By Bruce Vittner
The 62nd edition of the Northeast Amateur held at Wannamoisett Country Club in East Providence and completed on June 22 was one of the most lengthy and exciting finishes in the storied history of the event that has had most of the best amateurs golfers compete in its long and illustrious history.
Anthony Delisanti, a resident of Sanborn, New York and a senior-to-be at Valpariso University defeated Bryan Lee, a junior from the University of Virginia, but it took much longer than the normal 72 holes. The event, that was hampered by bad weather, was truly different on the final day.
Delisanti finished his delayed Friday round on Saturday morning ,and was well off the lead, but he started his delayed Saturday round with five birdies on the first seven holes and shot a 62, one off the course record.
At the end of the fourth round Delisanti and Lee were tied. The routine for this event is that the competitors play a three-hole aggregate format to decide the winner. Lee made a bogey on the first hole, but Delisanti gave it right back when he bogeyed he second playoff hole. They tied the last third to keep it tied, and then tied the same hole again to keep it tied after four holes.
Lightning returned again after that fourth hole and the players had to seek cover. When it resumed they again played the same hole and Delisanti hit a wedge to 8 feet after Lee had left his 30 feet away. Lee’s putt missed, but Delisanti stroked his birdie putt into the hole to win the trophy.
Lee could take solice from the fact that golf pro Scottie Scheffler was unable to win in three tries at the Northeast along with many other names that have graced this course over the past 62 years. “Losing in a playoff isn’t what I wanted, but hat’s off to Anthony,” said Lee after the match.
Delisanti was helped in his cause during the week with his caddie. It was his girlfriend, Kennedy Lang from upstate New York. “She’s the most positive person I know,” said Delisanti, who is ranked No. 258 in the World Amateur Rankings.
Cameron Tankersley, a high school junior from Tennessee and Zac Jones from BYU finished tied for third. Lance Simpson matched low round of the event at 62 and finished in a tie for fifth.
Bruce Vittner has covered this event since 1990 and has seem a huge number of players who have gone on from the Northeast Amateur to have highly successful professional careers. The event is free for spectators and is most often held on the third week of June. It is something that you should put on your calendar if you are able.
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