Tony Bostic made his first bid to play in the Maryland State Golf Association’s Amateur championship a successful one — and then some.
Bostic smashed a 134-man field with a 6-under-par 66 in the third (of four) Amateur/Open qualifiers at the Country Club of Woodmore, May 18. This was four shots clear of his closest challenger, Dan Walker, who shot 70.
The final qualifier will be held May 24, at Queenstown Harbor Golf Links on the Eastern Shore.
Bostic, with an early morning tee time, wasted no time, as he birdied the first hole. Three more birds in a four-hole stretch sent him to the turn in 2-under 34. Coming back, he had a bogey-free effort with four birdies for 32, the longest a 20-foot putt at the par-3 14th.
Although this was the first Amateur try for Bostic, he has played in several Opens, making the cut in 2014. Bostic’s score equaled a round by Connor Flach, who shot 66 at Andrews AFB two years ago. As far as is known those are the two lowest qualifying scores in more than 20 years.
The highlight of the round for Walker, 34, who lives in Bethesda and plays from the University of Maryland GC, was at the 410-yard third hole, where his 8-iron shot from 145 yards bounced into the cup for an eagle-2. He had bogeyed the first but followed the eagle with birdies at Nos. 4-5, the latter an off-the-green stroke from 30 feet. Turning in 33, the day’s low score for that side, he somewhat offset two bogeys with another 30-foot birdie putt at 16.
The only other par-breaker was Marshall Meisel, from the Chevy Chase Club. He started with three successive birdies, turned in 35, then was level for the back with a 17th hole birdie getting him to 36.
Evan Santa, from Crofton CC had three birdies in posting 35-37. The reigning Washington Metropolitan Amateur champion was the only one at the par number.
Among the pros, Jeff Rosenberg, from Breton Bay G&CC, was low with 73. It completed an interesting trifecta for him, as he had been an Open medalist with 69 at Montgomery Village in 2008, and a co-medalist with 72 at Woodmont CC in 1996. His latest effort made him the low pro three times in three decades.
Notes: William Campbell, from CC Woodmore, had an eagle-3 on the 514-yard eighth hole, as he hit driver-5-iron to 19 feet and holed the putt. . .The Amateur will be held at Columbia CC in Chevy Chase, June 8-11, and the Open will be held at Woodholme CC in Pikesville (suburban Baltimore), July 10-12. A 77 or better qualified for the Open, and a 78 or better for the Amateur.
Reported by John Stewart
