Pueblo West’s Zaremba Fires 66 in U.S. Publinks
20-year-old shares second place at Murphy Creek
Colorado Golf Journal, Monday, July 14, 2008
AURORA -- Zach Zaremba of Pueblo West did Colorado proud in Monday’s first round of stroke play at the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Aurora is hosting.
The University of Wyoming sophomore golfer shot a 5-under-par 66 at Murphy Creek Golf Course to share second place after Day 1.
Zaremba prepared for the national tournament by playing against his father, 1995 Colorado Open winner Mike Zaremba, last week at their home course of Desert Hawk. Zach Zaremba shot a cool 59 in that round.
“I’ve been playing well lately and I felt great,” said the 20-year-old Zaremba, who played his final nine hole Monday in 4 under par.
Aaron Goldberg of Carlsbad, Calif., a 2007 U.S. Publinks quarterfinalist, posted the lowest round Monday, a 6-under-par 65. Goldberg recently graduated from San Diego State and is considering turning professional.
Travis Reid of Clovis, N.M., tied Zaremba with a 66. College player of the year Rickie Fowler, a 19-year-old from Oklahoma State (and Murrieta, Calif.), shot a 67 despite five three-putts. But Fowler also holed out a shot from 123 yards for eagle on a par-4.
Zaremba, a former state high school champion who last year qualified for the U.S. Amateur, is one of four Coloradans competing in the tournament. Broomfield’s Pat Grady, a University of Colorado senior-to-be, stands in 29th place after a first-round 72. Fort Collins’ Riley Arp is 43rd after a 73. Jim Grady, Pat’s brother, shot a 77 and stands in 117th place in the 156-man field.
The top 64 players after Tuesday’s second round of stroke play will advance to match play starting on Wednesday. The 36-hole final is set for Saturday.
“I could go shoot 59 tomorrow, but at match play everybody’s the same,” Goldberg said. “I know I have what it takes to play well here.”
U.S. AMATEUR PUBLIC LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP
• WHERE: Murphy Creek Golf Course in Aurora (1700 S. Old Tom Morris Road).
• WHEN: July 14-19. Monday and Tuesday stroke-play qualifying (tee times run 7 a.m.
to 2 p.m.) Match play starts Wednesday, with first round Wednesday, second and third
rounds Thursday, quarterfinals and semifinals Friday, and the 36-hole final on Saturday.
• ADMISSION: Free.
• COURSE: Murphy Creek will play to par-71 at 7,551 yards, making it the longest course in U.S. Publinks history. The 13th hole will be a 528-yard par-4.
• COLORADANS IN THE FIELD: Riley Arp, Fort Collins; Pat Grady, Broomfield; Jim Grady, Broomfield; Zach Zaremba, Pueblo West. Pat and Jim Grady are brothers. Brothers Brent and Cody Paladino from Connecticut played in last year’s tournament, with Cody losing in the final to Colt Knost.
• DEFENDING CHAMP: Colt Knost, who won both the U.S. Publinks and U.S. Amateur in 2007, turned pro in September and won’t defend his title. However, the other seven quarterfinalists from 2007 will return.
• NOTABLE U.S. PUBLINKS CHAMPIONS: Billy Mayfair (1986), Tim Clark (1997), 2008 Masters winner Trevor Immelman (1998), Hunter Haas (1999), D.J. Trahan (2000), Ryan Moore (2002 and 2004), Brant Snedeker (2003).
• ENTRANTS: 3,629 bona fide public-course amateur players entered the tournament, with 156 advancing to the championship. Sixty-four will qualify for match play.
• FORMER U.S. PUBLINKS HELD IN COLORADO: 1946 and 1959 at Wellshire GC in Denver, and 1993 at Riverdale Dunes GC in Brighton. The respective winners of those tournaments were Smiley Quick, William Wright and David Berganio.
