate spot.
U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Qualifiers (Hometown)
Barnes Blake (Westfield, N.J.) and Liam Pasternak (Morristown, N.J.); (-7) 65
Ben Shields (Towson, Md.) and Mike Filler (Glen Burnie, Md.; (-7) 65
Matthew Vital (Bethlehem, Penn.) and Bennett Espenshade (Baltimore, Md.); (-7) 65
Alternates
Eric LeFante (Mendham, N.J.) and Tyler Brewington (Oceanport, N.J.) (-6) 66 - First Alternate
Justin Chae (Summit, N.J.) and Tucker Sandercock (Morristown, N.J.); (-6) 66 - Second Alternate
NJSGA Social Media
For the latest updates and news, visit njgsa.org or follow New Jersey State Golf Association on Facebook, X and Instagram at @NJSGA1900.
