Golf: New Jersey Amateur first-round leader: 'Just have fun'
DENVILLE - Pat Wilson is in his first full season as a reinstated amateur and is regaining his love for golf.
“Now I’m out here just enjoying a nice day,” Wilson said.
Wilson, 31, enjoyed a stellar first day at the 121st New Jersey Amateur Golf Championship on Monday at sunny Rockaway River Country Club.
Wilson, who lives in Florham Park, shot 4-under-par 68 and holds a one-shot lead over teenager Dean Greyserman, a Short Hills resident who also represents Hamilton Farm.
Chris DeJohn of Arcola, who last week won the prestigious Arcola Cup at his Bergen County course, shot 70 and is tied for third in this three-day, 72-hole hole event conducted by the New Jersey State Golf Association. Melan Dhaubhadel of NJSGA E-Club also shot 70.
Seven players are tied for fifth with 71: That list includes Greyserman’s brother, Reed, also representing Hamilton Farm, as well as Will Celiberti of Arcola, Brendan Hansen of Spring Lake, Max O’Hagan of NJSGA E-Club, Cole Ekert of Fairmount, Matt McCormick of Deal, and Benjamin Ortwein of Oak Hill.
Defending champion Michael Brown of Rock Spring carded 72 on this shot maker’s course and shares 12th in a tournament that culminates with Wednesday’s 36-hole finale. Brown had three birdies and three bogeys.
“A pretty solid round, but a couple of loose short-game shots,” said Brown, 49, a Maple Shade resident. “So I need to be tidier with my short game to be in contention.”
Wilson, a pro from 2014-2019 who qualified for the US Open in 2015, is the leading contender. He had six birdies and two bogeys on a course he had not played in more than a decade.
Wilson, who now sells commercial insurance, is enjoying his status as an amateur after his stint playing mini tours turned his joy for golf to resentment.
“Just have fun, try to play well and let the good things happen,” Wilson said. “I have a different perspective on golf now. I enjoy it, and that’s what I’m really out here to do. Have fun and have the best time that I can and hopefully play as well as I can.”
Dean Greyserman’s game continues to be on the rise. Coming from a family of stellar golfers, Greyserman, 18, an incoming freshman at Stanford, had four birdies and one bogey.
“I hit the ball really well, the best I’ve hit it in a few months,” said Greyserman, whose brother, Max, won the State Open in 2014 and State Amateur in 2015. “I left some with the putter. My putter burned a lot of edges, but overall I hit the ball really, really well.”
Greyserman, despite his youth, has the experience to make a run at this title. Two years ago, he was Amateur runner-up to collegian Austin Devereux and said, “That will be helpful the rest of the week.”
121st New Jersey Amateur Championship
At Rockaway River CC, Denville
Par: 72; Yardage: 6,816
First of four rounds
Pat Wilson, Hamilton Farm 68
Dean Greyserman, Hamilton Farm 69
Chris Dejohn, Arcola 70
Melan Dhaubhadel, NJSGA E-Club 70
Benjamin Ortwein, Oak Hill 71
Max O'Hagan, NJSGA E-Club 71
William Celiberti, Arcola 71
Reed Greyserman, Hamilton Farm 71
Brendan Hansen, Spring Lake 71
Cole Ekert, Fairmount 71
Matt McCormick, Deal 71
Barnes Blake, Baltusrol 72
Jack Irons, Little Mill 72
Tyler Galantini, Montclair 72
Garrett Kessler, Mountain Ridge 72
Gregg Angelillo, Baltusrol 72
Michael Brown, Rock Spring 72
Troy Vannucci, Little Mill 72
William Huang, Springdale 73
Eric Lasota, Colts Neck 73
Anthony Campanile, Deal 73
Trevor Randolph, Arcola 73
James Arbes, Watchung Valley 73
Edmund Broderick, Fiddler's Elbow 74
Joey Lostumbo, Stanton Ridge 74
Ryan Lee, Valley Brook 74
Arav Patel, Forsgate 74
Thomas McCarthy, Essex County 74
Ricky Calve, NJSGA E-Club 74
Cameron Bell, Knickerbocker 75
Arjun Malik, Forsgate 75
Doug Ergood, Tavistock 75
Peter Barron, Galloway National 75
Jimmy Wolfe, Mercer Oaks 75
Spencer Weiner, NJSGA E-Club 76
Elliot Parker, Suburban 76
Jason Bataille, Raritan Valley 76
Eric LeFante, Somerset Hills 76
Adam Fuchs, Colonia 76
Vincent Apostolico, Rockaway River 76
Jimmy Apostolico, Rockaway River 76
Austin Devereux, Manasquan River 76
John Havay, High Bridge Hills 76
Zach Mueller, Trump Colts Neck 76
Caleb Rossi, Galloway National 76
Davis Weil, Ridgewood 76
Sean Flanigan, Town and Country 76
Alex Menges, Jumping Brook 76
Dan Keenan, Little Mill 76
Lance Hollingshead, Trump Bedminster 77
Mike Paduano, Eagle Oaks 77
Brian Hart, Deal 77
Matt Panzella, Knickerbocker 77
Ryan Cass, Canoe Brook 77
Ronald Fischang, Neshanic Valley 77
Erik Stevens, Hamilton Farm 77
Michael McCrone, Stanton Ridge 77
Michael Stamberger, Spring Lake 77
Johnny Bush, Plainfield 78
Dylan Gallagher, Rockland 78
Noah Conforti, Spring Lake 78
Nathan Drogin, Mountain Ridge 78
Corey Brigham, NJSGA E-Club 78
David Weiniger, NJSGA E-Club 79
Vincent Palazzolo, Colts Neck 79
Shane Quinn, New Jersey National 79
Jack Simon, Rockaway River 79
Gavin Rau, Neshanic Valley 79
Jason Lee, Plainfield West-9, 79
Joseph Manganiello, Hamilton Farm 80
Brad Mills, Laurel Creek 80
Isaiah Williams, Heron Glen 80
Adam Satkowski, Bowling Green 80
Al Tenembaum, Rockland 81
Conor Handley, Rock Spring 81
Stephen Lindholm, North Jersey 82
Tim Daily, New Jersey National 82
David Hirschhorn, Forsgate 82
Brett Inserra, NJSGA E-Club 82
Jack Skirkanich, Rumson 82
Matthew Kronisch, Charleston Springs 83
Chris Konefal, Deal 83
Niall Handley, Knoll 83
Adam Grosso, NJSGA E-Club 83
Brian Keane, Mercer Oaks 84
Blaine Lafferty, Little Mill 85
Evan Danchenka, NJSGA E-Club 86
Finbar Bonner, Manasquan River 86
Steve Wilcox, Due Process 86
John Butler, NJSGA E-Club 87
Garret Stenberg, Spring Brook 87
Maxwell Sorger, Montclair 87
Jacob Schenkman, NJSGA E-Club 89
John Browndorf, Deal WD
Gage Wolfle, NJSGA E-Club WD
Lucas Artigliere, Mount Tabor WD
David Sampson, River Vale WD
Thomas Lee, NJSGA E-Club WD
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: New Jersey Amateur Golf first-round leader Pat Wilson: 'Just have fun'
