GolfNewsRI

Rhode Island Amateur week is here. 

In just a short day, the best players in the state will tee it up at Kirkbrae Country Club in a six day marathon to determine the State Amateur Champion. 

“I’m excited, I’m ready to go. It is probably one of my favorite tracks in the state, I really enjoy playing it,” said competitor Austin Cilley during the RI Amateur Series. 

The first tee time is at 7:15 a.m. on Monday.

GolfNewsRI will provide full coverage.

Scouting Kirkbrae 

Kirkbrae is a par-72 and measures 6,647 yards from the way back tees. 

GolfNewsRI has been told by a few different players in the field that Kirkbrae’s 6th hole will play as a par-4 this week, making it a par-71 course. 

We will see if that is in fact the case. Either way, the hole measures about 500 yards from the tips. 

The hole was originally a par-4, before the club changed it to a five a couple of years ago. 

Now, how will the course play? 

Like the rest of the state, Kirkbrae has received an unprecedented amount of rain over the last several days and even weeks. 

That means the course could be playing softer, especially during the medal play portion of the tournament. 

“It depends on the weather, if it is wet, soft, Kirkbrae plays very different than if it is firm and the ball doesn’t come spinning off every green. You can kind of take aim at a lot of targets, otherwise, you have to go in there controlling your spin,” two-time RI Amateur champion Bobby Leopold told GolfNewsRI. 

If the course plays soft and the greens slow the first two days, there is a chance viewers could see guys pin hunting, and some pins in interesting places to make it more challenging. 

If conditions are normal, which they could be, don’t expect to see any crazy pin placements during the first two days. But starting Wednesday, all bets are off. 

“From the standpoint of how they set the tournament up on a year-to-year basis, two days of stroke play, you’re not going to see anything crazy. The tees will be back, but not in crazy spots, the pins will be in pretty benign positions to get 125-130 guys around the golf course,” said Mike Hamilton on the RI Amateur Series Podcast. 

He adds, “You may see a couple of tricky ones, but the good thing is, as a Kirkbrae member, you will be able to identify them pretty quickly and have a better idea of how to play to those.” 

There are 14 Kirkbrae members in the field this week. 

Brad Auclair and Brad Valois are listed at other clubs, but both joined Kirkbrae this year.

“I ran into the RIGA guys a few days ago and what they said to me is that they have about 12 hole locations on every green,” said Brad Valois.

GolfNewsRI projects the match play cut to be around 140-145 pending on the conditions.

Players to Watch 

There are dozens and dozens of great players to watch at this week’s RI Amateur. 

From a slew of high schoolers to former Amateur champions and 14 Kirkbrae members, all of whom you have to give a punchers chance too. 

This list will surely feel too small, but here are some of the players GolfNewsRI recommends keeping an eye on: 

Max Jackson 

At the old age of 15, Max Jackson is already taking the Rhode Island Golf world by storm. 

The La Salle phenom won the individual high school state championship earlier this summer at Cranston Country Club, and most recently, took home the World Series of Junior Golf trophy two weeks ago at Triggs Memorial. 

Not to mention, he won the Pawtucket Club Championship at 14-years-old.

While you should never skip too far ahead, Jackson could very well be the next dominant Rhode Island golfer. 

“Hopefully, I can get to that stage. That’s what I am looking up to, and that’s my goal right now,” Jackson said after winning the state championship. 

He is certainly on pace to do just that. 

Jackson tees off at 12:04 p.m. on Monday, and 8:09 a.m. on Tuesday. 

Jamie Lukowicz

Jamie Lukowicz is the defending RI Amateur champion, so obviously, he has to be on the list. 

Lukowicz will look to become the first player to repeat as RI Amateur champion since Brad Valois (more on him later) did it in 2006-2007. 

“Kirkbrae I love, ironically, I almost won the Rhode Island Open there, years ago, maybe 2010. The point I like the course, it is fun, it’s challenging with some long holes,” said Lukowicz in the RI Amateur Series.

Lukowicz also played the Tri-State matches there in 2019, where he played pretty well. 

Most recently, Lukowicz is coming off an appearance in the Northeast Amateur at Wannamoisett, where he narrowly missed the cut. 

Lukowicz tees off at 8:54 a.m. on Monday, and 12:49 p.m. on Tuesday. 

Mike Hamilton 

If there were Vegas odds on the RI Amateur, one would think that Mike Hamilton would be near the top. 

However, the last few weeks have been a bit of a rollercoaster for the reigning RI Stroke Play Champion. 

Hamilton struggled at the Northeast Amateur on a tough Wannamoisett track, with pins in tough places. 

After the Northeast, Hamilton took a week off and didn’t even touch a club. 

It appeared that helped him. 

At the U.S. Amateur Qualifier this past week, Hamilton finished three-under for the tournament and was inside the cut line for much of the day before a few bogeys pushed him back. 

During his rounds at Kirkbrae, he has been shooting anywhere from the mid to high 60s with very few or no bogeys. 

He is also the defending Kirkbrae Club Champion.  

Hamilton tees off at 12:04 p.m. on Monday and 8:09 a.m. on Tuesday. 

