Troy U.S. Amateur Bound

August 20—Seven days ago, Pittsfield’s Donnie Troy affirmed his status as Berkshire County’s best golfer when he claimed the Men’s Allied Individual at Egremont Country Club.

Starting Monday, Troy will look to stretch that same status across a much broader scope when he begins play in the U.S. Amateur in Chaska, Minnesota.

Troy, along with 311 other competitors, will take part in 36-hole qualifying during the first two days at Hazeltine National Golf Club and the Chaska Town Course. The top 64 players advance to match play, which begins at Hazeltine on Wednesday and concludes with a 36-hole finale on Sunday.

Berkshire County names have been noticeably absent from the U.S. Amateur since 2000, when Lee’s Jim Salinetti advanced to the Round of 16.

Troy, though, had this tournament penciled into his schedule two years ago, when he made a list of goals before his freshman year at Eckerd College.

“I have all my goals listed in my notebook,” he said. “I wrote, ‘Have a good finish in the U.S. Amateur.’ I’m meeting a lot of my goals this year. But I’m a little behind. I had goals for freshman and sophomore years and goals for ten years from now. Hopefully I’ll have a Nationwide Tour card and continue to move up.”

If any one can relate to what Troy will experience this week, Salinetti can. During his first U.S. Amateur, at Pebble Beach, Salinetti shot rounds of 71-78 before losing in the first round of match play.

“It’s a zoo,” Salinetti said. “The practice rounds are nuts because you have 300 guys out there. It was brutal. The USGA said they set it up harder for the ’99 U.S. Amateur than the ’00 U.S. Open.  It was a test. They were trying things for the next year.”

With Hazeltine, site of the 2002 PGA Championship, stretched to 7,473 yards, Troy can expect similarly difficult conditions this week.

“I’ve been practicing hard every day,” Troy said of his preparations. “Up at seven every morning, home for lunch and then back to the course. I’m just trying to tone up my game.”

Former PGA TOUR player Bill Buttner, Troy’s college golf coach, analyzes video clips of Troy’s swing and has spoken with him on the phone 10-15 times a week this summer.

“He’s worked very hard,” said Buttner, who advanced to the Round of 16 in the 1978 U.S. Amateur. “He’s positioned himself for this to happen. He’s come a long way in the last 18 months. He listens to what I say and applies it to his golf game. I’m expecting a lot of things from him in the college season. “

Skyline Assistant Professional Chris Tremblay, Troy’s coach at Pittsfield High School, also qualified for the U.S. Amateur at the age of 20, in 1982, but didn’t make match play.

He’s quick to point out Troy’s improved mechanics, but cites his work ethic as the primary reason for his development.

“He works at it as hard as anyone I know,” said Tremblay, a Top 50 Instructor in America, according to Golf Range Magazine. “Whenever I go past the Country Club, Donnie’s practicing. His success is attributable to his dedication. If he qualifies for match play, I’m not going to open up the newspaper and say, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’ If he plays well, and makes some putts, he can make match play.”

Troy begins his first round off Hazeltine’s 10^th tee at 8:50 a.m. USGA.org will provide live scoring all week.