Pleat continues family legacy with New Hampshire Amateur title

Last week we saw Tyler Strafaci win the North & South Amateur at Pinehurst, repeating a feat that his grandfather Frank Strafaci had accomplished in 1938 and 1939. James Pleat just did him two generations better. The mid-amateur and former Dartmouth College golfer became the fourth member of the family to win the New Hampshire Amateur, capturing the 117th edition with a 2&1 win over Cameron Sheedy in the 36-hole final match at Nashua Country Club. Better yet for James was the fact that his father Phil Pleat, himself a three-time state amateur champion, was on the bag caddying. With the win, James repeated Phil's feat of winning on his home course. "I grew up watching this tournament," said Pleat to the New Hampshire Golf Association. "I remember the green before the one I won on, my dad won the 1997 State Amateur and I ran out to give him a hug and it was a little bit of a role reversal this time. He was caddying for me and we had a nice little hug on the 17th hole." "It's amazing, it's a dream come true." It wasn't easy though. After finishing the morning round 2 holes ahead, Pleat built a four-hole lead with just five to play. But Sheedy went on a run, winning three straight holes to pull within one with two holes to go. But a missed short par putt on the 35th hole was the decider. "I think I escaped with one there", said Pleat. "I expected him to get up and down for par, but it was enough and that's all that matters and I'm thrilled." Sheedy actually beat Phil Pleat during his run to the final match, but couldn't quite take out the father-son duo. It's a duo that have played great golf for many years now; in 2012 they became just the fourth father-son duo to play in the same U.S. Amateur, and they competed in the U.S. Four-Ball Championship in 2017. In addition to his three state amateur titles, Phil was the runner-up in the U.S. Senior Amateur. James' grandfather Thomas J. Leonard, Jr. won eight New Hampshire state amateurs between 1939 and 1952, and his great grandfather Thomas J. Leonard, Sr. won in 1922.