EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Kevin Silva left no
doubt on Friday that he
was the best player in the 110th RIGA Amateur
Championship.
The 31-year-old former pro who lives in New
Bedford and plays out of
Montaup, hit his first approach shot in the
scheduled 36-hole title
match against John Jacopsic within one foot of
the hole for a kick in
birdie.
He then birdied the second hole as well. Then
took the third with a
par. Before many had finished their first cup of
morning coffee, Silva
had a three-hole lead. Playing steady,
methodical, almost mistake-
free golf, the former University of North
Carolina star went on from
there to a 6-and-5 triumph. He was 4-under for
the 31 holes.
While Silva piled up numerous honors in high
school and college and
then played seven years as a professional, he
spoke about how the
victory was satisfying in that, less than two
years after regaining his
amateur status, he was able to put on a true
championship display.
Beyond pure talent, he showed newfound
maturity.
"I was talking with my father last night last night
and told him this
was the difference between the 21-year-old
Kevin and the 31-year-old
Kevin,’’ he related. "Both of my matches
yesterday went down to the
wire and I was able to muster a couple of wins.
"I was able to stay within myself. I thought, `If
this guy beats me, he
beats me.’ When I was younger, I tried to force
things. Now I know I
just play my game and if someone beats me, he
beats me.’’
Silva works for a field engineer for a company
that builds cell phone
towers. He travels throughout New England and
does not get to play
as much as he used, too, often just practice at
night after work.
"It’s for the love of the game,’’ he said of why he
plays. "I really and
truly love the competition. I love the game of
golf.’’
"I can’t say that enough, just the grind of it,’’ he
said of the joy of
competing. "It’s going through your pre-shot
routine every time. It’s
visualizing shots. It’s playing on greens that are
phenomenal that are
rolling 12 ½ out here. You’ve got to have some
imagination on how
you putt.
"I’ve enjoyed that aspect of just grinding, really
trying to do my
absolute best,’’ he went on. "If the outcome were
maybe to be a
negative one, all I know is that I did my best .
My pre-shot routine
was solid every time. And my concentration was
solid as far as what
targets I wanted to hit at. You can’t force an
outcome. I just tried to
do as best I could with what I could
control.’’
The 5-foot-8, 140-pounder is surprisingly long.
While he played well
all week, he seemed to play better as the
pressure grew.
"As I got up, that was the time I focused the
hardest. I didn’t want to
give him the opportunity to come back,’’ he said.
"I just tried to keep
myself thinking I was even in the match.’’
"He just didn’t make many mistakes,’’ Jackopsic
said. "I was able to
cut it to one late in the first round then he made
birdie on 17 and 18
to win those holes.’’
Any hope Jackopsic might have held on to was
dashed at the 29th
hole. Silva’s lead was 5-up. Jackopsic hit his
approach on the par-4
within four feet. Silva watched, then drilled his
approach just past the
hole. It spun back and nearly went in for a
deuce. It ended up inches
from the cup for a conceded bird. When
Jackopsic missed his birdie
putt the issue was all but settled.
Silva, the first player ever from Montaup to win
the title, spoke about
his he was able to only because he won the
lottery. The Montaup
lottery that is. He was a member of New
Bedford Country Club last
year. But fees go up for anyone over age 30. He
would have had to
pay more money to belong and he was thinking
of doing it.
Friends told him about how Montaup has a
drawing every few years to
decide which members from its waiting list to
offer memberships.
"I won it,’’ he said. "I was able to get in an
associate member. I love it
there.’’ Because of him, Montaup will have a
new championship
trophy to display in the clubhouse.
View results for Rhode Island Amateur
ABOUT THE Rhode Island Amateur
Rhode Island-sanctioned event running for over
100 years. 36-holes of stroke play qualifying to
determine a match play bracket of 32 players.
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