In just his second start of the year, mid-amateur Chris DeJohn won his second Walter J. Travis Invitational. In the 115th edition of the historic event at Garden City Golf Club in New York, DeJohn defeated medalist John Hunter, 4 and 3, in Sunday’s final match. He previously won in 2023.
Meanwhile, 57-year-old Ryan Howison triumphed in the senior division, beating Chris Lange, 1 up, in the final. Howison is a former professional golfer with three victories on what is now the Korn Ferry Tour.
Called “The Grand Old Amateur,” the Walter J. Travis Invitational is named after the legendary amateur golfer who won three U.S. Amateur championships (1900, 1901 and 1903). The Travis Invitational is a three-day event with mid-amateur and senior divisions, with 74 and 22 players competing in those respective fields this year.
After stroke play on Friday, 56 mid-ams and 16 seniors qualified for the weekend match play. Based on their stroke-play finishes, the mid-ams were divided into flights (1-16, 17-32, 33-40, 41-48 and 49-56), with the top 16 players from stroke play competing for the Travis Invitational title.
On Friday, DeJohn shot 72 (-1), five strokes behind Hunter but good enough to earn the No. 6 seed.
DeJohn advanced to the final by defeating Xavier Dailly (6 and 4), Christian Cavaliere (4 and 3) and Henry Shrimp (4 and 3). In the championship match, DeJohn took the lead against Hunter on the first hole with a birdie and led the rest of the way.
In the senior division, Howison shot 76 (+3) on Friday, three strokes behind medalist and Garden City member Mark Thompson. He earned the No. 4 seed going into match play.
Before defeating Lange in the final, Howison topped David Mooradian (1 up), Ken Dardis (6 and 4) and David Scialabba (5 and 4). The championship match was tight the whole way, with neither Howison nor Lange taking a lead by more than one hole. Howison’s eagle on 17 proved the difference.
In the other mid-am flights, Ben Greve won the Devereux Emmet Cup (17-32 stroke-play finishers). He beat Tyler McKeever, 4 and 3, in the final.
Nico Donaldson defeated Rand Araskog, 5 and 4, to win the Charles Blair MacDonald flight (33-40). In the Robert T. Jones flight (41-48), Nick Biesecker defeated Josh Dupont, 3 and 2.
Finally, Greg Shuman defeated Brandon Dalinka, 6 and 5, to win the William H. Taft flight (49-56).
RESULTS
Everett Munez