EAST PROVIDENCE — Gordon Sargent made the point in an interview Wednesday. Hunter Thomson reiterated it with his play Thursday.
Attempting to handicap the field at the 62nd Northeast Amateur is folly. The depth of talent makes it far from a lock the world’s No. 1 non-professional would ever just steamroll through four rounds at Wannamoisett Country Club.
Sargent teed off in the afternoon wave, and he had plenty of chasing to do after Thomson’s morning. The overnight leader remains in the top spot after a 4-under 65, and his 10-under total gave the Canada native a four-shot lead in the clubhouse as he finished.
More: Todd White starts vacation with 20th appearance at NE Amateur golf tournament.
Thomson followed his hole-in-one at the par-3 third on Wednesday with his second eagle in as many rounds — a three at the par-5 17th. That was part of a determined closing stretch that saw him get up and down for par at the 18th and avoid a third bogey in his final 10 holes.
“It was very satisfying,” Thomson said. “I’m pretty proud of myself for doing that. I knew I had it in me, but I never got too high or too low.”
Thomson had just one college win with Michigan to his credit entering this event. He enjoyed a solid junior career in Alberta but was still looking for a breakthrough in a major national event either at home or in the United States. This would certainly qualify as part of a series that leads into the U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National in August.
“I did a great job of just saying this is a 72-hole event,” Thomson said. “I have to always stay patient whether I’m in last place or first place.”
Thomson’s opening 6-under 63 was matched twice early on another sweltering day here. Matthew Kress and Garrett Endicott made a combined 12 birdies and no bogeys while rocketing up the leaderboard. It was a 10-shot improvement from Wednesday’s afternoon wave for Kress, a Florida standout who opened with four bogeys and a double bogey in a 4-over 73.
“I got on the wrong side of the hole a couple of times and made a couple careless bogeys,” Kress said. “I was like, ‘I’m not going to do that.’ ”
The difficult par-4 second offered a quick sign this would be a different day for Kress. He was on in regulation despite playing into the wind at the 516-yard brute and knocked home the second of three straight birdies to begin his day. Kress followed with a pair of deuces at the par-3 third and par-3 eighth to extend the momentum.
“Just have to keep doing the same thing,” Kress said. “Not really any expectations. Just keep doing what I’m doing — I know I’m playing good.”
Sargent honored his commitment to this event despite playing in the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 last week. He missed the cut, boarded a flight from North Carolina and was on the grounds in plenty of time for his Wednesday morning start. The rising senior at Vanderbilt already has his PGA Tour card — he’s also ahead of the game in terms of professional habits.
“It’s always going to be there,” Sargent said. “Weeks like these, you’re kind of glad that you’re an amateur. You wish that you could play in this event every single year.”
Sargent has already signed name, image and likeness deals with Nike and Titleist. Stewart Hagestad didn’t have that same option during his undergraduate career at USC. NCAA reforms allowing players to be compensated and build more meaningfully toward professional futures hadn’t taken effect, and the 33-year-old Hagestad — who has since won three U.S. Mid-Amateur titles — backed the decision made by his playing partner over the first two days.
“He’s got a tour card lined up, and that’s amazing,” Hagestad said. “But I think he’s got the right idea. Learning to win at this level — once you turn pro, it’s never going to get any easier, right?”
Sargent was the NCAA individual champion in 2022, received an invitation to the Masters in 2023 and played in his first U.S. Open later that summer. How much more progress could he make before ultimately departing the college ranks? Two days at his third career major offered a lesson — 12 bogeys, a double bogey against just three birdies in 36 holes.
“You can kind of tell what happens in pro golf when you don’t have your best stuff,” Sargent said. “The game’s really evolved. The classes coming out are getting better and better.”
bkoch@providencejournal.com
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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Too many talented golfers to predict Northeast Amateur winner
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