CAMBRIDGE — Blake Hartford has the humility of a saint when it comes to his golf game, but even he saw something different coming this weekend.
Hartford admittedly has endured a summer with inconsistency in his play — at least by his lofty standards — and it wasn’t until a 66 at the Columbus Mid-Amateur earlier in the summer that he felt the worm turn his way.
Then he played nine holes last week in a member game at Zanesville Country Club. He shot 7-under-par 29, a pace that would have broken Dylan Van Fossen’s 18-hole course record.
More: The scores after two rounds from the ZDGA Amateur are in. See who is leading.
More: Comeback kid: Hartford catches fire, secures another ZDGA Am crown
“Something just clicked,” Hartford said. “I told (my wife) Lexi the night before that I was feeling really good about it.”
He was speaking of the 47th annual Zanesville District Golf Association Amateur tournament, where he faced a 54-hole stroke play venture at three courses to defend the crown he won in comeback fashion in 2023.
The Texas native’s premonition proved correct. Hartford followed a 7-under 65 on Friday at the River and Pines courses at River Greens with another 7-under 65 on Saturday at Cambridge Country Club.
He was 7-under through 13 holes on Saturday and on pace to shatter the course record before a bogey at the par-4 13th set him back.
He approached the par-5 18th needing eagle to get the record, but wound up making par after hitting his drive behind a tree.
“I wasn’t even thinking about the record,” Hartford said. “I just wanted to make a birdie because I’ve never shot 64 in an event before. The tees were in a spot where I haven’t played them before. I hit a good drive but it went right a little bit.”
All told, he took a 17-shot lead over River View middle schooler Gavin Gress entering the final round at Zanesville Country Club, his home course. With the championship merely a formality, he’s chasing Chase Wilson’s tournament record of 11-under 273 set in 2012 — when the event was 72 holes — and Wilson’s 20-hole margin of victory that year.
Hartford, who played at Texas A&M-Commerce, can break both marks in 54 holes.
“This is the lowest I have ever shot,” Hartford said. “Seven-under two days in a row, I’m going to try to shoot something low again (at ZCC). I’m just trying to take this thing as low as possible. I am excited for the test.”
Twenty-two players made the cut to ZCC, with the real battle for second place. Gress, who shot 74 on Saturday, is at 147 and leads John Glenn grad Owen Van Fossen and Gordie German by two.
Gavin’s younger brother Colton Gress, whose 72 tied German for the day’s second-best score, is one shot ahead of a triumvirate of Dan Matheney, Jessi Roe and West M grad Jack Porter at 152. Crooksville’s Bo White and Zanesville grad and former Juniors champion Justin Adair are at 153.
It took 160 to make the cut.
sblackbu@gannett.com; X: @SamBlackburnTR
This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: ZDGA Amateur: Blake Hartford on record pace entering ZCC
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