Two-time defending champion Bennink absent for this weekend's EDGA Amateur Championship
No golfer has gone back-to-back-to-back when it comes to victories in the Marquette Savings Bank EDGA Amateur Championship.
Connor Bennink’s absence from this weekend’s competition means that unprecedented feat won’t happen anytime soon.
Bennink, a former Gannon University golfer, wasn’t listed in the original field for the 54-hole event, which begins Friday at 9 a.m. at Lake Shore Country Club.
That news is likely a relief for some who entered the 103rd annual tournament.
Bennink not only defended as the Amateur’s medalist last year, but did it with an unprecedented performance. The Philadelphia native, a former Golden Knight who transferred to Division I Coastal Carolina for his senior year, won with a record stroke total of 15-under par 201 at Lawrence Park Golf Club.
No Amateur victor ever finished with a double-digit red number before then.
Bennink, with rounds of 67-65-69, defeated second-place Alex Weir by seven shots.
Weir, also the runnerup to Bennink for the 2021 Amateur, will return for his latest chance at capturing an EDGA major. He’s also finished second in its 2021 and 2022 Match Play events.
Tyler Cozad (2017 and 2019) and Ted Grassi III (2020) are recent Amateur titlists who have Friday tee times.
The top 24 players, with ties, will make the cut for Sunday’s final round at Lake Shore. The Fairview Township course is hosting the tournament for the first time since 2017.
Switched schedule for Seniors
The EDGA’s Joseph C. Martin Seniors Tournament, originally scheduled for Aug. 24 at the Kahkwa Club, has a new date and locale according to president Dave Hewett.
Extensive course renovations at Kahkwa forced this year’s competition to be delayed until Sept. 11 and moved to North East’s Lake View Country Club. The entry fee remains $100, with carts included in the cost.
The deadline to enter is this Friday.
Tim Weyand, by two shots over Ron Coleman, won the 2022 Seniors at Whispering Woods Golf Course.
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EDGA Amateur tee times
Tee times for Friday’s first round of the 103rd annual Marquette Savings Bank EDGA Amateur Championship at Fairview Township’s Lake Shore Country Club. The cut will be the top 24, with ties, after Saturday’s second round:
9 a.m: Brock Watson, Brett Folga, Cade Utegg
9:08: Eric Wildauer, Jason Golembiewski, Ron Richardson
9:16: Logan Sauer, Michael Stoddart, Mark Peters
9:24: Michael Dinner, Scott Klein, Andrew Simon
9:32: Scott Simonsen, Mark Noce, Lucas Marsh
9:40: Rob Nicotra, Daniel Leek, Jesse Watkins
9:48: Nathan Feltmeyer, Anthony LaBoda, Tanner Sliker
9:56: Bob Paris, Michael Capotis, R.C. Chase
10:04: Paul Demyanovich, Rick Carlotti, Nick Petrarca
10:12: Zac Bihler, Kyle Westfall, Jimmy Callaghan
10:20: Dean Rainville, Ted Grassi III, Dustin Coleman
10:28: Ryan Deimel, Sean Sculley, Michael Garcia
10:36: Patrick Kelly, Phil Pedano, Maclain Deitrick
10:44: Ron Coleman, Tim Weyand, Billy Colbert
10:52: Drew Deimel, Abe Holmes, Jon Merriott
11: Alex Weir, Ryan Ferry, Dave Spitzer
11:08: Elijah Ruppert, Matt Barto, Tyler Cozad
11:16: Michael Wareham, Mike Wolfe, Ethan Bennett
11:24: Mark Majewski, Joe Schmitt, Giovanni Delorenzi
11:32: Shaunak Rama, Dylan Flinchbaugh, Jack Costello
11:40: Jacob Wolak, Zach Henry, Andrew Klein
11:48: Brandon Zapolski, Anthony Tupek, Tim Linhart
Contact Mike Copper at mcopper@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNcopper.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: EDGA Amateur assured new champion with Connor Bennink's absence
