Miller tops field at Herdegen qualifier
Comerford notches holein-one as Miller fires a par-70 to lead field
Jared Miller shot a par-70 and Troy Comerford got a hole-in-one Saturday, highlighting play in the qualifying round for the 68th Annual Ulster County Men’s Amateur Golf Championship at Twaalfskill Golf Club.
In all, 38 players — the top 36 plus ties — earned a spot in the June 22-24 Herdegen.
Miller shot a 35-35—70 to win the qualifier by two strokes. Nick Baker, Johnny Garcia and 16-year-old Ori Grady tied for second with identical 34-38— 72s. The trio were the leaders by one stroke at the turn over Miller and Richard Eisinger, who finished fifth with 35-41— 76.
Comerford, who tied for sixth at 77 with Matthew Beesmer and Andre Manginelli, aced the 174yard 16th (the seventh hole on the back) with a 6-iron. His witnesses were Nicholas Puleo and Don Beesmer.
Baker, Manginelli, Puleo, Tony Rinaldi and Charles Matarazza made the cut for last year’s final round, but did not finish in the top 21 to earn automatic exemptions. They all qualified for the tournament on Saturday.
The cut was 87 with a dozen players failing to advance.
Along with 17 who earned exemptions from 2017 who are returning, plus an automatic exemption for Kingston High’s Donte Groppuso for qualifying for this year’s New York State Public High School Athletic Association tourament, this will make a field of 56 players for the Herdgen.
Justin Lane, who repeated as champion last year, will be looking for a three-peat. The 54-hole event starts June 22 at Apple Greens Golf Course in Highland, moves to the Lazy Swan Golf and Country Club in Saugerties on June 23 for the second round and will conclude with the final round June 24 at the Wiltwyck Golf Club.
HERDEGEN QUALIFER at Twaalfskill Jared Miller ................................... 35-35—70 Nick Baker ..................................... 34-38—72 Johnny Garcia ............................... 34-38—72 Ori Grady ....................................... 34-38—72 Richard Eisinger ........................... 35-41—76 Troy Comerford ............................ 41-36—77 Matthew Beesmer ....................... 41-36—77 Andre Manginelli .......................... 37-40—77 Scott Kozak ................................... 39-39—78 Charles Mataraza ........................ 41-38—79 Kyle Bell ......................................... 38-41—79 Nicholas Schupp .......................... 43-37—80 Dean Palen .................................... 41-39—80 Paul Larios .................................... 41-40—81 Tony Rinaldi .................................. 41-40—81 Timothy Smythe Jr ....................... 40-41—81 Charles Mataraza III .................... 40-41—81 Michale Gragg .............................. 39-42—81 Brian Mills .................................... 38-43—81 Joe Redmond ............................... 42-40—82 Kevin Montanye .......................... 42-40—82 Joey Puleo ..................................... 41-41—82 Rick Taylor .................................... 43-40—83 George Feist .................................. 42-41—83 Martin Pennington ...................... 41-42—83 Tony Batista .................................. 41-42—83 D. Zachary Boyce ......................... 41-42—83 Nicholas Puleo ............................. 40-43—83 Alan Coombe ............................... 38-45—83 Kyle Hilliard ................................... 43-41—84 Tim Rockett ................................... 41-44—85 Riley Gogg .................................... 48-38—86 Zackary Murphy .......................... 44-42—86 Liam Allred ................................... 40-46—86 Jerry Maier ................................... 43-44—87 Jonny Harkins .............................. 43-44—87 Dean Myers .................................. 42-45—87 Dean Perry ................................... 38-49—87 Non-Qualifiers Jared Kross .................................. 44-44—88 Richard Juman ............................. 46-43—89 Michael Schupp ........................... 45-44—89 David Hilliard ............................... 45-44—89 Donald Meybohm ......................... 47-43—90 Nicholas Carpino .......................... 50-41—91 Michael McKinley ....................... 45-46—91 Nick Freese ................................... 49-44—93 Don Beesmer ............................... 45-48—93 Chris Cosh .................................... 45-48—93 Scott Stevens ............................... 44-50—94 Tom Shanley ................................. 44-55—99 Nik Elevitch ............................................. WD