2024 Delaware Four-Ball: Heritage Shores

Two USGA/GAP GC pairs take titles

BRIDGEVILLE, Del. – Pablo Quintero and Tyler Cleaves got to know each other quite well at Wilmington University. Both competed on the golf team.

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Cleaves, who just graduated, and Quintero, who heads into his senior season, became fast friends on and off the course.

The close friends teamed up Wednesday to claim the Delaware Four-Ball Championship at Heritage Shores (par 72, 6,385 yards).

The USGA/GAP GC duo’s best-ball 65 was good enough for a two-shot victory over DuPont Country Club’s Jason Henzes and Matt Brainard as well as Fieldstone Golf Club’s Bob Bechtold and Newark Country Club’s Joe Arrante.

In the Women’s Division, Jacque Bowman and Jill Snyder, also of USGA/GAP GC, took the title with a team score of 80.

“Playing in this tournament with Tyler was a great experience,” Quintero, 22, of Newark, Del., said. “This was kind of like our last hurrah. Tyler is moving back to Wisconsin so this will probably be the last time I see him for a bit. This will be a great memory for us to have and remember.” 

Through 13 holes, the Wilmington University duo was deadlocked with Bechtold and Arrante at 6 under. A clutch birdie by Quintero on No. 14 (par 3, 156 yards) after hitting the flagstick with a 9-iron provided a two-shot swing as Bechtold and Arrante bogeyed.

The two strokes would be erased after a team bogey on No. 15 (par 5, 533 yards) and a birdie by Bechtold on No. 17 (par 4, 389 yards). Both teams headed to the final hole at 6 under.

“Once we had that two-shot lead, I wanted to keep making birdies to not have to worry about them catching us,” Quintero said. “We just didn’t do that and we had to make something happen at the end.”

Cleaves was ready for the occasion. He would send the tandem to the winner’s circle with a birdie on No. 18 (par 5, 506 yards) after Bechtold and Arrante bogeyed it. He hit a 6-iron from 206 yards to 30 feet and two-putted to secure victory.

“Pablo was in a good position for his third,” Cleaves, 23, of Kaukauna, Wis., said. “He had a good number so that was a good feeling for me to feel comfortable enough to be aggressive. That hole has water along the left side of the hole, so it’s an intimidating second shot. I was happy to cap off our journey by making a great swing.”

They will soon be separated by 1,000 miles but this victory will not be forgotten anytime soon.

“Pablo and I clicked in all facets of life from the first time we met in college,” Cleaves said. “We spent every day together for the better part of three years. This is a great way to wrap up our college years as teammates. Couldn’t ask for a better way to do that than winning.”

“We make a great team because we really know each other well personally and each’s golf game,” Quintero said. “Both of our games work well when we are aggressive. We make a good amount of birdies but when one of us is in trouble, the other steps up. This was a lot of fun and it feels good to get the win.”

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 110,000 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.