Headline: The Bay State's James Turner Captures the 2016 New England Amateur Championship at Hartford Golf Club
For Immediate Release: July 21, 2016
Hartford, CT – The sting of missing out on his state amateur last week was a distant memory for James Turner (Bass Rocks GC – MA) as he accepted the Harry B. McCracken, Jr. Trophy given to the winner of the New England Amateur Championship.
Turner, an 18 year old who lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts, posted a four-round score of 7-under par 273, which included a final round of 5-under par 65 to secure himself his first major championship victory.
“I didn’t really expect it coming in here because there are so many great players in this field,” said Turner, who finished five strokes ahead of his next competitor. “There are a lot of guys who could have shot the same scores as I did if it was their week. Fortunately, the putts dropped for me today, and I was able to pull ahead.”
One week ago, Turner was home practicing while many of his golf brethren were competing at the Massachusetts Amateur Championship. Even though he was exempt for the championship after he made match play in 2015, Turner was not in the 2016 field after failing to meet the entry deadline requirements.
It was a bitter pill to swallow for Turner, but he turned that frustration into motivation this week.
“There was nothing you could really do about it. You just have to move past it. It’s not worth sulking over it,” said Turner. “It definitely feels better now after playing one of the best rounds I have ever played before in my career.”
His final round score of 5-under par 65 was not only the best round posted by anyone else in this week's field, it’s also one of the best scores ever posted in competition at Hartford Golf Club, which has been the site of many major tournaments in the past including the 1996 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship. It is only two shots off the competitive course record which is 63 and was set at the 2009 Connecticut Open.
But on this sunny day with temperatures soaring into the 90s, Turner played this layout better than nearly anyone past or present. His final round included four birdies and two eagles against a field of the top amateur competitors from the six New England states.
“I had the putter rolling really well today,” said Turner. “I made a few long ones out there.”
The road to victory did not always seem so set.
After all, Turner arrived at Hartford Golf Club on Tuesday morning for his first round never having seen the course before. He posted a first-round score of 3-over par 73 and was six strokes off the pace. He bettered his day-one score with a 2-under par 68 heading into the third and final day which featured 36 holes.
“Not really knowing the course I shot 73 in the first round, and I felt like I was playing well,” said Turner. “I got to a couple under the second round. I know [Tim Umphrey, the leader after two rounds] well, and he is an awesome kid and playing well. I knew that it was going to take a lot of birdies to catch him… I am glad that it worked out.”
Turner bettered his day-two score on Thursday morning with a 3-under par 67. With Umphrey falling off the pace, other competitors were making a run but in the end no one could keep up with Turner down the stretch.
He made birdie on his first hole of the afternoon round and then - three holes later - found the green with his second shot on the 513-yard, par 5 4th hole.
“I missed my drive left and had 3 wood in there,” said Turner. “I hit it to about 20 feet and got a good read from my brother going up the hill and made that one.”
Just four holes into the final round, Turner had earned a share of the lead. He made the turn at 3-under par 35 and was deadlocked at 5-under par overall with Ryan Tombs (Manchester CC – CT).
It was then when he turned a two-horse race into a one-man show.
Turner played his next four holes at 4-under par to jump out to a four-stroke advantage. Through holes 10 to 13, Turner carded four straight 3s which included an eagle, one par and back-to-back birdies on the 12th and 13th holes.
“When I had gone by the scoreboard I saw that I was at 5 under with someone else,” said Turner, who just completed his senior year at St. John’s Prep in Danvers. “I was definitely trying to get a few more, and once I got back there I saw that he was at 4 and I had gotten to nine, so I was just trying to not make any big numbers coming in.”
Although Turner did play his final five holes at 2-over par, he had built enough of a cushion to secure himself victory.
“It’s tough because you always have a tendency to start thinking ahead,” said Turner. “I had to keep refocusing myself and take it one shot at a time.”
Making the moment even more special was having his younger brother Mark on his bag on the final day. Mark made the trip to Connecticut from Tennessee the day before after failing to make match play at the 2016 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.
“He unfortunately missed the cut at the U.S. Junior but he knew a little bit more about golf than my dad did,” said Turner. “He definitely helped me out there.”
And with his family by his side, Turner spent some of his final moments at Hartford Golf Club staring at the list of New England Amateur champions who represent some of the best golfers in history.
“It’s pretty crazy,” said Turner, who becomes the 30th Bay State golfer to win this title since it began in 1926. “There are a lot of awesome, awesome names up there who have done great things. I am honored to be a part of that.”
