Josiah Hakala of New Ipswich crowned himself champion of the 122nd New Hampshire Amateur Championship at the Rochester Country Club and booked his spot at the upcoming U.S. Amateur, one step closer to achieving his dream of becoming a professional.
In the 36-hole championship match on Saturday, the 18-year-old Hakala of Beaver Meadow Golf Course faced Ryan Scollins, a junior from the Holy Cross men’s golf team playing out of Moultonborough’s Bald Peak Colony Club, and won 2-and-1 after a dominant run in the tournament.
“My ultimate goal is to play the PGA Tour and play for majors, that’s what I’ve always wanted to do, but you got to work your way up in little steps,” Hakala said. “And getting into the U.S. Am is another big one.”
Hakala and Scollins have played together in team competitions and competed against each other a few times, but not in a match quite like this. They had become friends casually over time, but as Saturday’s match tightened, the small talk disappeared.
“Ryan’s a heck of a player, and any kind of buffer you can get is great,” Hakala said.
So that’s what Hakala did.
Down by two holes through the first 13 of the morning’s round, Hakala birdied Nos. 14, 15 and 17 to go with two pars to hold a 1-up advantage halfway through the match. Hakala didn’t let go of that lead the rest of the way.
“It was a new match and I was all square (after 15 holes), but I had one up late,” Hakala said. “Just play that way, play like I’m tied, because you can’t back off. You can’t let up anything. You (have to) keep your foot on the throttle.”
The former Mascenic High golfer scanned every ball, every path, every stroke. The second half of the match was considerably slower, but the tension in the air was palpable. Hakala saved himself a few times with tricky shots out of bunkers and the rough, and was able to hang on.
Both players struggled to convert on putts in the second round, playing each ball with immense care not to give the other an inch of advantage. Last year, Hakala fell in the semifinal to eventual champion Rob Henley, and this year, he held on to win it all.
Hakala secured the second seed in the tournament’s stroke-play qualifying rounds and was strong all week. Coming into the tournament, he was already one of the most-dominant and promising golfers in the state at youth levels, winning four NHIAA Division IV state championships.
Next, he’ll be taking some time to continue his golfing career after high school. He’s considering college but has not made a decision yet, as his eyes are set on becoming pro.