Michael Brown captures Delaware Amateur

Beware of the lurking golfer, especially one with the resume of Michael Brown.

Brown shot a course record 7-under 65 at Newark Country Club on Wednesday and came from four strokes back to win the 70th playing of the Delaware Amateur Championship.

Brown’s 11-under total of 273 was good for a four stroke win over 54-hole leader Doug Ergood, who plays collegiately at North Carolina, while Carlo Pizzano and Ford Bennett tied for third at 6-under 278. Rij Patel (282) took fifth while Jay Whitby (283) of Rehoboth Beach place sixth. Whitby, the 2015 champion, was the top finisher from Delaware as eight of the top 11 finishers live outside the state.

After carding rounds of 70 and 71 to open the tournament, last year’s Pennsylvania Amateur and New Jersey Mid-Amateur champion was tied for 13th place at 1-under 141 and trailed Ergood by six strokes at the halfway mark of the tournament. A third round 69 on Tuesday took a little bite out Ergood’s lead and inserted Brown firmly into the mix heading into Wednesday’s final round.

And what a final round it was for Brown, who bounced between various professional mini tours in Canada and South America for seven years before being regaining his amateur status in 2007. The 48-year-old from Maple Shade, N.J. turned in a bogey free, and course-record setting round of 65 at Newark Country Club to add another state amateur title to his growing trophy case.

Michael Brown (-11) is the 70th Delaware Amateur Champion!

A bogey-free day and a course record 65 in the final round gave Brown the title by 4 shots over Douglass Ergood. @NewarkClub pic.twitter.com/5n7do5Q4S3

— DSGA (@DSGA_Golf) June 23, 2021

After making three pars to open the round, Brown fired a shot over the bow with an eagle on the par-5 fourth hole and made the turn in 33. Four backside birdies on holes 10, 11, 15 and 17 wrapped up a closing round of 65 (-6) and the Delaware State Amateur championship.

Brown played bogey free golf over his last two rounds, collecting nine birdies and an eagle.

Since regaining his amateur status in 2007, Brown has won two state amateur championships, the New Jersey Mid-Amateur championship and three majors conducted by the Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP). He is a two-time GAP Player of the Year honoree.