Headline: Dan Slavin Jumps Out to Fast Start at the 2010 Massachusetts Junior Amateur Championship; Fires 4-under par 68 at Foxborough Country Club
For Immediate Release: July 27, 2010
Foxborough, MA – Two weeks ago he took on the nation's best, and today Dan Slavin (Belmont CC) is playing like it.
Under perfect conditions at Foxborough Country Club, the 16-year-old Slavin posted a day-low score of 4-under par 68 to break out to a three-stroke lead over the field at the 2010 Massachusetts Junior Amateur Championship. (Story Continued Below)
Day 1 Quick Links
After advancing to Match Play at the 2010 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship earlier this month, Slavin is flying high and playing the best golf of his young career. Bolstering his confidence was his impressive performance both during the stroke-play portion (he finished with a two-day score of 2-over par 146) and Match Play where he pushed the nation's No. 12-ranked player – Anthony Paolucci – to 17 holes during the first round.
"It was the best golf experience of my life," said Slavin, one of three Bay State golfers to advance to Championship Proper. "The night before it was tough to sleep... I was just excited to play against him. I was a little anxious but I had four birds on the front. I was 1 Up on the front nine. Unfortunately, he came back on the back nine. He played well, but there was a possibility for me to win that match."
While memories of that great experience will most likely never fade, Slavin has – like a true competitor – shifted his focus to the task at hand and came out this morning firing on all cylinders.
After having played Foxborough Country Club a month ago, Slavin started off with a birdie on his first hole of the day – the 405-yard, par 4 10th hole – and found himself 3-under par through five holes. His only stumble of the day came on the 409-yard, par 4 15th hole where he suffered a double bogey.
"I hit a drive with a 3 wood that I thought was perfect and then I got caught up in the rough and had a tree problem," explained Slavin. "I tried to hit a full pitching wedge from about 140 yards out and I pulled it and hit a tree."
That one miscue did not derail his momentum as he went on to make three birdies – on the 2nd, 3rd and 7th holes – and nine pars to cap off his 4-under par 68 round which was three strokes better than his closest competitor.
"I hit a lot of shots close and had a bunch of six footers for birdies which was nice," said Slavin. "I was feeling pretty confident coming into this week. I knew that you had to keep the ball in play and in front of you which I did and it was nice."
Pre-Junior Division Update
Sitting in a tie for second place with scores of 1-under par 71 are Andy Reece (Cyprian Keyes GC), Dylan Mattos (LeBaron Hills CC) and the day-one Pre-Junior leader Jake Shuman (Blue Hill CC). (Editor Note - Reece and Mattos are Junior Division competitors. New for this season, all Junior and Pre-Junior Division competitors played together... thus Shuman stands in first in the Pre-Junior Division and tied for second overall.)
010 AJGA Junior All-Star at the Rail in Illinois, made the turn at 3-over par 39 following a four-hole stretch where he made bogey on three of four holes. He would make zero bogies from that point on, as he enjoyed a sizzling back nine that featured four birdies and five pars.
"I had a lesson yesterday because I wasn't hitting it great, but after that I have been hitting the ball really well right now," said Shuman, who missed all but two greens on the front nine. "A lot of holes here demand good straight shots because it's pretty narrow. Right now it's working for me."
Another key to today's round was a new putter which he adopted just last week following a club demonstration at his home club. On the day, Shuman made a total of 25 putts including two key par putts over 20 feet on the front nine.
"I haven't been putting great the last month or two," said Shuman, who finished fourth in the Boys Division last year. "It is usually the best part of my game, and it's starting to come back."
A Long Summer for Noah Walker
Another competitor in this year's field who enjoyed his time at the 2010 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship is Noah Walker (The Harmon Club). Although Walker did not advance to Match Play this year, he has already had a summer to remember.
After all, just one week earlier Walker was the youngest competitor to advance to the semifinals of the 2010 Massachusetts Amateur Championship held at Myopia Hunt Club.
The 17 year old scored perhaps the biggest upset of the tournament by defeating 2010 New England Amateur Champion and former Richard D. Haskell MGA Player of the Year Brian Higgins (Franklin CC) in the quarterfinals. Hours later, a very tired Walker (he played 122 holes in four days) boarded a plane for Egypt Valley Country Club (MI) for the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.
"It was definitely an eye-opening experience playing with the top 50 to 100 players in the country," said Walker, who struggled on this day in Foxboro with a 9-over par 81. "My ball striking has been average and it has been my scrambling and short game that has pulled me through. Seeing some of the best ball strikers in the country... they know that they are going to hit solid shots nine out of 10 times so that is one thing that would help bring more consistency to my game."
Although he has much work to do over the next two days, Walker is taking it one day at a time and looking to better each day's performance.
"I still have a lot of golf ahead of me this summer" said Walker. "That is one thing that I need to take out of today. It was probably the worst that I could have done. Poor course management did me in today."
A Tale of Two Rounds
Two players paired together this morning had completely different experiences on the front and back nines.
Defending Champion Nick McLaughlin (Far Corner GC) made the turn at 2-over par 38 and then suffered three bogies, one double bogey and one triple bogey on the front nine (his second nine holes) to finish with a 9-over par 81.
This year marks the first year that the 16-year-old McLaughlin is competing in the Junior Division. Last year, he captured the overall title at the age of 15 at Framingham Country Club. If successful this year, McLaughlin would become the first player since Antonio Grillo (2006, 2007) and only the eighth in event history to capture back-to-back titles.
Meanwhile his playing partner today – Joe Cooper (Weston GC) – made the turn at 6-over par 42 but carded five birdies and one bogey through his final nine holes to post a 2-over par 74. His final nine holes included birdies on the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th and 9th holes for a day-low split of 4-under par 32.
Schedule of Events
Please note that
there were several schedule and divisional changes made to this year's Massachusetts Junior Amateur Championship. Competition for the Boys Division title will begin on Wednesday.
Here is a complete schedule for both divisions.
2010 Junior Division Schedule — 54 Holes
The Field is limited to 120 players in the Junior Division.
Tuesday, July 27
First Round, 18 Holes.
Wednesday, July 28
Second Round, 18 Holes.
The 50 lowest scorers and ties in the Junior Division conti nue play on Thursday, July 29.
**If there are no 14-15 year old competitors who fall within the 50 lowest scorers and ties in the Junior Division, the Pre-Junior Champion will be determined based on the 36-hole scores. In the event of a tie, Co-Champions will be designated.
Thursday, July 29
Final Round, 18 Holes.
The MGA Junior Amateur Champion will be the low scorer for 54 holes from the Junior Division (14-17). Any tie for first place will be decided immediately by a hole-by-hole playoff.
2010 Boys Division Schedule — 36 Holes
The Field is limited to 30 players in the Boys Division.
Wednesday, July 28
First Round, 18 Holes.
The 10 lowest scorers and ties in the Boys Division conti nue play on Thursday, July 29.
Thursday, July 29
Final Round, 18 Holes.
The MGA Boys Division Champion (13 & under) will be the low scorer for 36 holes. Any tie for first place will be decided immediately by a hole-by-hole playoff.
