58th Delaware Open: Day Two

Chanaud goes wire-to-wire, wins at former home

OCEAN VIEW, Del. – Even in the heat of the moment, Michael Chanaud didn’t stray from his gameplan.

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It read, “Hit driver off the tee and nothing else.” 

After a lead he held for 45 holes vanquished with two-time Delaware Open champion Braden Shattuck (2018, 2021) chomping at his heels, he never strayed from who he is.

On No. 12 (par 4, 330 yards) in the final round of a 36-hole marathon day, Chanaud stepped up with no hesitation and ripped a feathery fade that bounded its way toward the hole. It used the contours and stopped a foot from the hole.

“It couldn’t have been a better yardage for a driver,” Chanaud said. “I stuck true to my belief of hitting driver on every hole. I was focused on hitting a fade up against the right-to-left wind. Pulled it off perfectly.”

Chanaud, aided by a familiar gallery and a tenacious gameplan, claimed the 58th Delaware Open Tuesday at Bear Trap Dunes (par 72, 6,832 yards).

Chanaud’s 54-hole total of 15-under-par 201 (65-67-69) was good enough for a two-shot win over Shattuck of Rolling Green Golf Club.

“I knew I was going to have a battle with Braden,” Chanaud, 29, of Ocean View, Del., said. “He’s the reigning PGA Professional national champion. Regardless of how much experience I have here, he has a lot of tournament experience also. I knew I was going to have to fight.”

Shattuck, the reigning GAP Open champion, didn’t make it easy for Chanaud. He played his 36 holes Tuesday in 9 under. 

“I knew that I was going to have to chase him down,” Shattuck, 29, of Wilmington, Del., said. “I had a chance to do so but missed some putts coming down the stretch. I have continued to progress and get one percent better each time I play. It’s been a good year so far.”

In the midst of about 50 members of the gallery from Bear Trap and The Peninsula Golf & Country Club where he works, Chanaud was comfortably uncomfortable.

“It was awesome to see all the support and people following me out there today,” Chanaud said. “I won my first club championship at Bear Trap when I was 15 and there were less people out there that day than there were today. I know they are all going to stay here and celebrate with me. I promise you that.”

For 54 holes, Chanaud made two bogeys, all coming in the final round. Otherwise, it was as clean and steady of a performance as you could ask for.

An untimely Shattuck bogey on No. 16 (par 4, 423 yards) gave Chanaud a two-shot lead with two holes to play. After they both parred No. 17 (par 3, 184 yards), Chanaud found himself in the driver’s seat heading home in more ways than one.

“Having a two-shot lead coming down the last made things a lot easier but I knew I still had to step up and hit two quality shots,” Chanaud, a Bear Trap member of 17 years and five-time club champion (2012-14, 2016-17), said. “Once I did, I wanted to enjoy the feeling of walking up the last with everyone cheering. It was a surreal feeling knowing I was going to win.”

Sitting in the right rough, he laced a 6-iron from 200 yards to 12 feet on the last (par 5, 534 yards). His eagle putt slid by but it was irrelevant. He had a tap-in birdie for the ultimate achievement.

After losing his status on PGA TOUR Canada, Chanaud turned his focus to teaching. He got a job working at The Peninsula helping in the bag room and helping with junior camps. He said he’s motivated to complete the school work to become a PGA professional. But after a stellar performance, the dangling carrot is hanging once again.

“Winning this makes me think twice about it but as crazy as it sounds I’m probably not good enough,” Chanaud said about trying to play professionally again. “I love working at The Peninsula and I love my bosses. I love having people around me also. When you play on the road all the time it can be pretty lonely. Winning this I don’t think changes much.”

As the dust settled, you could see Chanaud celebrating with his two families he’s absorbed into. Those from his former home at Bear Trap and his new home at The Peninsula. Don’t worry about him getting home. He lives seconds from the first tee of the Black Bear nine, the first hole of the #DelawareOpen.

“This feels so much better than I imagined it would,” Chanaud said. “To have people from Bear Trap and The Peninsula out here supporting me meant the world. It shows that all of the ups and downs I have experienced have been worth it.”

Note: Three players shared low amateur honors. Michael R. Brown, Jr. of LuLu Country Club, Troy Vannucci of Little Mill Country Club and Phillip Fenstermaker of Heritage Shores. Each finished at 6 under.

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 340 Member Clubs and 100,000 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.