Billy Wingerd, from Baltimore and Mountain Branch Golf Club, set tournament records for 18 and 36 holes, as he shot 64-66–130, and won the 15th Amateur Public Links championship of the Maryland State Golf Association at Clustered Spires GC in Frederick, July 26.
Wingerd, who won the first APL event in 2003 when it was match play and had not played in it since, finished with 14 birdies (seven each round) and four bogeys for a 36-hole total of 10 under par, four strokes clear of his closest challenger. The course was played at 6,646 yards with a par of 35-35–70. Along the way, the winner, seeing the course for the first time, reached 31 greens in regulation and used 28 putts in each round.
“I hit it great and never was in much trouble,” said Wingerd, 34. “My one morning bogey was a 3-putt and the three in the afternoon were a 3-putt and two missed-greens when I did not get up and down from bunkers. For the birdies, I had a couple of 15-footers, but most of the others were close.”
The previous 18-hole standard was 66, set by Brent Davis in 2011 and equaled by Blair Kennedy in 2015. The 36-hole mark of 136 was set by Davis, Vance Welch, and Jeff Lim-Sharpe, who tied in 2011, with Davis winning the playoff. Steve Delmar equaled that score in 2013. In addition, Wingerd tied the 9-hole mark when he posted a front-nine 31 (his second nine) in the morning. Kennedy set the standard in 2015.
Myles Vlachos, 29, from Clustered Spires GC, set up his day when he birdied four of the last five holes (all but No. 8 in that stretch) to shoot 32 after opening with 34 on the back nine. “I lost my driver [control] early on that back nine, but recovered,” said Vlachos, who grew up on the course, but now lives in Chevy Chase. “The 66 is the best I’ve had. I’ve been working hard on my game, but not playing well. I didn’t have a lot of confidence.”
Travis Gahman (68-69), from Clustered Spires, and Tim Elliott (68-69), from the Poor Boys GC, tied for third at 137, followed by David Dustin (69-69), from the University of Maryland GC, and William Kim (69-69), from the MSGA eClub, tied for fifth at 138. Of the eight players who scored in the 60’s in the morning, only Vlachos had a lower afternoon total.
Aside from Wingerd, there were two other past champions in the field. Nick DeSimone (2007), from Hobbit’s Glen GC, posted 72-70–142 to tie for 10th, and Ted Coon (2008), from the University of Maryland GC, had 73-76–149.
Reported by John Stewart
