73rd Delaware Amateur: Day Two

Past Champion Davis leads at halfway mark

WILMINGTON, Del. – The thought of losing golf forever changed the trajectory of Amory Davis’ life.

| Round One Recap | Scoring | History |

A standout junior and collegiate golfer at the University of Virginia (2007-10), Davis’ life revolved around chasing a little white ball. But in the blink of an eye, the ball was gone and so was his purpose. He felt his life slowly slipping away.

In 2013, he herniated discs in his lower back. Over the course of eight years, he didn’t play a competitive round. The past GAP Junior-Junior Boys’ champion (2002), Jock MacKenzie Memorial champion (2004) and Junior Boys’ Championship runner-up (2005), toted his clubs four to five times a year recreationally.

Davis, the 2007 Delaware Amateur champion, is back home with a sense of pride and gratitude for his journey.

“I wasn’t sure if I would ever play golf again.” Davis, 35, of Santa Fe, N.M. said. “Playing well used to wear on me a lot. Today, I was excited to have a beer with my dad after the round. Perspective matters a lot. My wife, my family and my business are the three most important things in my life and learning that has made golf so much easier. The outcome and result doesn’t matter as much to me anymore.”

At the halfway point of the 73rd Delaware Amateur at White Clay Creek Country Club (par 72, 6,825 yards), Davis leads the pack with a two-day total of 6 under. He fired a round of 68 Tuesday.

He holds a two-shot lead over Round One leader Evan Barbin of Chesapeake Bay Golf Club. Barbin fired a 71 in Round Two. 

The 36-hole cut fell at 15 over with a total of 39 players making the cut.

Davis’ two rounds have been all about patience, stellar ball striking and a reliable putter. 

In Round Two, Davis played the bookends of his round (Nos. 1 and 18) in 2 over. He played the middle holes in 6 under. 

The Bidermann Golf Club member’s highlights on the front nine came with his fiery flatstick. He holed birdie putts of 40 feet (No. 7: par 3, 208 yards), 22 feet (No. 6: par 4, 422 yards), 20 feet (No. 9: par 4, 343 yards) and 12 feet (No. 2: par 4, 382 yards).

He added to his red figures with majestic irons on Nos. 13 (par 3, 186 yards) and 16 (par 4, 392 yards). He speared a 6-iron to 12 feet on No. 13 and caressed a 9-iron from 143 yards to seven feet on No. 16. 

“You need a lot of strategy here off the tee and patience,” Davis, who grew up in Chadds Ford, Pa., said. “I feel comfortable on the greens here. I am missing all of my putts on the correct side. I feel like they all have a chance to go in.”

Davis’ professional journey took him to New Mexico where he is the co-founder of SiLo, a complex logistics company. When golf wasn’t an option, he poured his heart and soul into the business. 

“The reason I am where I am in business is because of all the mistakes I have made throughout that journey,” Davis said. “I’ve never thought about golf the way I think about business. Going through the last 10 years and building a company worth $65 million from zero gave me so much perspective on not doing the same thing twice if you didn’t get the right result. When I play golf now, I try to take the business approach and shift away from a poor attitude and approach. Your game gets freed up.”

Wednesday offers a unique challenge and opportunity. 36 holes and a chance to earn a spot in the U.S. Amateur. The Delaware Amateur champion earns a spot into this year’s U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National Golf Club. The Delaware Amateur is an official USGA Exemption event.

“I have a great life outside of golf,” Davis said. “I’m not here to win a trophy, I am here to have fun. My comfort zone used to be hitting it hard. Now that has changed to being more in control. Tomorrow will require a lot of strategic golf. I am excited for whatever comes.”

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.