ZANESVILLE — Another year, another dominant performance from Blake Hartford.
Hartford again showed why he is the area’s premier player with a trio of sterling rounds in the 47th annual Zanesville District Golf Association Amateur, held over three days at three courses in Muskingum and its bordering counties.
After a 7-under-par 65 that all but lapped most of the field during a sweltering day at River Greens, he followed with another at Cambridge Country Club to take a 17-shot lead into the final round.
He didn’t let up on Sunday at Zanesville Country Club, carding a 4-under 68 that only added to his already impressive legacy.
More: Final scores from the ZDGA Amateur are in. See how players fared.
More: Blake Hartford is rolling again at the ZDGA Amateur. Here’s how he is dominating.
‘The best three days I’ve ever had in golf’
Hartford said following Saturday’s round at Cambridge that he had never been on a heater like the one he’s enjoyed the last four days. Starting with his 7-under 29 on the front nine at Zanesville Country Club in a member match on Thursday, he played four rounds at 25-under following Sunday’s proceedings.
“It’s without a doubt the best three days I’ve ever had in golf,” Hartford said. “It’s hard to believe. Just coming over here this morning, I was just thinking to myself, ‘holy crap, I’m 14-under-par and and playing a course where I can go get a couple of more.’ It’s pretty awesome.”
He finished with 20 birdies and an eagle with just four bogeys in the event. He had four birdies on the back nine alone on Sunday, fittingly ending his tournament by sinking a 15-footer for birdie after a solid iron shot on the par-3 18th.
His 68 on Sunday was seven shots better than the next best score. His best three-day score in a tournament previously was 8-under during his college days at Texas A&M-Commerce, but he had no round lower than 68. He had also never shot better than 6-under in a round anywhere.
That made this an entirely different experience. His final score not only set the tournament scoring record to par, breaking Chase Wilson’s 12-under finish in 2012, but he also shattered Wilson’s margin of victory total of 20 by four shots.
And he did it in 18 less holes.
“I just tried to stay in my element, play my normal game,” Hartford said. “The putter got really, really hot over three days and that was the difference.”
Texas Tough
Not even temperatures in the mid-90s, with heat indexes racing into the near-100s, could keep him from losing his composure in a three-day test many failed.
Of course, being from southeast Texas didn’t hurt. Few places in the country are hotter than that region during the spring and summer, so a few days in the extreme heat were hardly foreign territory.
“I’m just used to it,” Hartford said. “Honestly it felt like nothing to me. Friday felt like home, I’m sweating like crazy and that is what Houston is. (Saturday) was the same. My body was loosened up and I was so used to it, where other guys were getting a little more tired.”
That made the mental game that much more important.
“I just drank so much water that I could barely feel it physically,” Hartford said. “The mental (battle) was definitely there though.”
Hartford will now go back to his day job as a logistical data analyst, though he still has the Western Amateur qualifier on July 28 at Moraine Country Club, in Kettering, and the U.S. Mid-Am qualifier on August 8 at York Golf Club, in Columbus, remaining. Then it’s back to coaching Muskingum’s men’s golf team this fall.
“Hopefully I can hang on to this game and continue to improve it over these next couple of months,” Hartford said.
The battle for second
Youth was served again by Gavin Gress and younger brother Colton, both River View schoolboys.
Gavin, entering his freshman year, shot 75 to take second place by two shots over Gordie German and West M grad Jack Porter, whose 75s left them two and five shots back of him, respectively.
Colton’s 76, after a 75 at Cambridge, left him in a three-way tie with Porter and John Glenn grad Owen Van Fossen for fourth place at 227. Zanesville grad Justin Adair’s 75 left him tied for seventh with Jessi Roe, who shot 76.
John Glenn grad Dan Matheney (77) finished ninth and Massillon Jackson’s own Rich Bubenchik, who had 76, also cracked the top 10 after a slow Friday start. Bo White (78), entering his senior year at Crooksville, also tied for 10th.
Gress will undoubtedly add to an already deep pool of top players in the Muskingum Valley League this season, where veteran John Glenn, led by Noah Dever, reached the Division I Central District tournament and Maysville and Sheridan advanced to the Division II state tournament in 2023.
Gress’ game, far more mature than his years indicate, only adds to a list that also includes White.
Add Hartford to Gress’ list of believers. He called him “dangerous” when his putter gets rolling.
“He was fun to play with the last two days,” Hartford said. “I told Rich (Bubenchik) going into this event that I wanted to play with him, because I wanted to see what his game is about. He’s so good and he’s 15 years old. I was just starting out at 15.”
sblackbu@gannett.com; X: @SamBlackburnTR
This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Texas Tough: Blake Hartford shatters records, repeats as ZDGA Am champ
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