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Alabama teen sets new course, tournament record at Northeast Amateur

EAST PROVIDENCE – Tyler Watts now stands alone in Northeast Amateur history.

Professional golfers who went on to capture multiple major championships couldn’t do it. Others who ascended to the world’s No. 1 ranking also fell short.

Ben Crenshaw, Curtis Strange, Scottie Scheffler, David Duval, Dustin Johnson, Collin Morikawa and so many more – none have accomplished what Watts achieved Friday afternoon in this 64th edition at Wannamoisett Country Club.

The teenage left-hander from Alabama set new course and tournament records with a 9-under 60, a number that lowered the previous marks by one shot. Watts clinched his milestone on Thursday, June 25, with a birdie at the par-4 18^th, his final stroke under bright sunshine after collecting seven previous birdies and an eagle.

“I’ve always loved this golf course,” Watts said. “It definitely holds a much more special place in my heart now because of today’s round.

“It kind of goes back to what we were saying – there have been so many great players who have played here and posted really good rounds. For me to say that I’ve had the best is a true honor.”

Watts hit a precise lob wedge into the last green and had just a slippery 4-footer from above the hole remaining to take his place in immortality. The crowd that gathered saw Watts knock home the putt and share a hug with his father, Rick, who is on his bag this week. It was the end of a day where Watts erased a three-putt bogey at the sixth partly thanks to lengthy putts for birdie at the par-4 11^th, and eagle at the par-5 17^th.

“I hit the ball amazing yesterday,” Watts said. “My putter didn’t get too hot. I knew I could really post a low round with the way I was hitting the ball if my putter started to cooperate.”

Tyler Watts set a course record at Wannamoisett Country Club on June 25 during the Northeast Amateur golf tournament.

Watts now holds a four-shot lead on the field through two days at 12-under, following his opening 66 with something superb. Willy Walsh and Carson Bertagnole sit tied for second at 8-under, and Bertagnole is now one of four players who reside just below Watts in course record books. His opening 61 on Wednesday was the fourth shot here, as he joined Luke Guthrie (2011), Karl Vilups (2019) and 2025 winner Preston Stout.

“I’ve got to keep doing what I’m doing,” Watts said. “I’ve been putting in a lot of hard work. I think that’s what led me to shooting a really good round today.”

Walsh entered two shots behind Bertagnole following his afternoon 63 on Wednesday, and he added a tidy 67. Bertagnole grinded to a 70 that included a bogey and nine pars over his final 10 holes, as he dropped a shot at the par-4 seventh. The freshman All-American at North Carolina couldn’t summon the touch on the greens that led him to a breakthrough opening effort here.

“You kind of have to stay where you’re feet are,” Bertagnole said. “You’re probably not going to (shoot 61) that again. That was definitely what I needed to do in the beginning, and I held my ground pretty well.”

Bertagnole witnessed one of the day’s highlights from playing partner Logan Reilly, who used an ace at the par-3 15^th as part of his charge into contention. Reilly drilled a 5-iron to the uphill green that landed some 20 feet short of the hole location in the back left. He watched as the ball rolled forward and disappeared, his first hole-in-one in tournament play and the second of his career.

“Carson went crazy,” Reilly said. “There were a bunch of people up around the green who got loud. That was a good feeling.”

That was part of a stretch that saw Reilly play five holes in 5-under, and the two-time team national champion with Auburn eventually signed for a 64. That followed his opening even-par 69 and landed him in a six-way tie for seventh place at 5-under. Jay Leng Jr. used an early 64 to move into solo fourth place at 7-under while Gerardo Gomez and Ryan Ford both made it two straight days in red numbers while closing tied for fifth at 6-under.

“I’m giving myself chances a lot of times in the round,” Reilly said. “I just need to convert. Today I made a couple of those 10-footers, which were nice.”

Carson Bertagnole is tied for second place after Thursday's second round at the Northeast Amateur.

Moderate morning conditions in terms of wind and temperature allowed multiple players to climb the leaderboard. None made a bigger move than Vanderbilt standout Jon Ed Steed, who closed one off the old course record while firing a 7-under 62. Steed improved by 15 shots from his opening 77 and is now comfortably inside the cutline entering Friday’s third round.

“I kind of got away from my routines when I left Nashville,” Steed said. “It definitely showed yesterday. I stuck to the process yesterday after the round and really kept it light today.”

It was also a good day for some of the premier Mid-Amateurs in the field. Five-time Rhode Island Amateur champion Bobby Leopold carded an early 66 to bring him back to even-par for the tournament and reigning Rhode Island Amateur champion Mike Calef fired a 67 while pulling closer to the potential cutline. Atlanta native Hayes Brown bettered both of them, jumping into the top 10 thanks to his 6-under 63.

“This wasn’t even on my radar,” Brown said. “Just being invited is an incredible accomplishment. I’m happy to play well, show up, not embarrass myself and see what happens.”

bkoch@providencejournal.com

On X: @BillKoch25

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Alabama teen Tyler Watts sets new Northeast Amateur gold records

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