PHOTO: DAVID COLT

Steven DiLisio, at Charles River Country Club, on Monday.

Newton, MA — Winning championships takes a lot of skill and a little bit of luck, and Steven DiLisio (Salem CC) had both during the first day of the109th Massachusetts Amateur Championship, which is being held this week – over a five-day period – at Charles River Country Club.

On this day, DiLisio, a 19-year-old rising sophomore at Duke University, made a hole in one on the 177-yard, par 3 14th hole to highlight a day-low score of 1-under par 69. Following the first round of play, DiLisio finds himself tied for the overall lead with Herbie Aikens (Pinehills GC).

“I felt like I played pretty smart out there and made a lot of good tee shots that set me up for some easier shots into the greens,” said DiLisio, who won five Massachusetts Junior Amateur divisional titles over five years from 2009 to 2013. “If you get on the wrong side on these greens it can get ugly. I felt like it was a solid start, and that I left some out there. I had some sketchy short irons that might be 10 or 15 feet but on the wrong side so you end up having to play defense. I would like to clean that up and make a few more putts.”

One putt on Monday that DiLisio did not have to make was on that 14th hole. After making the turn at even par 35, DiLisio suffered two bogies – on the 11th and 12th holes –  and was looking for a momentum changer.

“That was really important for my round more than anything,” said DiLisio who decided to make an aggressive swing with a 7 iron after watching his playing partner come up short just minutes prior. “We didn’t actually see it go in because there was a lot of glare on the green. We knew it landed in front and thought it went over, but we walked up there and saw that it went in.”

DiLisio would go on to make one additional birdie – on the 522-yard, par 5 15th hole – and three birdies to cap off his 1-under par round.

“I have gotten into match play once and that was two years ago,” said DiLisio. “Today was a good start.”

As the 23rd-ranked player in the 2016 recruiting class in the Golfweek/Sagarin ratings coming out of high school, DiLisio lived up to his billing during a solid freshman campaign with the Blue Devils where he finished as the individual champion of the 2017 Heel/Pack Individual Tournament. Earlier this season he advanced to U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying for the first time in his career.

“I haven’t played year round until this past year and it makes a huge difference to be in that environment and playing with guys with high expectations,” said DiLisio of his first year of collegiate golf. “You start to raise your level and start matching what you are seeing out of them and out of yourself and you can get good quick and I have felt like I have made some big improvements.”

One additional highlight from this year which might not be as well documented was a hole in one that he scored in May at Salem Country Club during a friendly match with his grandfather and brother. It was the first time that he had ever made a hole in one, so making yet another just eight weeks later during arguably the biggest tournament of his summer season is icing on the cake.

“This is big for sure,” said DiLisio. “This year has a really good field and it’s always a good tournament.”

Joining DiLisio atop the leaderboard at 1-under par 69 is Aikens, who at 35 years old appears to be the elder statesman among a field whose average age is 30.2 and includes more than 45 NCAA collegiate players.

North Shore golfers scores: Michael Souliotis, Haverhill, 71; Mark Turner, Bass Rocks, 71; Nick Maccario, Bradford, 72; Charlie May, Ferncroft, 72; Brett Krekorian, Indian Ridge, 72; Phil Miceli, Sagamore Springs, 73; Chris Francoeur, Amesbury, 74; Zack Ungvarsky, Bradford, 74; Gregory Poor, Haverhill, 75; Bradford Tufts, Tedesco, 75; Kevin Daly, Salem CC, 77; Matt Schena, Haverhill, 79; Sean Andrews, Thomson, 84; Athan Goulos, Ferncroft, 84; James Turner, Bass Rocks, 85.

The low 32 scorers following 36 holes of stroke play will continue on to Match Play Competition, which is scheduled to begin on Wednesday.

Courtesy of the Massachusetts Golf Association. Photograph by David Colt.

PEABODY – John Daly has withdrawn from the U.S. Senior Open Championship, the USGA has announced. The reason cited is a shoulder injury.

Fan-favorite Daly, who was fully exempt, will be replaced in the field by Ted Tryba, of Orlando, Fla., the second alternate from the Dunedin, Fla., sectional qualifying site.

PHOTO: AP

Steve Stricker putts during last weekend’s U.S. Open Championship in Wisconsin.

By BILL BROTHERTON

Steve Stricker and Dave Eichelberger have withdrawn from the 2017 U.S. Senior Open Championship at Salem Country Club in Peabody. Stricker cited his playing schedule as the reason, while Eichelberger pulled out because of health reasons.

The championship will be held Thursday, June 29 through Sunday, July 2, at the acclaimed Donald Ross-designed course. Practice rounds will officially begin on Monday, but some players, including Billy Andrade and Rocco Mediate, have already tested out the challenging 6815-yard, par-70 course.

Stricker is coming off a sparkling 3-under final round at the U.S. Open Championship at Erin Hills in his native Wisconsin last weekend. He finished tied for 16th place at 5-under for the tournament. Stricker had played his way into the field of last weekend’s Open, shooting 67-65 at the Tennessee sectional qualifier, after the United States Golf Association had rejected his request for a special exemption.

Stricker was fully exempt and was expected to play in his first year of eligibility for the U.S. Senior Open. He will be replaced in the field by Danny Mulhearn of Wheaton, Ill., the first alternate from the Aurora, Ill. sectional qualifying site.

“In looking at my playing schedule and other obligations for the upcoming months, I feel it is best for me to withdraw from the U.S. Senior Open next week,” said Stricker. “With playing both the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions this year and the final push I needed to make these last two months to qualify for the U.S. Open at Erin Hills, has my mind and body telling me that I need to rest and recharge. This was without a doubt a hard decision, but one that I feel is needed in order for me to get ready for the next stretch of events and to play at the level I expect of myself.”

Mulhearn, 50, shot 71 at Aurora Country Club on June 5. He is playing in his first U.S. Senior Open. Mulhearn is the head golf professional at Glen Oak Country Club, in Glen Ellyn, Ill.

Eichelberger, who won the 1999 U.S. Senior Open Championship, was fully exempt. He will be replaced in the field by amateur Steve Fink, of Las Vegas, Nev., the first alternate from the Murrieta, Calif., sectional qualifying site.

Fink, 60, shot 72 at Bear Creek Golf Club on May 22. He is playing in his first U.S. Senior Open.

Eichelberger, 73, has competed in 23 consecutive U.S. Senior Opens, dating back to 1994. It is the third-longest streak in the history of the championship. Dale Douglass and Arnold Palmer played in 26 and 25 consecutive Senior Opens, respectively. Eichelberger has played in 40 USGA championships, including 14 U.S. Opens.

By BILL BROTHERTON

Salem Country Club and its members mean the world to Bill Sheehan. The club and the friendships he has made through golf at the Peabody site has played an integral role in Sheehan’s life and success.

In 2001, everyone was rooting for Danvers’ Steve Swedberg | Photo: Spenser Hasak

By BOB ALBRIGHT

For one momentous week 16 years ago, Steve Swedberg was the story at the 2001 U.S. Senior Open at Salem Country Club. Sure, Nicklaus, Palmer, Player and Trevino were all there too, but everyone on the North Shore was talking about the affable physical therapist from Danvers who improbably went from playing for skins over at Beverly Golf & Tennis Club, to teeing it up with golf royalty just a few miles up the road in the pre-eminent major on the Senior Tour.

By BILL BROTHERTON

When the 2017 U.S. Senior Open concludes on July 2 at Salem Country Club, the champion will pocket more than a half-million dollars and get to hoist the Francis D. Ouimet Memorial Trophy in front of adoring fans.

By GARY LARRABEE

Ollie Cook was chairman of the ’77, ’84 and 2001 USGA events. | Photo: Spenser Hasak

Forty years after taking over as both Salem Country Club liaison to the United States Golf Association and general chairman of the 1977 USGA Senior Amateur, Ollie Cook is preparing for the upcoming 38th United States Senior Open at his beloved Salem Country Club with mixed emotions.

Members of the “Back-Niners,” from left, Kevin O’Neil, Dr. John Unterborn, Jim Murphy, Tom Ryan, Bob Morin, Dr. Paul Busse, John Harper, Drew Tripodi, Frank Sweeney and Jim Summers at The Meadow in Peabody. | Photo: Scott Eisen

By SANDI GOLDFARB

Many consider golf a test of skill and athleticism, while the uninitiated may view the game as nothing more than a “good walk spoiled.” For 12 North
Shore residents, a shared love of golf is what connects them. But it was Bob Morin, a Peabody resident, former Marblehead postman and lifelong golfer, who first brought them together.

Mary LoBello and Mike Goggin speak about the upcoming U.S. Senior Open. | Photo: Spenser Hasak

By ANNE MARIE TOBIN

Legendary football coach Vince Lombardi once said, “Individual commitment to a team effort, that’s what makes a team work, company work, a society work, a civilization work.”

It’s also what makes the 2017 U.S. Senior Open at Salem Country Club work.

Ray Farmer, left, on a golf trip with good Salem Country Club friend Tony Vorias.

When the U.S. Senior Open begins on June 26, the friendly, feisty spirit of the late Ray Farmer will live on at Salem Country Club. Farmer, member and past president of Salem CC, passed away unexpectedly at his Middleton home last July 22 at age 78. The volunteers headquarters during the championship has been dubbed “Ray’s Tent,” a tribute from the many friends he made at the Peabody club. Ray, who many of his pals said was a great guy and a straight shooter who wasn’t afraid t o speak his mind, organized many golf trips through the years for family and friends, old and new. His days as president of the Black Rum Golf Association and as leader of golf excursions to Ireland and other far-away locales are still recalled by fellow SCC members with awe, smiles and good humor.

Ray Farmer, bottom right, and fellow SCC members during the 2001 U.S. Senior Open.