- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,194,530
- Reaction score
- 59
Tyler Watts achieved something Saturday never done in the history of the Northeast Amateur.
The tournament has been contested annually, sans 2020 because of COVID, since 1962 at Wannamoisett Country Club in Rhode Island. Watts, 18, became the youngest winner of the prestigious amateur event.
The incoming freshman at Tennessee signed for a 4-under 65 on Sunday, capping off a five-stroke victory that saw him run away at the second Elite Amateur Golf Series event of the summer. Last year, Watts won the Sunnehanna Amateur, becoming the youngest champion of the first EAGS event and setting a scoring record. Now he has another major amateur championship under his belt.
"It was really unbelievable," Watts said after his win. "It was a really long and stressful week and I showed a lot of resilience in myself today, and I'm very proud of that."
Watts finished at 16 under for the week, which included a tournament record 9-under 60 in Thursday's second round. On Wednesday, North Carolina's Carson Bertagnole tied the previous mark of 61 before Watts took the record for his own a day later.
Perhaps a bigger note for Watts is his standing in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. He's projected to move to fourth come Wednesday's update, which is important considering next Wednesday, July 8, is when the three automatic U.S. selections will be made for the Walker Cup team. Watts is going to be one of the top-three Americans, along with Oklahoma State's Preston Stout and, as it stands, Cowboy teammate Ethan Fang.
However, according to Jim Colton with DRVN.golf, fellow teenager Miles Russell is projected to leap Fang in the July 8 update, moving him into the top three Americans for the automatic selections. That means two teenagers would automatically clinch their spots on the U.S. Walker Cup team in September at Lahinch. Stout and Fang were on the team at Cypress Point last year. In addition, Stout will move to No. 1 in the rankings once Jackson Koivun is dropped from the rankings, which is expected this week, as he's set to make his professional debut at the John Deere Classic.
Russell finished T-5 at the Northeast, coming off his T-39 finish at Shinnecock Hills in his first major championship start. The Florida State commit, 17, was on the verge of a Walker Cup spot last year but was the first alternate instead.
This year, he may have automatically punched his ticket to Nathan Smith's team. Just as Watts did with an incredible victory at Wannamoisett.
Cameron Jourdan is an assistant editor of Golfweek, covering college and amateur golf, the PGA Tour and plenty more. Follow Cameron on X/Twitter (@Cam_Jourdan) or Instagram (@GolfweekJourdan).
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Teenager Tyler Watts becomes youngest Northeast Amateur winner, on verge of Walker Cup spot
Continue reading...
The tournament has been contested annually, sans 2020 because of COVID, since 1962 at Wannamoisett Country Club in Rhode Island. Watts, 18, became the youngest winner of the prestigious amateur event.
The incoming freshman at Tennessee signed for a 4-under 65 on Sunday, capping off a five-stroke victory that saw him run away at the second Elite Amateur Golf Series event of the summer. Last year, Watts won the Sunnehanna Amateur, becoming the youngest champion of the first EAGS event and setting a scoring record. Now he has another major amateur championship under his belt.
"It was really unbelievable," Watts said after his win. "It was a really long and stressful week and I showed a lot of resilience in myself today, and I'm very proud of that."
Watts finished at 16 under for the week, which included a tournament record 9-under 60 in Thursday's second round. On Wednesday, North Carolina's Carson Bertagnole tied the previous mark of 61 before Watts took the record for his own a day later.
Perhaps a bigger note for Watts is his standing in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. He's projected to move to fourth come Wednesday's update, which is important considering next Wednesday, July 8, is when the three automatic U.S. selections will be made for the Walker Cup team. Watts is going to be one of the top-three Americans, along with Oklahoma State's Preston Stout and, as it stands, Cowboy teammate Ethan Fang.
However, according to Jim Colton with DRVN.golf, fellow teenager Miles Russell is projected to leap Fang in the July 8 update, moving him into the top three Americans for the automatic selections. That means two teenagers would automatically clinch their spots on the U.S. Walker Cup team in September at Lahinch. Stout and Fang were on the team at Cypress Point last year. In addition, Stout will move to No. 1 in the rankings once Jackson Koivun is dropped from the rankings, which is expected this week, as he's set to make his professional debut at the John Deere Classic.
Russell finished T-5 at the Northeast, coming off his T-39 finish at Shinnecock Hills in his first major championship start. The Florida State commit, 17, was on the verge of a Walker Cup spot last year but was the first alternate instead.
This year, he may have automatically punched his ticket to Nathan Smith's team. Just as Watts did with an incredible victory at Wannamoisett.
Cameron Jourdan is an assistant editor of Golfweek, covering college and amateur golf, the PGA Tour and plenty more. Follow Cameron on X/Twitter (@Cam_Jourdan) or Instagram (@GolfweekJourdan).
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Teenager Tyler Watts becomes youngest Northeast Amateur winner, on verge of Walker Cup spot
Continue reading...
