Brent Paladino, who works for the United States Golf Association in Emerson, New Jersey, expects to get a rap from his colleagues when he returns.
Paladino predicted that he would receive a few text messages asking him to bring food into the office and be asked where he had been in the past few days.
The 103rd New Jersey Open Golf Championship was won by him in three days. He rallied during the final round and captured the title with one shot.
Paladino, 36, shot a scorching 7-under 65 to earn an 11-under score of 205. He finished one stroke ahead Nick Bova from Hamilton Farm who had closed the championship with 69. Paladino earned $20,000 so it’s a good idea to bring a nice spread of food to the USGA in Far Hills.
Bova held the lead until the par-4 hole 18, when he drove his ball into the rough on the adjacent hole, resulting in a bogey. He maintained his lead on the par-3 17th with a 12-foot par-saving putt.
Bova, 38, who is a Hillsborough resident and earned $12,500, said, “It’s a mess, of course.” “To bogey today’s last hole, and then make a double on Tuesday and lose by one shot is pretty tough.”
Jack Simon, the runner-up in this year’s New Jersey Amateur, and Troy Vannucci, the second-round leader from Little Mill, both shared low amateur honors with 8-under. Vannucci shot 73 and Simon 70. They shared third place with Danny Harcourt, a pro from Fiddler’s Elbow.
Hackensack’s club champ Thomas O’Neill made another impressive showing in front the home crowd. O’Neill tied for sixth place with Arcola’s Chris DeJohn, an amateur who shot 71.
“It’s a wonderful week,” said O’Neill (19), a Bergen Catholic graduate who is a incoming Holy Cross freshman. I had circled this date on my calendar almost a full year ago. “I’m happy to have performed and I had fun on stage.”
Paladino is a Hackettstown resident and has been working for the USGA since 2004. He is responsible for the in-house management of championships. His focus is on helping golf organisations administer the 700 or so qualifiers that are held across the United States.
Paladino has now finished in the top five at the State Open three times. He was fourth last season and fifth in 2020. He climbed up the leaderboard each time in the final rounds. On Wednesday, he was tied for 10th and five strokes behind the lead.
According to an NJSGA official, Paladino’s 65 shot was just one short of the course record. He made eight birdies with one bogey. His hot streak began on Nos. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. He birdied the par-3 sixth after hitting the face of it.
Paladino has twice won the New Jersey PGA Majors this season. “I hit a number of wedges and 8-and 9-irons that were really good,” he said. “I didn’t drive the ball particularly well, but I did hit a lot [of approach] shots up to three or four inches, especially in the first part.
