Milford’s James preparing to play US Junior Amateur
Ben James was in Chicago last month to participate in the Western. He finished in a tie for 45th place.
He entered into a U.S. Junior qualifier while out there rather than closer to home in his native Milford.
James, a 15-year-old rising freshman at Hamden Hall Country Day, fired a 3-under-par 69 at Stonewall Orchard Golf Club to earn one of three spots in the U.S. Junior, which will be held July 16-21 at Baltusrol GC in Springfield, New Jersey.
James had to wait about 90 minutes following his round before he found out he officially had qualified.
“I was pretty confident (following his round) that I had a good chance of making it in,” James said. “I hadn’t ever come close previously.”
Baltusrol CC has hosted several USGA and major championships, most recently the 2016 PGA Championship. Both the Upper and Lower courses will be used.
James will head to New Jersey on Thursday. He will take a couple of practice rounds next weekend before play begins.
Stroke play will be held July 16-17. The low 64 players will advance to match play beginning July 18. The 36-hole final will be July 21.
“My goal is to make match play,” James said, “I’ll do the best I can to prepare really well. I’m going to take advantage of this special opportunity to go out there, prepare well and do my best.”
James, who has already verbally committed to UConn, is coming off a runner-up finish in the Killington Junior Golf Championship last week in Killington, Vermont and will compete in the Connecticut Junior Amateur this week.
“My goal is to make match play. I’ll do the best I can to prepare really well. I’m going to take advantage of this special opportunity to go out there, prepare well and do my best.”
— Ben James
CT JUNIOR AMATEUR
James will prepare for the U.S. Junior by playing in the Connecticut Junior Amateur beginning Monday at Watertown GC.
James goes off in the final group Monday at 12:50 p.m. Defending champion Will Wilson out of Darien tees off at 10:10 a.m.
Other top golfers competing include Alex Aurora from Hamden (8:10), Tyler Woodward from Durham (8:40), William Mallek out of Fairfield Prep and The Patterson Club (9:10), Kyle St,. Piere out of Shelton and Newtown CC (10), Kevin Lynch out of Xavier High and TPC River Highlands (10:20). Kevin Morris from Hamden (10:40), Chris Fosdick out of Middlefield and Xavier High and also the Register’s Area MVP (10:50) and Matt Doyle out of Madison CC (11:10).
The low 32 players from Monday’s stroke-play portion of the event will advance to match play Tuesday. The 18-hole final will be held Thursday morning.
NEW ENGLAND AMATEUR
Bobby Leopold will be back to defend at the 89th New England Amateur July 17-19 at Portland CC in Falmouth, Maine.
Leopold, out of Rhode Island, tees off at 9:28 a.m. Tuesday. Among the state residents competing include former State Amateur champion Evan Grenus (9:06 a.m.), Zach Iannone out of Great River GC (12:41 p.m.), Max Theodorakis out of Ridgewood CC (1:58), who lost in a playoff in last year’s Connecticut Open, Rasmey Kong out of Wallingford CC (2:20) and Peter Tomlinson out of Orange Hills CC (2:31).
A cut will be made after the second round on July 18. The low 40 players and ties play the final 36 holes on July 19.
NE PUBLIC LINKS
Alling Memorial GC in New Haven will host the nine-team New England Public Links Championship next Sunday, July 15.
Members at Alling Memorial GC are in the midst of a 36-hole qualifier this weekend for nine spots on the team. Jamie Sheltman, the reigning club champion, is exempt.
“It’s definitely a major event for us. It’s really steeped in history. The guys take it pretty seriously,” said John Horan, a member at Alling Meorial GC and a committee chairperson for the Public Links.
There is a regular division and a senior division. The eight top scores count toward the team competition. Alling Memorial GC last hosted - and won - the championship in 2003. Len Caggiano, a former medalist in the event, is the non-playing captain for Alling Memorial GC.
The other courses sending teams are: Fairchild Wheeler GC from Bridgeport; Hubbard Heights GC in Stamford; Smith Richardson GC in Fairfield; Tashua Knolls GC in Trumbull; Timberlin GC in Kensington; Stanley GC in New Britain; Blue Fox Run GC in Avon; and Cranston CC in Cranston, Rhode Island.
For further information on the event, visit
www.newhavengolfclub.org