If Tuesday’s tournament was any indication, it could be a big summer for Ryan Cote.
The 16-year-old Greenfield resident qualified for his first Mass Golf championship after shooting a 3-over round of 75 at the Country Club of Greenfield, his home course. That score put him in a tie for eighth place, good enough for a spot in the 39th Massachusetts Amateur Public Links Championship at Gannon Golf Course in Lynn, set for Aug. 10-11.
The rising junior at Greenfield High School entered Tuesday’s qualifier playing well. Just two days earlier, he fired his best-ever round at CCG, a 4-under 68 during a Father’s Day tournament.
“I’ve probably played the most golf I’ve ever played before,” explained Cote of his recent surge of play. “With school being canceled and everything going on, there hasn’t been a lot else to do. So I’ve been practicing a lot. I’ve probably been up at the Country Club just about every day, either playing or practicing.”
The top 12 finishers in Tuesday’s event qualified for the APL Championship, and Cote entered his morning round knowing he needed to shoot a good number in order to punch a ticket.
“I knew the number to qualify was probably going to be two or three over coming into the day,” he began. “So my goal was to be around there or below, but just go out and play the best that I could.”
Things got a bit complicated just three holes into his round. Sitting at even-par through two holes, Cote carded a triple-bogey ‘7’ on No. 3, putting some early pressure on as the temperatures began to rise on a day that hovered into the 90s.
“I started pretty shaky,” he admitted. “It was kind of weird actually because when that normally happens, I tend to get more nervous. But I stayed confident. I knew I could go out and make a couple birdies and get back to where I wanted to be, especially at my home course. So I never felt too much pressure.”
That home course knowledge certainly helped. Cote birdied the par 5, 8th hole, and took the turn at 2-over. Bogeys at 10, 15 and 18 were offset by birdies on 13 and 16, as he played his final 15 holes at even-par following the triple-bogey at No. 3.
“After you get through the first four holes (at CCG), there are birdies out there to be had,” he explained. “There are some tough holes — nine, 10 and 11 are always three holes you try to get through at even or 1-over — but then from 12 on in, there are holes you can get right back and birdie.”
After the bogey on 18, Cote said he was unsure whether his 75 would be enough to get him into August’s championship.
“When I came in, I pretty much thought there wasn’t a chance I’d get in but the scores kept getting worse for everyone and better for me,” he said. “So I kept watching. At one point I was 15th or 16th but the back nine played hard and I kept sliding up the leaderboard.”
In the end, his 75 landed him right on the cut line. Cote joined fellow CCG members Andy Lesenski and Jason Kelton as APL qualifiers.
“It feels really good,” he said. “All these tournaments that I’ve scheduled for the summer and (Mass Golf) events that I hope to get to play in in the future, hopefully it’s all going to help prepare me for the next level and to play in college.”
Cote said he plans to play several events on the Connecticut Section PGA Junior Golf Tour this summer, beginning with the Cas Coscina Junior Invitational in New Britain on Wednesday. As his tournament experience evolves, he said he’s continuing to grow in confidence.
“Last year was sort of like, just go out and shoot my number and not focus on anything else,” he began. “This year it seems like I can actually compete and win if I really play my best. So hopefully I can continue to try and take it to the next level and see what happens, but I’m definitely more comfortable in my swing this year, a lot more confident in general.”
By the time August’s APL rolls around, Cote hopes he’ll be riding the tail-end of a breakthrough summer on the links.
“I know I’m not really a contender in that field but if I can go out and shoot a really good number, it’s just another step forward,” he offered. “Either way, playing in a tournament like that with a field like that is a really good experience.”