Jacob Zaranek has the opportunity to play at one of his dream courses.
After shooting 6-under over 36 holes to earn a second-place finish at a qualifying tournament in Longmeadow last month, Zaranek punched his ticket to play in the 2019 U.S. Amateur Championship. The event begins Monday at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
The South Deerfield native will tee off on the historic course at 2:25 p.m.
“I’m super excited,” Zaranek said. “I’m lucky to go down there. I can’t wait to get there and start playing.”
Being one of the more prestigious courses in the country, Pinehurst is a place the 20-year-old Zaranek has always wanted to play. It hosted the U.S. Open in 2014, and will host the tournament again in 2024.
Zaranek, a rising junior on the Fairfield University golf team, drove to Pinehurst Thursday night. He had a practice round scheduled for Friday as well as Sunday.
Zaranek is traveling with his dad, who has played Pinehurst before. He hopes his father’s experience will bring some tips and tricks of the course.
“Can’t ask to play at a better place,” Zaranek said. “I’m excited to be able to see the course. My dad’s played it, so he will show me the nuances of the course when we get down there.”
Zaranek has been preparing for Pinehurst by playing a loaded summer schedule. Since qualifying, he has played in four tournaments and was in the mix at all of them.
He made it to the Round of 32 in the Mass. Amateur Championship in Brookline, and followed that with a 4-under fifth-place finish at the New England Amateur Championship at the Quechee Club in Vermont.
Next was a top-10 finish at the 52nd Ouimet Memorial Tournament at Woodland Golf Club, and earlier this week, he took third at the Amateur Public Links Championship at Bayberry Hill Golf Course in Yarmouth.
Even with the third-place performance, Zaranek felt he could have played better.
“I hit the ball pretty well,” he said. “Let a couple opportunities slide by. Just couldn’t capitalize on a couple of holes.”
Zaranek said he feels playing in tournaments has been the best way to help get him ready for Pinehurst.
“I’ve pretty much just been playing tournaments non-stop,” he said. “It’s been a pretty busy stretch here. I get practice in here and there, but it’s mostly been tournament golf to get ready.”
Staying active and playing in high-level tournaments has helped him grow as a golfer, giving him confidence heading into Monday’s tournament.
While he has had strong finishes, he still feels he can continue growing his game.
“Playing good tournament golf is the best confidence booster,” Zaranek said. “I’ve come close in a few of the tournaments, knocking at the door… now it’s about going out and finalizing that result. I feel it’s the best way to prepare. When you’re playing well, you’re doing good mechanically, then you can go into the tournaments and try to score well.”
The U.S. Amateur will feature some of the best amateur golfers in the world. Legendary players like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer have all hoisted the Havemeyer Trophy.
While he knows he will be matching up against the cream of the crop, Zaranek is focused on his individual game, hoping he puts on the type of performance he knows he is capable of.
“I want to go down and know I played my best golf,” Zaranek said. “I know I can compete, I have been playing well, so I want to see how far I can go. I hope to put numbers up but I really just want to enjoy the experience.”
The tournament runs Monday through Sunday, Aug. 18. After 36 holes, the field will be cut down to 64 golfers and match play begins on Wednesday.
Players will compete on the No. 2 and No. 4 courses at Pinehurst during stroke play. Zaranek’s Round 1 on Monday will be played on Pinehurst No. 4, with Tuesday’s 9:10 a.m. tee time in Round 2 taking place on Pinehurst No. 2.
This year’s winner will earn a pairing alongside Tiger Woods for the first two rounds of the 2020 Masters in addition to a U.S. Open start, among other exemptions.