Weil fires two-under par; paces field in Open Qualifying at Shackamaxon
A run of four birdies and four pars over eight holes powered amateur Davis Weil of Ridgewood, a University of Pennsylvania rising junior, to medalist honors at Tuesday’s qualifying round for the 100th NJSGA Open Championship at the par-70, 6,635-yard Shackamaxon Country Club in Scotch Plains.
Weil finished at two-under-par 68, one stroke better than Ethan Ng of Fiddler’s Elbow, a rising junior on the Stanford University golf team, and 33-year-old PGA professional Brent Paladino, the Senior Director of Championship Administration for the United States Golf Association.
Fifteen golfers who shot two-over-par 72 or better earned a berth into the 100th Open Championship to be contested July 20-22 at Knickerbocker Country Club in Tenafly. The fourth and final qualifier is scheduled for tomorrow (July 1) at Little Mill Country Club in Marlton.
Weil’s surge of birdies began on the par four, No. 7, following his first bogey of the day on the sixth. He followed with birdies on the par-four No. 9, the par-5 No. 12 and the par-four No. 14. His 20-foot birdie putt on No. 14 highlighted the run.
“In those middle holes, I felt I was in a zone. My driver was straight and my putter was hot. I’m pretty thrilled to be medalist here today. I couldn’t have envisioned that things would work out any better,” said Weil.
After finding himself three-under-par, Weil bogeyed the par-four No. 15 when his tee shot found a tree and he was forced to pitch out. He saved par on the par-four No. 16, the par-three No. 17, and the par-four No. 18.
He will be playing in his first NJSGA Open when he arrives at Knickerbocker, a course he knows from his Ridgewood High School golf team days. He played in the NJSGA Amateur in 2019 at Neshanic Valley, but failed to make the cut.
“The early start to this year expedited my progress. There was nothing else to do but golf. It almost feels like this is late in the season for me,” Weil said. “I’m feeling more confident in my putts in the 10-to-25 foot range. My three-putts are down. It’s all about my putting and being straight off the tee. Things are trending in the right direction for me.”
