Tim Pemberton, from Williamsburg, Va., took command early and never let up, as he recorded rounds of 66-67–133, and won the medal in sectional qualifying for the U.S. Amateur championship at Mountain Branch Golf Club in Joppa, July 22.
With two qualifying spots available, it took a playoff to separate the other qualifier and the first alternate. Austin Barbin, 18, of Elkton, earned the bid with a five-foot birdie putt at the third extra hole (Nos. 11-18-10), while Dylan Allen, 16, from Swan Point, became the first alternate. In regulation play, which included an 87-minute delay caused by a weather disturbance, Barbin had 68-70–138, and Allen, 69-69–138.
In another playoff, Teddy Zinsner (71-68–139), from Alexandria, VA., took second alternate when he defeated Nathan Chuwait (69-70–139), from Herndon, Va., with a par at the second extra hole.
This will mark Pemberton’s third Amateur, but first since 2003 -2004. After that he turned pro, but later got his amateur status back. Marriage and 3-year-old twin daughters have provided priorities for the golf consultant, 37. “These were my seventh and eighth rounds of the year, ” he said. “Most of the time I’m chasing around after the twins.”
He did, however, get in a practice round ahead of the competition and as might be expected, it produced some valuable notes. “From my experience, I knew it would be a long day, too, and I simply had to focus on one shot at a time.”
His morning round over the 7,038-yard, par-72 course, included nine birdies and three bogeys. In the afternoon, starting at No. 10, he had three birdies on each nine (the delay caught him and Allen at the turn) and a lone bogey at 14.
Barbin, a University of Maryland recruit, who plays from Chesapeake Bay GC, had two bogey-free rounds, a masterpiece in its own right. Leading off in each round, he opened with two birdies on each nine, then produced two birdies on the back and nine front-side pars.
Successful would be an understatement in describing the past six weeks for Austin Barbin. In June he was the 16-18 division champion of the Maryland Junior Amateur at Argyle CC after winning the Golf Association of Philadelphia Junior Championship one week prior.
Barbin followed those victories with a win at the Delaware Junior Amateur, held at his home course two weeks ago, and an appearance at Inverness Golf Club in Toledo, OH at the 72nd U.S. Junior Amateur, where he missed out on a playoff to make match play 77-74–151 by a single stroke. Earlier this year, he had tied for low round (70) in MSGA Amateur/Open qualifying at Mountain Branch and later won a playoff at Hillendale Country Club to advance from local to sectional qualifying for the U.S. Open.
In the morning round, Barbin was joined at 68 by Billy Wingerd, Nottingham; James Mishoe, IV, Cary, N.C., and Ethan Chelf, from North Potomac, while Josh Eure, from Crofton, and Zinsner had afternoon 68’s.
The 119th championship will be played August 12-18 at Pinehurst, N.C.
Reported by John Stewart
