WILMINGTON, Del. – The 61st Delaware Open heads to DuPont Country Club (DuPont Course) for the fifth time (1967, 1991, 2006 & 2012) Aug. 25-26.
“For DuPont, hosting the Delaware Open is a great opportunity to showcase our club, its course, and the experience we provide,” Mike Caldwell, DuPont’s Head Golf Professional, 49, of Wilmington, Del., said. “North Wilmington boasts some of the best golf courses in the state, and we are excited to share the DuPont experience with the participants of the Delaware Open. Our membership prides itself on being a club that is known for hosting great tournaments and supporting competitive golf. We look forward to sharing that with the broader golf community.”
In last year’s edition at Bayside Resort Golf Club, Braden Shattuck dominated to a 10-shot victory. The Director of Instruction at Rolling Green Golf Club fired a 13-under-203 54-hole total. Bidermann Golf Course’s Zac Oakley finished second.
The DuPont Course was designed by Alfred Tull in 1949 and was host of the LPGA Tour’s McDonald’s Championship, now the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, from 1994-2004. The course is known for its open vistas and rolling terrain in the countryside. It challenges all levels of golfers with its mounding and detailed bunkering.
“I think the biggest thing is positioning the golf ball,” John Burke, III, DuPont’s Director of Golf, 44, of Wilmington, Del., said. “There is certainly enough room off the tee in many areas, but simply hitting it a long way doesn’t necessarily put you in the best position. The course rewards players who understand angles and can put the ball on the proper side of the fairway to attack certain hole locations. The greens and surrounding complexes are where players can really separate themselves. Many of the greens are elevated or protected by bunkering and slopes, so controlling distance with your irons is extremely important. If you’re constantly playing from the wrong side of the hole or short-siding yourself, it becomes difficult to save par.
Shattuck, of Wilmington, Del., is looking to become the fifth player in the history of the event to win consecutive titles. The others include: Richard Osberg (1974-77), Pete Oakley (1986-87), Joey Maxon (1998-99) and Chris Anderson (2003-04).
The field will be cut to the low 36 scores and ties for the final 36-hole day.
The low professional receives $3,500.
Past champions in the field include: Shattuck (2018, 2021, 2025); Michael Chanaud of Bear Trap Dunes (2023); Chris Krueger of Kings Creek Country Club (1994); Dave McNabb of Applebrook Golf Club (2005, 2012); Zac Oakley of Bidermann Golf Club (2015, 2022), Eric Onesi of DuPont (2010); Ryan Rucinski of Applebrook Golf Club (2024); Greg Wolfe of St. Anne’s Golf Links (2007) and Jay Whitby of Rehoboth Beach Country Club (2013).
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 140,000 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.
