Semifinals Set for 42nd Mid-Amateur Championship
MORRISTOWN, N.J. –– Pat Wilson of Hamilton Farm Golf Club, Craig Langslet of Hackensack Golf Club, James Arbes of Watchung Valley Golf Club and John Havay of High Bridge Hills are the semifinalists at the 42nd New Jersey Mid-Amateur Championship at Morris County Golf Club.
Langslet won two matches by strong margins and advanced to his first semifinal round in the Mid-Amateur. Langslet hasn’t played in the championship since 2017.
“It feels incredible,” Langslet said after his quarterfinal match. “First to qualify to be here, and then to qualify top 16 with some incredible players that play in this tournament every year is great, too. To get to match play is a pretty good accomplishment,” Langslet finished.
Langslet advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating Nicholas Vecellio in 16 holes. He held a 2 up lead through nine holes, recording a par on No. 14 to close it out 3 up.
“I certainly played well,” Langslet said. “I hit my approaches well today and hit some good chips that allowed me to convert some of those pars to keep the match going.”
In his quarterfinal match, Brian Hart started off 1 up through three holes before Langslet took over heading into the turn. Langslet closed out the front nine winning three holes in a row to push the pace to 3 up.
“To go out and win two matches today is exceptional. I'm ecstatic about it,” Langslet said. “As far as tomorrow, I just have to take the approach of ‘why not?’ Just keep teeing it up, hit it, find it, and just try to execute as best I can. Hopefully each match will be enough.”
In the Round of 16, Wilson took an early lead on Adam Satkowski, going 3 up as the pair made their way around the turn. On the back nine, Wilson won two holes over Satkowski to take a 5 up lead, before advancing to the quarterfinals 4 and 3.
In his quarterfinal match against Chris Lawler of Riverton Country Club, Wilson went into the back nine 4 up, highlighted by three birdies on the front.
“It's a long day,” Wilson said following his quarterfinal victory. “Playing a lot of golf today. Honestly, I drove it great.”
Heading into Thursday’s semifinal and final rounds, Wilson is looking to keep the intensity going at Morris County.
“Getting some rest, and hopefully hitting more fairways, greens and hitting it in the right spot,” Wilson remarked. “That’s the name of the game here. You just have to keep it below the hole. You have to keep yourself in play where you have a look. Correct side of the hole is so important.”
In the Round of 16, Arbes and Gregg Angelillo played a tightly contested match, with Arbes holding a 1 up lead through hole 7. With a par and birdie on holes 8 and 9, respectively, Angelillo tied and took the 1 up lead going into the turn. The pair exchanged the lead and were tied through 17, where a par from Arbes on hole 18 sealed his position in the quarterfinal bracket.
Arbes, 37, played another close match in the quarterfinal round against 2021 champion Eric LeFante. The pair went back-and-forth through the front nine, before Arbes was able to pull away with a 2 up lead on hole 11 with an eagle. After LeFante pulled within one with one hole to play, Arbes closed out the match on No. 18 with a clutch par putt.
John Havay, 2023 Four-Ball Champion advanced to the quarterfinal round 1 up Tavistock Country Club’s Lou Tonon. Tonon held a 1 up lead going into the turn, but Havay took over on the back nine, firing in a final par and birdie on the final two holes.
In the quarterfinals, Havay surged to a 3-up advantage through eight holes against Cody Cox of Black Oak Golf Club. Cox delivered a clutch birdie on No. 9 and a par on 10 to cut the deficit to 1 up. The pair pushed four holes on the back nine, ending with a par for Cox on No. 15 to bring the match to a tie. Havay parred the last two holes to secure a spot in the semifinals against Arbes.
The semifinal matches get underway at 7:30 a.m. and 7:42 a.m. Thursday morning.
Round of 16 Results
Brian Hart def. Jeremy Wall, 2 and 1
Criag Langslet def. Nicholas Vecellio, 3 and 2
Pat Wilson def. Adam Satkowski, 4 and 3
Chris Lawler def. Corey Bringham, 1 up
Eric LeFante def. Brian Davis, 2 up
James Arbes def. Gregg Angelillo, 1 up
Cody Cox def. Troy Vannucci, 1 up
John Havay def. Lou Tonon, 1 up
Quarterfinal Results
Craig Langslet def. Brian Hart, 3 and 2
Pat Wilson def. Chris Lawler, 3 and 1
James Arbes def. Eric LeFante 1 up
John Havay def. Cody Cox, 2 up
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