BREAKING: Tyler Watts Breaks Wannamoisett Course Record
A new course record has been set at Wannamoisett.
Alabama native Tyler Watts fired a nine-under par 60 at the Northeast Amateur on Thursday afternoon to break the Wannamoisett course record.
“I’ve always loved this golf course. It definitely holds a much more special place in my heart now. There have been so many great players that have played here and have posted really good rounds. For me to say that I have the best is a true honor,” said Watts after the round.
Watts’ 60 comes one day after North Carolina’s Carson Bertagnole tied the course record with a 61.
“It means a lot. It was pretty gettable out there, but I don’t want to take anything away from myself, I was in control all day and it’s an honor for sure,” said Watts after the round.
For Watts, the 60 ties his lowest career round.
The soon-to-be freshman at Tennessee sits at 12-under for the tournament and holds a four-shot lead heading into Friday’s third round.
“I’ve gotta keep doing what I’m doing. I have been putting in a lot of hard work and I think that is what led me to shoot a really good round today. I’m going to come out here with the same game plan tomorrow and just work my way around the golf course and not get to ahead of myself,” noted Watts.
Friday’s tee times have not been released yet, but Watts will be in the final pairing.
Course Record
Watts got off to a hot start in the round, making birdie on four of his first five-holes.
He took a step back with a three-putt bogey on the sixth hole, which he says will haunt him.
“60 ties the low round for me. Like I said, I’ll be thinking about that three-putt, but that’s alright,” said Watts.
He would bounce back with a birdie on seven and make the turn at 30.
Turning to the back side, Watts saved par on ten and then birdied 11 to get to five under for the day.
“I was just really in control on the front nine. I wouldn’t say it was anything special and then I got to hole 11. I hit a wedge shot, it was out of the rough, kind of jumped on me. It went 45 feet long and I was playing this putt 20 feet outside the edge, just letting it kinda drift down the slope. I put a really good roll on it and it ended up trickling in. That kind of flipped a switch in my mind that maybe things are going my way today,” said Watts.
Watts than parred 12 and 13, before adding a birdie on 14.
After saving two more pars on 15 and 16, Watts came to the par-5 17th where he was on in two, but a long way away from the cup.
“My ball was just on the front of the green and the pin was all the way in the back, so it was a really long putt. My ball stopped on the edge of the hole for a few seconds and then decided to fall in, by the grace of god, so, I’ll take it,” said Watts.
On the 18, Watts needed a birdie to break the course record.
After bombing a drive, Watts had a 104 yards to the flag and hit a lob wedge, sticking it just feet from the hole.
He would tap in for the course record to an applause from the gallery.