Golf: Sleepy Hollow amateur Brad Tilley captures 100th Westchester Open on home turf
SCARBOROUGH – Brad Tilley was determined to keep it casual.
There was some drama on the way in, but the 39-year-old Sleepy Hollow amateur closed with three routine pars to cap a steady week on home turf and capture the 100th Westchester Open.
It was the biggest win of Tilley’s career.
“That’s my first win in a professional event,” the Chappaqua native said on Tuesday evening. “I played professional golf for eight years (before regaining amateur status) and my best finish was second. And the Westchester Golf Association has been a part of my whole golfing life so, to get a win in the Westchester Open at my home course, I don’t have the words to describe what that feels like.”
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Nobody else managed three rounds in the 60s at Sleepy Hollow this week.
Tilley came into the final round two shots behind Christian Cavaliere, and closed with a 1-under 69. He finished at 10 under for the championship, two shots ahead of the Mahopac Golf Club amateur.
“We went back and forth,” said Tilley, who lives now in Easton, Connecticut and makes his living importing food and beverage products from Scandinavia. “I played well on the front side, as I have all week, but I was burning edges. I kept telling myself to stay patient and made an unlikely bomb on 11 and then an unbelievable par save on 12 after hitting a bad shot. We both made birdie putts on 13 and then it was just a grind on the way in.”
Tilley also won the Westchester Am in 2005 and 2020. He recently won the Mittelmark Invitational at Fenway Golf Club and his competitive resume includes NYSGA, MGA and WGA Mid-Am titles.
Nathan Han (Salem Golf Club) was third at 5-under.
The low professional was Mike Ballo Jr. (Westchester Country Club), whose final-round 65 moved him into fourth place at 3-under. Tim Hegarty (Sleepy Hollow Country Club), Dylan Newman (Brae Burn Country Club) and David Pastore (Golf Performance Center) tied for fifth at 2-under.
Full results: 100th Westchester Golf Association Open
Cavaliere, who opened with a 62 on Monday, dropped two shots on the front nine, but was tied for the leading coming to the 17th. A drive into the left rough brought a tree into play and the punch shot wound up in a bunker. Cavaliere escaped the sand, but three-putted to give Tilley a chance to breathe.
“I had my buddy Chris (McNeill), who caddies for me up here all the time, on the bag and that was a big help because were able to have fun out there,” Tilley added. “I tried to take it serious because it’s a tournament, but I play so much comfortable golf here, so I tried to keep it comfortable. That’s why I walked all 54 holes because I don’t ride carts here very often. I wanted to keep it normal and it worked out well.”
Mike Dougherty covers boys soccer, boys lacrosse, girls basketball and golf for The Journal News/lohud.com. He can be reached at mdougher@lohud.com, or on Twitter @hoopsmbd, @lohudlacrosse, @lohudhoopsmbd and @lohudgolf.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Sleepy Hollow amateur Brad Tilley wins 100th Westchester Open
