Dyer storms back for medalist honors

Shane Dyer put together two distinctly different rounds Thursday at Ives Hill Country Club.

Fortunately for the recent college graduate, his good holes overshadowed the bad and led to him earning medalist honors at the local New York State Golf Association Men's Amateur qualifier.

Dyer, who graduated from Wingate College (N.C.) in May, shot a 1-over-par 73 to lead the 11-man qualifying field. Matt Dalton, a Carthage native living in Rochester this summer, was the second qualifier with a 76.

The state amateur will be contested July 14-16 this year at Ravenwood Golf Club in Victor.

Dyer, a former Watertown High athlete, shot a front-nine of 4-over-par 40, but came home in 3-under-par 33 to earn his spot. He said the difference in the nines was night and day.

"I didn't hit it that badly (on the front), but I just couldn't get anything in the hole," Dyer said. "On the back, I made some putts, hit some really good chips and put myself in better position to attack the pins."

After beginning with a routine par-4 on the opening hole, Dyer bogeyed the long, par-4 second. After three straight pars, he recorded consecutive bogeys on 6, 7 and 8 before making the turn with a par-5 on No. 9.

The 10th hole may have been the key to his round. After hitting a hybrid into the front right bunker, he splashed it out to six feet and made it for a huge par 3.

"That almost felt like a birdie," Dyer said. "I gave me a big boost of confidence."

He followed that with a two-putt birdie-4 on the 11th and another nice par on the difficult 12th hole.

A 10-foot birdie putt on 13 went in, and another lengthy birdie on the narrow par-4 16th also found the cup.

He then finished with a couple of pars.

"The course is certainly playing different than it ever has," Dyer said. "It used to be when you crossed the road (on the 14th hole), you expected to be under par the rest of the way. But now with them letting some of the long grasses grow, you have to pick your shots and be a lot more careful."

Dyer will also try to qualify for the U.S. Amateur in a few weeks at Seven Oaks Golf Club in Hamilton.

"I've been playing off and on (since returning home from college), but today was one of my best ball-striking days."

Dalton, who also has made the state amateur several times, played exactly the opposite of Dyer. He fashioned a superb 1-under-par 35 on the front side, but could only manage a 6-over-41 on the incoming nine.

"I didn't hit it quite as good on the back, and I had just one really bad hole," Dalton said. "It's too bad because I really thought I had a great round going."

A triple-bogey six on the par-3 15th hole — after hitting a tee shot in water — took Dalton out of competition for medalist. But he managed to get in one stroke ahead of former Watertown resident Nick Ambrose, who shot 77. Ambrose is the first alternate.

The state amateur has changed formats this season. After being a match-play event following 36 holes of qualifying the last several year, it is now 54 holes of medal play, with the cut to the low 40 players on the final day.