Andrew O’Leary

Andrew O’Leary is looking to become the first player to reach three straight RI Amateur finals since Valois did it from 2006-2008. 

O’Leary won the RI Amateur in 2019, and then lost to Lukowicz in 2020. 

After a good junior season at Notre Dame, O’Leary is coming off the Northeast Amateur in which he posted an impressive third-round 64 to make the cut. 

The score included a hole-in-one on the 8th hole at Wannamoisett. 

This year’s RI Amateur will be a family affair for Andrew, as for the first time, both he and his father, Brian are in the field.

Family bragging rights will certainly be on the line.

Andrew O’Leary tees off at 12:49 p.m. on Monday, and 8:54 a.m. on Tuesday.

Tyler Cooke

One player that is flying under the radar heading into this Rhode Island Amateur is Wannamoisett’s Tyler Cooke. 

Earlier this year, Cooke and his partner Bobby Leopold finished third at the RI Four Ball Championship. 

He comes into this week with back-to-back 17th place finishes at the RI Amateur in 2020 and 2019. 

Cooke tees off at 11:55 a.m. on Monday and 8 a.m. on Tuesday. 

Bobby Leopold

One player that can never be written off is Bobby Leopold. 

Leopold is one of the greatest amateur players in the history for Rhode Island Amateur golf. 

He has won two RI Amateurs, had high finishes at the Northeast Amateur and has made deep runs at previous U.S. Amateurs. 

“I’m obviously getting older. I still have that competitive edge, I still want to compete. I always said that winning a USGA event would be the pinnacle. My brother-in-law and I got to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Four Ball a few years ago. But on top of that, it’s the camaraderie,” said Leopold on GolfNewsRI’s RI Amateur Series. 

Leopold struggled at this year’s Northeast Amateur, missing the cut by several shots, however, that was several weeks ago, and at a much tougher course.

“The Northeast is kinda the first big event of the year, which makes it tricky as well. By the time you get to the Rhode Island Am you have played a couple of events, more competitive golf, so you are kind of seasoned for that,” said Leopold. 

Leopold tees off at 12:58 p.m. on Monday and 9:03 a.m. on Tuesday. 

Brad Valois

Brad Valois has four Rhode Island Amateur titles and a number of other accomplishments in the Amateur game.

Valois came on the RI Amateur Series Podcast on June 17 and told GolfNewsRI that he has been struggling with his confidence over the last several years.

Well, it would appear that problem is solved. 

Earlier this week, Valois birdied four of his last five holes at Crestwood to qualify for the U.S. Amateur along with Davis Chatfield. 

Valois birdied his last three holes to get in. 

With the U.S. Amateur qualification under his belt, Valois is riding high into the Rhode Island Amateur.

Not to mention that Valois joined Kirkbrae this year.

“That kid is up here all the time now, he is one of the most talented players I have ever seen,” said Tom McCormick.

Valois tees off at 12:31 p.m. on Monday and 8:36 a.m. on Tuesday. 

Tommy McCormick

The last time the Rhode Island Amateur was held at Kirkbrae Country Club, it was won by Tommy McCormick, who at that time was playing out of Triggs. 

After winning the Amateur in 2005, Kirkbrae gave him an honorary membership and he has not left since. 

Now, the RI Amateur is a home game for McCormick. 

“Obviously, I”m going to have to fight some thoughts about being at the home course, I haven’t had the experience of playing your home course in a tournament of that nature so I’m aware of it, I’m going to figure out a strategy and go with it” said McCormick during his episode of the RI Amateur Series.

However, his win in 2005, pretty much means nothing in relation to this year.

“It’s two completely different animals. I mean we (Kirkbrae) re-did 7, 8, 18, 13, 9 twice,” McCormick added.

McCormick already has a state title this summer as he and fellow Kirkbrae member Larry Lafauci won the RI State Four Ball Championship at Valley. 

Tommy also had a top 15 finish at the U.S. Amateur qualifier at Crestwood earlier this week.

He tees off at 8:36 a.m. on Monday and 12:31 p.m. on Tuesday. 

Kevin Silva

Montaup’s Kevin Silva is the 2015 Rhode Island Amateur Champion and is seeking more. 

Silva has played in two U.S. Opens, including the famous 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. 

The other U.S. Open that he played in is the 2009 U.S. Open. 

Silva missed the cut in both opens, but in the second round of 2009, he shot an impressive 72. 

In 2020, Silva made it to the semifinals of the RI Amateur before losing to Andrew O’Leary.

Silva tees off at 12:40 p.m. on Monday and 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday. 

Derek Audette 

Lincoln High School graduate Derek Audette is certainly an under the radar pick to win the Rhode Island Amateur. 

He is a past Kirkbrae Club Champion and ranks as one of the best players in the club. 

Audette won medalist honors at the first RI Amateur qualifier at Swansea earlier this summer. 

He tees off at 12:49 p.m. on Monday and 8:54 a.m. on Tuesday.  

GolfNewsRI Prediction: 

Rich Cappalli: Mike Hamilton 

Joe Calabro: Brad Valois, Tyler Cooke