Tyler Watts Becomes Youngest Northeast Am Champion Ever
Tennessee commit Tyler Watts became the youngest player to ever win the Northeast Amateur on Saturday at Wannamoisett Country Club.
Watts finished the tournament at 16-under par to cruise to a five-shot victory.
“Wow. I didn’t know that. You kind of just shocked me right there. I don’t really know how to describe it. I was the youngest at the (2025) Sunnehanna and now youngest here. It’s obviously a really good feeling, but no matter what age you are, to be able to win a tournament like this is big time for sure,” said Watts after the round.
Watts joins a list of past winners including Brett Quigley, Notah Begay III, Dustin Johnson, Collin Morikawa and Ben Crenshaw, and more.
However, the 18-year-old will stand out as the youngest.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling to have your name amongst those type of guys. It definitely adds a bit more pressure to the prestigious event, but it is always in the back of your mind. The Northeast Am is one of the biggest events we have in amateur golf and to be able to add your name to the list is a really big honor,” said Watts.
Watts took some of the pressure off himself earlier in the week when he smashed the Wannamoisett course record with a second round 60.
But Watts was determined that the course record would not be the only thing he would be remembered for.
He would close the door for the next two days and capture the title.
“I’m very blessed. Obviously, the second round was one of the best rounds of my life and I did not want that to be the talk of the tournament. I wanted to be able to say I walked away as a champion and I’m super grateful that I was able to do that,” Watts said.
The victory earns Watts a berth in the U.S. Amateur later this summer.
Watts’ Final Round
Starting the final round with a four shot lead, Watts saw his birdie putt drop in the side door on the first hole to get the round started.
He would give it back with a bogey on the second after his tee shot found the right bunker, forcing him to lay up.
“I drove it up near the lip (of the bunker) and I just had to get it out, lay it up in the fairway. Thought I hit a decent wedge shot and it took a really big bounce over the green, and that’s not where you want to be on that hole. Hit a really good chip shot and got out of there,” said Watts.
Watts would get it right back with a birdie on three and another birdie on four.
After pars on five and six, Watts would birdie seven to turn at 41.
Making the turn, Watts dropped another birdie putt at 10 to get to 16-under for the tournament.
Watts than bogeyed 12, and combined with back-to-back birdies by Jay Leng Jr., the lead was cut to four.
“I got really comfortable on the back nine. I felt like it was in my hands and Jay made a couple of birdies and it got within four on 15 tee box. I kinda snapped back into it and said ‘hey look, it’s still a ball game, this isn’t over. If I make a bogey and he makes a birdie, it’s a two-shot swing and next thing you know, it’s tightened up a lot,” said Watts.
Watts made a huge up-and-down for par on 15 and then birdied 16 and 17 to put the tournament out of reach.
He closed with a bogey on 18 to seal the victory.
Headed to Tennessee in Fall
With a Northeast Amateur title under his belt and other tournaments approaching, Watts has a chance to take a ton of momentum into Tennessee this fall.
“I’ve already proved to myself that I can compete at the highest level of amateur golf and I think to be able to go into college golf with that confidence is really big. I want to play well for my team, we have a really big goal at the end of the year called the National Championship, and If I’m playing well, that can help a lot,” said Watts.
Watts will begin his collegiate career with the Vols in just a few months.