BRIELLE — Ben Smith of Little Mill is again in position to win a major golf tournament in New Jersey.
Smith shot a 2-under 70 Wednesday and grabbed a two-stroke lead in his bid to become the first amateur to win the New Jersey Open since 2007.
The 25-year-old Smith, who shared the first-round lead with Mark Issler, finished second in the state amateur last year and was in the top 15 in this event last year. He has won several qualifiers this year.
“I have been here before,” said the Voorhees resident who is trying to become the first amateur since Brian Komline to win the state Open. “It’s kind of like it’s time to win one. I just have to play solid.”
Smith had five birdies and three bogeys in his second trip around the Manasquan River Golf Club and has a 36-hole total of 6-under 138.
“It’s time to put my name on a trophy,” Smith said.
Fellow amateur Niall Handley of Essex Fells and professional Bobby Gage of Forsgate were tied for second heading into today’s final round in the 54-hole tournament. The 40-year-old Handley shot a second straight 70 despite breaking his 3-wood with seven holes to play.
The local golfers are Centerton’s David Quinn (tied for eighth, 143), Wildwood’s John Appleget (tied for 11th, 144), Sea Oaks’ Jeff Bonicky (tied for 19th, 146) and Stone Harbor’s Alex Hicks (tied for 19th, 146).
Bonick had five birdies and two bogeys for his 3-under 69 in the second round.
Hicks birdied holes two through five and finished with five, along with three bogeys for a 70.
Appleget had three birdies and four bogeys for his 73, while Quinn had three bogeys and two birdies for a 73.
Benjamin Smith (a), Little Mill C.C. 68-70—138
Niall Handley (a), Essex Fells C.C. 70-70—140
Bobby Gage, Forsgate C.C. 72-68—140
Brandon Dalinka (a), Ridge at Back Brook 69-72—141
Bill Britton, Trump National GC- Colts Neck 72-70—142
Sam Kang, Farmstead G. & C.C. 71-71—142
Mark Yannotta, Riehl Golf Academy 70-72—142
Frank Esposito, Brooklake C.C. 72-71—143
David Quinn, Centerton G.C. 70-73—143
Marc Issler, Toms River Golf Ctr. 68-75—143
John Appleget, Wildwood C.C. 71-73—144
Brian Gaffney, Rumson C.C. 73-71—144
Jakob Gerney, Trump-Philadelphia 74-70—144
Craig Smith, Trump National GC- Bedminster 71-73—144
Robert E. Cronheim (a), Twin Brooks C.C. 69-75—144
Brian Roth (a), Darlington G.C. 74-70—144
Michael Stamberger (a), Spring Lake G.C. 72-73—145
Craig Lindsey, Madison G.C. 72-73—145
Brian Komline (a), Black Oak G.C. 75-71—146
Jeffrey Bonicky, Sea Oaks G.C. 77-69—146
Matthew Freitag, Hamilton Farm G.C. 71-75—146
Brett Jones, Trump National GC- Bedminster 75-71—146
Mike LaBrutto, Greenacres C.C. 74-72—146
Todd Rickenbach, Roxiticus G.C. 73-73—146
Alexander Hicks (a), Stone Harbor G.C. 76-70—146
Matthew McKeon, Plainfield C.C. 70-76—146
Greg Baker, Rockaway River C.C. 72-74—146
Mike Burke, Montammy G.C. 74-73—147
Paul Poandl, Bedens Brook Club 75-72—147
Brent Studer, Manasquan River G.C. 75-73—148
Edward Whitman, Knickerbocker C.C. 76-72—148
George Ancuta, Knoll C.C. 74-74—148
Dan Marino (a), Due Process Stable 71-77—148
Charles Cai (a), Old York C.C. at Chesterfield 74-74—148
Brad Olson, Rumson C.C. 74-74—148
Dave Laudien, Howell Park G.C. 72-76—148
Anthony Aloi (a), Mercer Oaks G.C. 74-75—149
Rob Schaal, Tara Greens Golf Ctr. 74-75—149
Chris Dachisen, North Jersey C.C. 72-77—149
Patrick Fillian, Canoe Brook C.C. 78-71—149
David Glenz, Black Oak G.C. 76-73—149
Peter Busch, Galloping Hill G.C. 71-78—149
Gregory Mergel (a), Manasquan River G.C. 72-77—149
Doug Walters (a), Rolling Greens G.C. 75-74—149
Stuart Greenberg (a), Ash Brook G.C. 72-77—149