Hartford, CT – The sting of missing out on his state amateur last week was a distant memory for James Turner (Bass Rocks GC – MA) as he accepted the Harry B. McCracken, Jr. Trophy given to the winner of the New England Amateur Championship.
Turner, an 18 year old who lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts, posted a four-round score of 7-under par 273, which included a final round of 5-under par 65 to secure himself his first major championship victory.
“I didn’t really expect it coming in here because there are so many great players in this field,” said Turner, who finished five strokes ahead of his next competitor. “There are a lot of guys who could have shot the same scores as I did if it was their week. Fortunately, the putts dropped for me today, and I was able to pull ahead.”
One week ago, Turner was home practicing while many of his golf brethren were competing at the Massachusetts Amateur Championship. Even though he was exempt for the championship after he made match play in 2015, Turner was not in the 2016 field after failing to meet the entry deadline requirements.
It was a bitter pill to swallow for Turner, but he turned that frustration into motivation this week.
“There was nothing you could really do about it. You just have to move past it. It’s not worth sulking over it,” said Turner. “It definitely feels better now after playing one of the best rounds I have ever played before in my career.”
His final round score of 5-under par 65 was not only the best round posted by anyone else in this week's field, it’s also one of the best scores ever posted in competition at Hartford Golf Club, which has been the site of many major tournaments in the past including the 1996 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship. It is only two shots off the competitive course record which is 63 and was set at the 2009 Connecticut Open.
But on this sunny day with temperatures soaring into the 90s, Turner played this layout better than nearly anyone past or present. His final round included four birdies and two eagles against a field of the top amateur competitors from the six New England states.
“I had the putter rolling really well today,” said Turner. “I made a few long ones out there.”
The road to victory did not always seem so set.
After all, Turner arrived at Hartford Golf Club on Tuesday morning for his first round never having seen the course before. He posted a first-round score of 3-over par 73 and was six strokes off the pace. He bettered his day-one score with a 2-under par 68 heading into the third and final day which featured 36 holes.
“Not really knowing the course I shot 73 in the first round, and I felt like I was playing well,” said Turner. “I got to a couple under the second round. I know [Tim Umphrey, the leader after two rounds] well, and he is an awesome kid and playing well. I knew that it was going to take a lot of birdies to catch him… I am glad that it worked out.”
Turner bettered his day-two score on Thursday morning with a 3-under par 67. With Umphrey falling off the pace, other competitors were making a run but in the end no one could keep up with Turner down the stretch.
He made birdie on his first hole of the afternoon round and then - three holes later - found the green with his second shot on the 513-yard, par 5 4th hole.
“I missed my drive left and had 3 wood in there,” said Turner. “I hit it to about 20 feet and got a good read from my brother going up the hill and made that one.”
Just four holes into the final round, Turner had earned a share of the lead. He made the turn at 3-under par 35 and was deadlocked at 5-under par overall with Ryan Tombs (Manchester CC – CT).
It was then when he turned a two-horse race into a one-man show.
Turner played his next four holes at 4-under par to jump out to a four-stroke advantage. Through holes 10 to 13, Turner carded four straight 3s which included an eagle, one par and back-to-back birdies on the 12th and 13th holes.
“When I had gone by the scoreboard I saw that I was at 5 under with someone else,” said Turner, who just completed his senior year at St. John’s Prep in Danvers. “I was definitely trying to get a few more, and once I got back there I saw that he was at 4 and I had gotten to nine, so I was just trying to not make any big numbers coming in.”
Although Turner did play his final five holes at 2-over par, he had built enough of a cushion to secure himself victory.
“It’s tough because you always have a tendency to start thinking ahead,” said Turner. “I had to keep refocusing myself and take it one shot at a time.”
Making the moment even more special was having his younger brother Mark on his bag on the final day. Mark made the trip to Connecticut from Tennessee the day before after failing to make match play at the 2016 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.
“He unfortunately missed the cut at the U.S. Junior but he knew a little bit more about golf than my dad did,” said Turner. “He definitely helped me out there.”
And with his family by his side, Turner spent some of his final moments at Hartford Golf Club staring at the list of New England Amateur champions who represent some of the best golfers in history.
“It’s pretty crazy,” said Turner, who becomes the 30th Bay State golfer to win this title since it began in 1926. “There are a lot of awesome, awesome names up there who have done great things. I am honored to be a part of that.”
