Golf: Kingston’s Olenski qualifies for New York State Amateur

RED HOOK, N.Y. — Kingston’s Vlad Olenski figured he needed to do something special over the last three holes Wednesday at the Mid-Hudson qualifier at the Red Hook Golf Club if he was going to make it into the upcoming New York State Amateur Golf Championship.

Standing on the 16th tee at 4-over-par on the par-4 hole, the former Kingston High and SUNY Ulster golfer turned it on with a spectacular birdie-eagle-birdie flourish to finish with an even-par 72 to earn one of eight spots up for grabs for the 2024 New York State Amateur Golf Championship on July 9 through 11 at Wanakah Country Club in Hamburg, New York.

Olenski finished in a tie for third, a shot behind co-medalists Johnny Solari of Warwick Valley Country Club and Nick Lyons of the Schuyler Meadows Club, who carded 1-under 71s.

Woodstock Golf Club member Ben Fox of Saugerties also earned a trip to the New York State Amateur with a 72 in Wednesday’s qualifying. Fox just finished his sophomore season on the Division III St. John Fisher University golf team.

The cut for qualifying finished at 1-over 73.

Olenski of Wiltwyck Golf Club didn’t lose confidence in himself after making a triple-bogey 8 on the par-5 third hole to go 3-over with 15 holes remaining in his qualifying round.

“I stuck through the round and never got down on myself even after an 8 on the third hole,” Olenski said. “My head was in it the whole time and locked in on the last three holes and the putter got hot.”

Olenski said he was happy with the way things turned around late for him.

“It feels good to have a good round like that after all the hard work I put in,” he said.

Kingston High golf coach Juan Weissenberg said he was proud of his former player, who qualified for two New York State Public High School Athletic Association Golf Championships while competing for the Tigers.

“We have been working on and off since he left on his mental game to get him ready for the bigger stage,” Weissenberg said. “He said he felt good about the course before play. It showed because he started with a triple and he said it didn’t even bother him. He knew to keep going, one shot at a time. He got a little more aggressive at the end of the round, going for pins.”

Weissenberg said he felt Olenski was due for a good round in an important tournament.

“I’m so proud of him,” Weissenberg said. “It’s really the first event where he has been able to shoot a low score under pressure. He does it all the time when we play, but tournament golf is different and he has turned a new page with his game for sure.”

Olenski was coming off a solid freshman year on the SUNY Ulster Golf team. He was part of the squad that captured the Region XV Golf Championship and qualified for the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III Championships earlier this month.

Olenski finished in a tie for 35th in the national championship, shooting rounds of 82, 81, 81 and 82 for a 72-hole score of 38-over 326 at Chautauqua Golf Club’s Lake Course.

Olenski plans to transfer to SUNY Delhi next fall along with SUNY Ulster golf teammate Joey Manginelli.

Local golfers who failed to make the cut at the Mid-Hudson qualifier were Brandon Kraft (75) of Wiltwyck,  Manginelli (76) of Wiltwyck, Ian Schaad (76) of Red Hook Golf Club, the Twaalfskill Club’s Jared Miller (76), Wiltwyck’s Matthew Conte (77), Wiltwyck’s Adam Williams (83) and Padraic Bradley (84) of Wiltwyck.