Tom Gramigna (a), Tavistock C.C. 74-76—150
Jerry Wall (a), Manasquan River G.C. 73-77—150
Ken Pridgen, Liberty National G.C. 78-72—150
Charlie Edler (a), Rumson C.C. 78-72—150
Marc Grinberg (a), Charleston Springs G.C. 74-76—150
Brian Varsey, Rumson C.C. 76-74—150
Cory Wilson (a), Panther Valley G&CC, 74-76—150
Lou Kubisa, Knob Hill G.C. 75-75—150
David Polchinski, Bayonne G.C. 72-78—150
Michael DiMeglio (a), Mercer Oaks G.C. 75-75—150
Greg Farrow, Deerwood C.C. 75-76—151
Jim McGovern, White Beeches G&CC, 77-75—152
Jacob Stockl (a), Hyatt Hills G.C. 79-73—152
Thomas Forte, Preakness Hills C.C. 75-77—152
Jay Blumenfeld (a), Mountain Ridge C.C. 76-76—152
Ethan Wall (a), Manasquan River G.C. 76-76—152
Allan Small (a), Fairmount C.C. 76-77—153
Kevin Weyeneth, Hollywood G.C. 73-80—153
Tom Hassel (a), Metedeconk National G.C. 77-76—153
Paul Lejeune, Suburban G.C. 80-73—153
Baker Maddera, Rock Spring C. 79-75—154
John DiMarco, Laurel Creek C.C. 77-77—154
Mark McCormick, Suburban G.C. 78-76—154
Gary Ostrega, Hyatt Hills G.C. 76-78—154
Scott Paris, Plainfield C.C. 74-80—154
Danny Liebowitz (a), Shackamaxon G. & C.C. 78-76—154
George Frake II, Little Mill C.C. 77-77—154
Kijoon K.J. Kim (a), Darlington G.C. 77-77—154
Wes Samons (a), Weekenders G.A. 77-77—154
Andy Brock, Metuchen G. & C.C. 80-74—154
Tom Hyland (a), Little Mill C.C. 75-79—154
Rich Owsik (a/r), Valley Brook G.C. 75-79—154
Chester Patterson (a), Fiddlers Elbow C.C. 75-80—155
Steve Sieg, Navesink C.C. 75-80—155
Christopher Dymek, Navesink C.C. 78-77—155
Michael Lanzetta, Mansfield Golf Ctr. 81-74—155
Damien Hamlett, New Jersey National G.C. 77-79—156
Bryan Dougherty, Navesink C.C. 76-80—156
Brandon Gelo, Essex Fells C.C. 73-83—156
Kyle Hartlaub (a), Canoe Brook C.C. 76-80—156
Peter Jaeckle, Baltusrol G.C. 80-76—156
Mark DeLaura, Montammy G.C. 80-77—157
Kevin O'Connell (a), Spring Lake G.C. 80-77—157
Scott Chisholm, Plainfield C.C. 79-78—157
Brian Krulfeifer, Knickerbocker C.C. 77-80—157
Craig Langslet (a), Glenwood C.C. 82-75—157
Larry Hall, Packanack G.C. 78-79—157
Vincent Giunco, Manasquan River G.C. 78-80—158
Jason Panter, White Oaks C.C. 76-82—158
Mike Paduano (a), Colts Neck G.C. 75-83—158
Nicholas Cappetti (a), Burlington C.C. 76-82—158
William Bello (a), Metedeconk National G.C. 78-80—158
Christopher Housen (a), Manasquan River G.C. 75-83—158
Jacob Murphy (a), Mercer Oaks G.C. 80-78—158
Matthew Hardy, Mendham G. & T.C. 74-84—158
John Tyrell, Running Deer G.C. 77-82—159
Frank Greco (a), Glenwood C.C. 81-78—159
Peter Chang, Black Oak G.C. 78-81—159
Michael Beyer (a), Ash Brook G.C. 79-80—159
Kevin McSorley (a), Charleston Springs G.C. 80-80—160
John Kondash, Greenbriar Oceanaire G.C. 80-80—160
Brian Cass (a), Flanders Valley G.C. 78-82—160
Thomas Fallon (a), Colts Neck G.C. 83-78—161
Ryan Buckley (a), High Bridge Hills G.C. 79-82—161
James Famula, Raritan Golf Ctr. 78-83—161
Justin Clark (a), Ridgewood C.C. 83-78—161
Kieran Purcell (a), Forest Hill F.C. 79-83—162
Casey O'Reilly, Colonia C.C. 80-82—162
Steve Zychowski (a), Mendham G. & T.C. 80-82—162
John Lay, III (a), Tamarack G.C. 79-83—162
Josh Camitta (a), Fiddlers Elbow C.C. 79-85—164
Michael Kierner, Maplewood C.C. 80-84—164
Chris Kowalczyk, Montclair G.C. 80-84—164
Aaron Asedo (a), Hominy Hill G.C. 80-86—166
Tom Staples, Newton C.C. 80-86—166
Larry Kopp (a), Glenwood C.C. 84-84—168
Josh Rosen (a), Crystal Springs G.C. 86-82—168
Robert Housen (a), Manasquan River G.C. 85-84—169
Kevin Anderson (a), Burlington C.C. 96-88—184
Vince Ramagli, Forest Hill F.C. 75-DQ—DQ
Derek McDonald, Echo Lake C.C. 79-WD—WD
