72nd Delaware Senior Amateur: Round One

Dillon goes low, Keeney out front in Women’s Division

WILMINGTON, Del. – Paul Dillon’s expectations weren’t high. He left the weekend feeling disappointed.

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After rounds of 82 and 78, he lost the Senior Championship at his home club, Cripple Creek Golf & Country Club, by a shot. He wasn’t confident when he stepped onto the Nemours Course at DuPont Country Club.

At DuPont, that lack of confidence was shattered and a resolute enthusiasm was chambered.

“It’s strange how golf can be,” Dillon, 72, of Bethany Beach, Del., said. “I don’t know how I played as well as I did, I have never played here before. When I was on the putting green before the round there were some weird putts. I made sure I was extremely cautious on the greens. I didn’t run many putts by the hole.”

Dillon, aided by a steady putter and precise ball-striking, grabbed the first round lead of the 72nd Delaware Senior Amateur with a 69 at DuPont’s Nemours Course (par 71, 6,121 yards).

It’s his lowest round in competition. He also beat his age for the sixth time.

“It’s amazing,” Dillon said. “I can’t believe that I am playing this kind of golf at my age. I was a runner in high school and college so I didn’t think I was good enough to play on our golf teams. I didn’t really get into golf until my 40s because of kids and work. I started playing a lot when I became a senior.”

Dillon, the 2020 GAP/DSGA Super-Senior champion, holds a two-shot lead over Doylestown Country Club’s Neil Gordon and Tom Kearns of Hartefeld National.

Defending champion Rufino Rosal of the host club carded a 77.

Dillon’s round was one of little mistakes and cashed-in opportunities. He played his first 15 holes in bogey-free 1 under. Then an uncharacteristic bogey on No. 7 (par 5, 483 yards), his 16th hole of the day, quelled a workingman’s start.

But Dillon recovered well with birdies on his last two holes Nos. 8 (par 4, 360 yards) and 9 (par 3, 145 yards). He worked a 7-iron from 151 yards to eight feet on No. 8 and rifled a 8-iron to three feet on No. 9. His round was the only one under par for the day.

The scoring average for the field was 81.17.

Dillon’s golf game was in serious jeopardy this winter. But some progress made has him playing some of the best golf he’s played in a bit. He said it is the competition that keeps him going.

“I had a couple of injuries recently that hurt my ability to play,” Dillon said. “I have something called Polymyalgia rheumatica in my hands where I had a hard time making a fist. I couldn’t grip a golf club. This winter, I couldn’t play any golf.”

When he heads across the street to play the DuPont Course for the Final Round, he will have the same course knowledge he had Monday, zero.

“Sometimes it is better not to know anything,” Dillon said. “For me, I will be focused on hitting greens and fairways. If I can do that, I feel like I will have a chance to win.”

Women’s Division

Defending Champion Nicoll Keeney of Wilmington Country Club set the pace in the Women’s Division with a round of 1-over-par 73 (par 72, 5,327 yards).

Starting on the back nine, Keeney went out in 2-over-par 37, but finished strong with birdies on Nos. 2 (par 4, 303 yards) and 7 (par 5, 400 yards) mixed with one bogey to finish at 1 over.

Kings Creek Country Club’s Lee Ann Wortmann and Hartefeld National’s Kim Metcalf sit in second place after a round of 79. 

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.