BLOOMFIELD, N.J. – Reed Greyserman has given the New Jersey Amateur Golf Championship its first pair of title-winning brothers.
Greyserman, 19, won the 123rd Amateur on Wednesday with a record-setting performance to join his older brother, Max, who won it in 2015 and is in his first year on the PGA Tour.
“I was there when Max won, and he’s doing awesome,” Greyserman said. “Obviously, the goal is to be where he is.”
Greyserman, an incoming freshman at Princeton, was a wire-to-wire winner and finished at 14-under 270 at the renovated Forest Hill Field Club. The Short Hills resident shot 3-under 68 during Wednesday morning’s third round and 72 in the afternoon finale for the record-setting 270 and three-shot victory.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” said Greyserman, who plays out of Hamilton Farm and previously had two top-five finishes. “To finally get it done here is everything.”
🏆 Greyserman grabs the 123rd New Jersey Amateur Championship presented by Provident Bank in impressive wire-to-wire fashion!
The 19-year-old recorded rounds of 64-66-68-72 over 72 holes to hoist the Edwin M. Wild Trophy at Forest Hill Field Club. With the victory, Greyserman… pic.twitter.com/oo7F8fTsKy
— NJSGA (@NJSGA1900) July 11, 2024
Liam Pasternak, 17, of Essex Fells, bidding to become the first high schooler to capture the title, was runner-up at 11-under 273. Pasternak was in Wednesday’s final pairing with Greyserman and shot 68 and 70.
“I thought it went really well,” said Pasternak, who in May won the New Jersey high school Tournament of Champions as a junior at Morristown. “I felt really confident.”
This should be remembered as the “New Jersey Brothers Amateur,” because Jeremy Wall, 29, of Manasquan River also was vying to join his younger brother, Jack – the defending champion – and deliver back-to-back sibling titles. Jeremy closed with 69 and 70 to tie for third at 10-under.
Mark Costanza, 35, of Baltusrol, bidding to become just the seventh player to win the State Open and State Amateur, also tied for third at 10-under. Costanza, State Open titlist in 2020, rallied with 67 and 69 to reach 10-under.
The New Jersey State Golf Association switched the Amateur from match play to stroke play in 1971. The previous record for lowest 72-hole score was set by two-time champion Dawson Jones in 2019 with a 15-under 273 at Neshanic Valley. Jones’ 15-under remains the lowest score relative to par, and Greyserman’s 14-under is tied for second with Jones’ 14-under in 2017 at Tavistock.
The five former champions made a collective stellar showing this week, all finishing among the top 12. Jack Wall of Manasquan River was eighth at 5-under after carding 68 and 70. Will Celiberti of Arcola, the 2022 titlist, was ninth at 4-under after shooting 66 and 70.
Two-time champion Mike Stamberger of Spring Lake tied for 10th at 1-under after a 71 and 70. Corey Brigham of NJSGA E-Club, the 2002 titlist, and Austin Devereux of Manasquan River, the 2020 titlist, tied for 12th at even par. Brigham shot 68 and 70 and Devereux had 70 and 74.
Greyserman once again fought off a challenge with a strong finish in the final round. Leading Costanza by two shots, he birdied the 15th and 16th holes. On the 16th, a 160-yard par-3, he hit an 8-iron to within two feet and sank the birdie putt.
“I knew where the scores were at,” Greyserman said of the leaderboard, adding, “After the birdie on 16, it was smooth sailing coming in.”
