Ready For The Best: Francoeur, Emmerich eager to tee it up at 122nd U.S. Amateur Championship
Aug. 15—Over 300 of the world's top amateur golfers will compete in this week's 122nd U.S. Amateur Championship — and a pair of local standouts are in that exclusive field.
Swampscott's Christian Emmerich, who shined at St. Mary's of Lynn and currently tees it up for Division 1 Holy Cross, will be making his second appearance in three years at the prestigious tournament, while former St. John's Prep star and Amesbury native Chris Francoeur qualified for the first time.
Francoeur will begin his hopeful run at 8:13 Monday morning on the ninth hole at host Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, N.J., with Emmerich following suit on the first hole at 2:41 p.m. Golfers will also compete at fellow host track Arcola Country Club, with the top 64 scorers from two days of stroke play advancing to the do-or-die match play bracket later in the week.
"I'm looking forward to competing and playing alongside the best amateurs in the country," said Emmerich. "I watch a fair amount of these guys on TV so it will be exciting to see where my game stacks up against theirs."
Emmerich also competed in the 2019 US Amateur at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club but failed to make the match play cut. He plans to change that this time around.
"I know my game is good enough to be here and I just need to stick to playing the game I know how to," he said. "I think what failed me in 2019 was that I played too conservative. If I'm able to execute the shots that I plan on hitting, I know I can make a run."
Emmerich has already compiled a summer resume most golfers his age would envy. He fired a tournament record 62 (10-under par) in the third and final round of the New England Amateur last month to earn a runner-up finish, while also advancing to the quarterfinals of match play at the 114th Massachusetts Amateur.
Emmerich has found consistent success off the tee, a part of his game that he'll need to remain sharp with come Monday afternoon.
"I have played both (host courses) before and you basically have to be in the fairway off the tee or else you are in serious danger of making bogey," said Emmerich. "Even just a foot off of the fairways you might get a lie where you can't advance the ball 150 yards. Other than that it's basically just miss smart and hole some putts."
Sounds easy enough, right?
Coming up with an effective game plan is one thing, but executing it with efficiency and consistency is an entirely different test.
Both courses play relatively long, so finding distance and accuracy off the tee should pay massive dividends. With the way Emmerich has been striking the ball this summer, it would appear that each unique layout caters well to his game.
Meanwhile, Francoeur will be trying his hand at Ridgewood and Arcola for the first time in his successful young career. Up until last week, the former URI and University of Louisville standout wasn't even sure he'd get his name in the field. He had earned the first alternate spot from his qualifying site in Pittsfield, MA, and a technicality that saw one of his former college teammates earn exemption status, rather than getting in via the qualifier, allowed Francoeur to slide into competition.
"It was a little last minute but I was kind of preparing for it anyway," said Francoeur. "I came down (to New Jersey) on Friday and played a practice round (Saturday) at Ridgewood and (Sunday) at Arcola. So all things considered it was pretty much the normal preparation for a tournament like this."
Francoeur's first impressions of the two tracks mirror those of Emmerich's.
"The courses are really good; both will be tough but you just have to hit the fairways and hit the right spot on the greens," he said. "Both courses are pretty long so length off the tee does help, but you really have to find the fairways because the rough is super thick. I plan to hit clubs off the tee just to find the fairway and go from there."
The tournament couldn't have come at a better time for Francoeur. He'll be entering the uber-competitive Korn Ferry Q-School in late August with hopes of earning a 2023 Korn Ferry Tour card, and this week's top tier event should serve as phenomenal preparation.
"I'll be going to Nebraska right after the U.S. Am. which is like the biggest test of amateur golf that you can play in. So I think it's going to be really good preparation for Q-School," he said.
"I think my game's in a good spot," added Francoeur. "I played well at the Western Am. last week, so hopefully I can use that as momentum heading into this week."
Coverage of this year's U.S. Amateur will be broadcast live on both Peacock and Golf Channel beginning with the first round of match play on Wednesday afternoon.
Contact Nick Giannino at NGiannino@Salemnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickGiannino_SN.
IN THEIR BAG
* A look inside the golf bags of Chris Francoeur and Christian Emmerich
Driver: Titleist TSR2
Woods: Ping G425 3-wood
Utility: Titleist U-500 driving iron
Irons: Titleist CB
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design (46, 50, 54 & 58 degree)
Putter: Evnroll Armlock
Driver: TaylorMade SIM2
Woods: TaylorMade SIM2 Titanium head 3-wood
Utility: TaylorMade GAPR 3-iron
Irons: TaylorMade P760 (4-PW)
Wedges: TaylorMade Milled Grind (50, 56 & 60 degree)
Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2
Contact Nick Giannino at NGiannino@Salemnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickGiannino_SN.