WILMINGTON, Del. – Jack Hamilton is a long way from where he was born in Kingston, Ontario.
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But Hamilton is back to doing what he loves to do. Playing high-level competitive golf.
Hamilton after a final round of 1-under-71, notched his best result in his GAP career with a T13 finish in the 121st Open Championship at Bidermann Golf Course (par 72, 7,003 yards).
“Overall, I am happy with how I played in this event,” Hamilton, 23, of Wayne, Pa., said. “I’ve been playing in GAP events for as long as I can remember and don’t think I’ve had as good of finishes as this. I’ve been playing in these events since I was a kid. It has been a ride.
I felt good about my game leading up to the Philadelphia Open. I’ve been playing in a lot of tournaments recently so my game has been in good shape. My driver and ball striking were good all week. I didn’t get into any trouble. I wish I would’ve made a few more putts.”
Hamilton jolted out to a 3 under through seven holes start in his final round. A costly double bogey on No. 8 (par 3, 208 yards) dampened the mood but the Merion Golf Club member held steady and played the remaining 10 holes in even par.
Highlighted by birdieing both par 3s on the back nine Nos. 11 (par 3, 155 yards) and No. 16 (par 3, 235 yards). A near ace with an 8-iron on No. 11 and a 4-iron to 10 feet on No. 16 got him to his final number.
“I loved the golf course,” Hamilton said. “I hadn’t played here before this week and the course set up well for me. The greens were big and hard to read but I felt I had space to hit my driver. I was comfortable. Things didn’t feel weird. The performance for me boosts my confidence for sure. I know I can compete at this level. It is just putting all of the pieces together when it matters. I felt like I did that pretty well in this tournament. I just want to continue to level up in the game.”
Hamilton played golf at Siena College his freshman year during the COVID-19 pandemic but needed a change. He finished out his college career at the University of South Carolina where he would graduate with a degree in Retail Management.
“I liked Siena but for me the atmosphere was a little too small,” Hamilton said. “It was during the COVID-19 pandemic so it was an odd time and not a perfect fit for me. I wanted to play golf but get a big school feel. The University of South Carolina fit that but I didn’t end up playing golf there.”
Hamilton’s outlook on the game has definitely changed since his junior years. More forgiveness and more positivity.
“The transition from playing a lot of golf as a kid to now is a bit different,” Hamilton said. “I’m definitely not playing as much as I did but I feel a lot lighter about my game. I just want to go out there with confidence and do the best I can. I definitely am giving myself more grace in the game than I used to. I don’t get as annoyed with results as long as I am giving it my best effort.”
Growing up, Hamilton loved hockey and still enjoys the sport. He said there are many similarities with how the two sports collide but for him it’s more about competing hard.
“I always want to compete against the best players I can,” Hamilton, who made the quarterfinals in the 2022 Pennsylvania Golf Association R. Jay Sigel Match Play, said. “I want to continue to grow and have good finishes in these big tournaments. The key to success is having a good mindset but also trusting your game and your swing. There are going to be awkward times where you don’t do well but you need to trust your game so you can bounce back from it.”
Bidermann reflects on hosting first GAP Major in 50 years
Nearly 50 years to the day of R. Jay Sigel’s historical 12-shot victory in the 1975 Philadelphia Open at Bidermann, the club reflects on what hosting the 121st edition meant.
“Our members understand how special Bidermann is,” Bidermann’s Head Golf Professional Anthony Malizia said. “They also understand not everybody has had a chance to play here. For the club to open its doors and to showcase this experience to some of the finest amateurs and professionals in the country is something they were really looking forward to.”
Malizia didn’t just play host as the golf professional, he played in the event. While he missed the cut after shooting 83, he was proud to represent the club alongside members Colin Smith, Bill Jeremiah and Dan Rudershausen as well as Bidermann teaching professional Zac Oakley.
“The experience here is very unique and understated in so many ways,” Malizia said. “There’s no sign out front. There are no signs on the golf course. There are no tee times. Until a few years ago there weren’t lines drawn in the parking lot. To allow the golfing community a chance to experience that was important to our members.”
Jay Sigel died April 19 just a few short months from the Philadelphia Amateur at his home club, Aronimink Golf Club, and the Open at Bidermann, which was one of his most treasured triumphs. While the Philadelphia legend wasn’t physically here, his is spirit was felt.
“We made it a priority to educate our members on what happened in 1975,” Malizia, who’s been Bidermann’s head golf professional for the last 14 years, said. “I don’t think many of them knew what happened in this event 50 years ago. The timing of it all has been great, I don’t think we could have asked for a better event.
“One of the takeaways for us was the timing of it all knowing we were going to have the 50th anniversary of Jay Sigel’s historic win here. The timing of what happened here this week was sort of story book which is really neat. The unfortunate timing of Jay’s passing was tough. We really wanted to have him here. But we know he was here with us.”
Open Championship
The Philadelphia Open is the third oldest championship of its kind in the country, behind only the U.S. Open and Western Open. It formed at the behest of the best – professionals that is. “Professional golfers in and around Philadelphia have some cause for satisfaction in that their claims to official recognition have at last been acknowledged. The Golf Association of Philadelphia announces a tournament for the pros to be held over the links of the Philadelphia Cricket Club at Wissahickon Heights Oct. 23-24,” the Philadelphia Inquirer reported in 1903. GAP Magazine profiled the Philadelphia Open in its Summer 2024 issue.
GAP
Celebrating Amateur Golf since 1897, GAP, also known as the Golf Association of Philadelphia, is the oldest regional or state golf association in the United States. It serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. The organization’s 345 Member Clubs and 130,000 individual members are spread across Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland. The GAP’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.
