Galloping Hill Preparing For New Jersey State Open

Galloping Hill Golf Course in Kenilworth, NJ (Photo courtesy of Mike Moretti – NJSGA)

With professional golf’s last major of the season coming to New Jersey in just over two weeks, the state’s best golfers will get set to tee off at the 96^th annual New Jersey State Golf Association’s New Jersey State Open on Monday, July 11 at Galloping Hill Golf Course in Kenilworth.

Opened in 1928 and headquarters to the NJSGA, Galloping Hill will be the first county-owned and only the second public facility to host a New Jersey State Open (which runs through Wednesday, July 13) since Asbury Park Golf Club in 1930.

136 players (65 professional, 61 amateur) will compete in the 54-hole, stroke-play tournament over the par-71, 6,845-yard renovated venue. After 36 holes are completed, the field is cut to the low 50 scorers plus ties for the final round.

First group tee times are set for 7:30 a.m. Monday off the first and 10^th holes.

Defending champion and Wayne-native Tyler Hall of Upper Montclair County Club leads this year’s field after firing an 11-under (68-69-68–205) to cruise to a seven-shot victory over Max Greyserman of Cresmont Country Club in last year’s championship at Rockaway River County Club in Denville.

Greyserman had been coming off back-to-back state major championships having captured the 2014 State Open and the 2015 State Amateur.

Greyserman, the soon-to-be Duke senior who finished tied for second place in last month’s 115^th New Jersey Amateur Championship at Montammy Golf Club in Alpine, returns along with other notable players: Thomas La Morte of Haworth CC (this year’s NJSGA Amateur champion), Frank Esposito, Jr., Jim McGovern, Mark McCormick, Bill Britton, Scott Paris, a-Ryan Criqui, and amateurs Luke and Michael Graboyes.

Last month, Britton and Esposito both qualified for August’s U.S. Senior Open at Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio.