It’s safe to say Jackson Van Paris knows his way around Pinehurst. The golf haven in North Carolina is his hometown. It’s also where he now has a course record.
Van Paris, a junior at Vanderbilt, shot a 9-under 61 at Pinehurst No. 4 on Tuesday in the opening round of the 2023 North & South Amateur, setting a new course record by two shots. He carded nine birdies and no bogeys to take a two-shot lead after the first of two rounds of stroke play.
“When you’re out there and playing a good round of golf, you’re trying not to think about it,” Van Paris said. “You’re trying to take it one shot, one hole at a time. But it’s about as good as it gets. It was a great day.”
Not even two weeks ago, Van Paris shot a 61 in the Sunnehanna Amateur, which he went on to win.
The championship moves on to its second day of stroke play on Wednesday. The top 32 seeds will advance to match play, which begins on Thursday. The championship match is scheduled for Saturday afternoon.
