Blake Takes One-Shot Lead Into 36-Hole Finale at 125th New Jersey Amateur Championship
SPRINGFIELD, N.J. – Defending champion Barnes Blake continued his impressive title defense Tuesday, carding a 2-under-par 70 on Baltusrol Golf Club's Upper Course to take a one-shot lead into Wednesday's 36-hole finale of the 125th New Jersey Amateur Championship presented by Provident Bank. Blake sits at 6-under-par 136 through two rounds, holding a narrow advantage over Bennett Espenshade, while a crowded leaderboard remains within striking distance entering championship day.
Following an opening-round 66 on the Lower Course, Blake wasted little time extending his lead, making birdies on Nos. 11 and 14 to reach 6-under early in his round.
"I hit the ball very well today," Blake said. "Yesterday I putted unbelievably, and today I didn't make as many of the longer birdie putts, but I played really steady golf. I only missed a couple greens and never really put myself under much stress."
Playing on his home course, Blake answered a bogey on the 16th hole with a birdie on No. 1 to begin his back nine and remained in control the rest of the day. The 2025 Amateur champion will attempt to become the first player to successfully defend the title since Michael Stamberger in 2013 and 2014.
"There was a lot of momentum coming off the first two days," Blake said. "Leading by one just means I'm playing golf that matters. Tomorrow is 36 holes and a lot can happen. My goal coming into these first two rounds was to put myself in position to play meaningful golf, and that's exactly what I did."
Blake also credited his familiarity with Baltusrol's Upper and Lower Courses for helping him navigate another steady round.
"It's super helpful because it's very difficult for me to severely misread a putt or totally misplay an approach," Blake said. "More than anything, I'm just so comfortable playing these courses. I've played them hundreds of times, and having the home crowd behind me has been awesome."
Espenshade fired a 4-under-par 68 to remain Blake's closest challenger. The Rutgers University junior opened his round in dramatic fashion with an eagle on the 530-yard, par-5 first hole.
"I was a little nervous on the first tee today," Espenshade said. "But I hit a good one up the right side and had a good number to hit a chippy five iron that took a nice bounce to about seven feet, and then I rolled it in. That was a great start to the day."
Espenshade added birdies on Nos. 8 and 9 before making two more on his back nine to finish at 5-under-par 137.
"I feel like I executed well and didn't put myself in too many bad spots," Espenshade said. "I'm excited about tomorrow but feel really good about today."
Chris DeJohn made one of the biggest moves of the day, climbing from a tie for seventh after an opening-round 73 with a 4-under-par 68.
Four birdies and an eagle at the drivable ninth hole helped DeJohn turn in 6-under on his opening nine.
"I had a solid front nine," DeJohn said. "I made a bunch of good wedge shots that led to some tap-ins and made a good putt on No. 8 to get to 4-under."
He followed with an eagle at the ninth after holing a spinning lob wedge.
"I hit a good three-wood off the tee on No. 9 and hit a little flighted lob wedge in there about eight feet past the hole and spun it back. Fortunately, it went in."
A bogey on No. 15 and double bogey on No. 16 slowed his charge, but DeJohn remained firmly in contention entering Wednesday.
"Overall, I played really solid," DeJohn said. "I'm not as thrilled with my finish as I probably should be, but it was a solid day. I rolled it well."
Looking ahead to the 36-hole finale, DeJohn knows patience will be key.
"There are some really good birdie opportunities out there, but there are some really hard holes," DeJohn said. "I just have to get through the morning. I'm going to try to keep the ball in the fairway, keep the ball below the hole and keep rolling it well."
Three-time NJ Golf Player of the Year and reigning Four-Ball champion Troy Vannucci sits within striking distance after a second-round 1-over par 73.
Meanwhile, two-time W.Y. Dear Boys Champion (2020, 2021) and 2024 Amateur runner-up Liam Pasternak climbed the leaderboard with a 1-under-par 71. The University of Notre Dame standout played a bogey-free front nine highlighted by three birdies.
"My mindset has been to have as little thought about my golf swing as possible," Pasternak said. "Just trust my shot shape and commit to it. That helped both days, and today I was able to get into a groove early."
Pasternak begins the final day at 2-over-par alongside 2016 Amateur champion Thomas LaMorte and reigning Open champion Mark Costanza.
"I've got some shots to make up," Pasternak said. "I'm going to keep the same mindset I've had these first two rounds and hopefully get something going."
Benjamin Ortwein produced the round of the day, firing a 5-under-par 67 to vault into a tie for eighth, highlighted by four birdies and an eagle.
"I played pretty poorly yesterday, but I trusted myself," Ortwein said. "I knew if I stayed patient and played the way I know I can, I could bounce back."
After a three-putt bogey midway through his round, Ortwein regrouped and finished with a bogey-free closing stretch.
"I just reset," Ortwein said. "The front nine being bogey-free was great, but that's only half the battle. I just kept telling myself it didn't matter what I was at, just keep going from there."
With Wednesday's championship consisting of 36 holes and nearly eight miles of walking while carrying his own bag, Ortwein knows endurance will play a major role.
"It's going to be tough hanging in there for 36," Ortwein said. "But I'm looking forward to it. We're very blessed to be at such a great venue, so I'm just going to enjoy it and see what I can do."
The final 36 holes of the 125th New Jersey Amateur Championship presented by Provident Bank begin at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 8, with competitors starting on the Lower Course before concluding the championship on the Upper Course.
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