Walthouse atop Ouimet Memorial
Billy Walthouse used a pair of eagles to fuel a 5-under-par 67, which gave him a share of the first-round lead in the 50th Ouimet Memorial Tournament yesterday at Brae Burn Country Club in Newton.
Walthouse, a 22-year-old from Longmeadow, holed his approach shot from 93 yards at the par-4 first, and sank a 45-putt for another eagle at the par-5 13th. Walthouse was strong on the back nine, making birdies at 10, 14 and 16.
“(The first eagle) was a good way to start,” said Walthouse, who graduated form the University of Rhode Island in the spring. “I had a couple more birdies coming in. I was very steady, and my putting is stellar. All of the hard work has been paying off.”
Walthouse has played a ton of golf lately, making it all the way to the semifinals two weeks ago in the Massachusetts Amateur at Charles River Country Club then tying for second place at the New England Amateur Championship at Metacomet CC in East Providence, R.I.
On Monday and Tuesday, he played 36 rain-soaked holes of a United States Amateur sectional qualifier at Crestview Country Club in Agawam.
“I am definitely a little tired, but I am in a good rhythm right now, and everything seems to be dropping right now, which is nice,” Walthouse said. “I have a good little run going. I want to keep it going.”
Walthouse is tied with Charlie May (Ferncroft CC), who fired a 7-under 30 on the back nine to atone for bogeys at the fifth and seventh holes. The highlight of his round was an eagle at the short par-4 15th.
“Thirty on the back nine was really good,” May said. “Seven-under in my first six holes on the back nine. I’ve never had something happen like that. I played well yesterday in the second round of the U.S. Amateur qualifier, which gave me a lot of confidence that I needed today.”
The tournament will continue today at The Country Club in Brookline and conclude with tomorrow’s final round at Woodland Golf Club in Newton.
Four players are tied for third at 3-under, 2 shots behind the leaders. One of them is John Hadges of Thorny Lea Golf Club, who won this event in 1981.