Dylan Stein Goes Low With 69 At Amateur Qualifier At Fiddler's Elbow
Dylan Stein is a 19-year-old golfer who swears by his 97-year-old coach.
The 97-year-old coach is legendary Mike Amorelli of Copper Hill who has mentored Stein since his freshman year at Hunterdon Central Regional High School.
On Thursday, May 19, Stein put Amorelli’s teachings to good use, and fired a three-under-par 69 to earn medalist honors at the qualifying round of the NJSGA’s 115th Amateur Championship over the 6,755-yard Fiddler’s Elbow River Course.
The State Amateur takes place June 7-9 at Montammy Golf Club in Alpine.
Ethan Wall was second with a 1-under 71 and was the only golfer in the morning flight of 72. Matt Cocorikis of Forsgate shot an even-par 72.
A total of 26 golfers from the field of 144 who shot 75 or better qualified for the Amateur.
“I think Mike Amorelli is the greatest teaching pro in the world,” said Stein, who just completed his freshman year at Towson University in Maryland. “He’s been around the game for nearly 100 years. The knowledge he’s gained is fantastic. He knows everything.”
All three days Stein has been home from Towson, he has worked with Amorelli. He even hooked up with him in Florida in March when Towson played an in event in the area.
“I’d like to bring him to Towson with me. Mike keeps telling me if I hit a lot of greens the putts will fall if I commit to my lines,” said Stein, who was a scholastic phenom last spring, winning sectional and conference titles among six total triumphs, and placing third in the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions.
By his admission Stein did not bring his A game to Fiddler’s Elbow, three-putting three times. His card included an eagle, four birdies and three bogeys.
The eagle came on the par-5 522-yard 18thhole. His 235-yard 2-iron shot ended eight feet from the hole.
“Over the past year, Mike and I have worked real hard on my ball striking and my game inside 150 yards. I’m a lot more accurate. I’m hitting a lot more greens in regulation,” said the 5-8, 135-pound Stein, who had four top five finishes for Towson in intercollegiate action this past year.
Wall has fond memories of the River Course at Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club in Bedminster, going back some 10 years.
“I remember breaking 80 for the first time in my life here at age 11,” said Wall, 21, a rising senior at Loyola of Maryland. “The other five times I’ve played here, I always shot 73, so today was a good way to end that streak.”
“There are five par fives here that are all reachable here so you’ve got to take advantage of that, although I was only one under for them today,” Wall said.
Wall did birdie two of them, the sixth and 11th holes, but bogeyed the par-five 13th. He also had birdies at the par fours, Nos. 1, 3 and 16.
“The greens are sloped here and you have to take advantage of holes that are in bowls and read those lines,” said Wall, whose longest birdie putt was a 15-footer on the par-4 third hole.
“There, I hit a good eight iron shot on the first hole from 146 that landed two feet from the pin,” he noted.
Wall last year transferred from Lehigh University to join his brother, Jeremy, on the golf team at Loyola of Maryland.
Although Loyola failed to win the Patriot League championship for the first time in nine years, Jeremy was fifth among the individuals and Ethan ninth. The team placed third behind Army and Navy.
“It’s been a few years since I’ve been here and the biggest thing I noticed was the change on the (par three) fourth hole. I remember it not being as good as the other holes. Now, it is a lot more than fair, even better than most of the other holes,” said Wall, who will be looking to make the cut at the Amateur for the first time in three tries.
“I feel I’m more of a complete player now. I don’t let the little things bother me as much anymore. I’ve realized there’s a lot more to life than golf.”
Dwight Thompson of Galloping Hill, who missed qualifying with an 85, did go home with a memory. He recorded the first hole-in-one of his career on the 215-yard eighth hole, using a hybrid.
“It made my day. My caddie said the look on my face was priceless,” said Thompson, 38, a native of Toronto who is a chef and owns the D Soul Full Café in Hoboken, where he resides.
