EAST PROVIDENCE — Two-time reigning champion Dylan Menante returns to defend his title when the 61st Northeast Amateur Invitational golf tournament tees off at Wannamoisett Country Club June 21-24.

Menante, formerly of Pepperdine University and just of the University of North Carolina, is seeking to make history when he takes on the renowned par 69 Donald Ross design. He is attempting to become the first player in one of amateur golf's most prestigious events to win three titles in a row.

Last summer, Menante set new tournament records by posting a 72-hole total of 19-under par, breaking the previous mark by four strokes.

In doing so, the Nevada native became the fifth player to win consecutive Northeast crowns, joining Rhode Islander Ronnie Quinn, winner of the third and fourth editions in 1964 and 1965; John Cook, the winner in 1978-79 who won the United States Amateur in '78 and helped Ohio State win the NCAA team title in '79 before he embarked on a noteable PGA Tour career; Jay Sigel. the winner in 1984-85 while a mid-am  who then became a stalwart on the PGA Tour Champions (Senior Tour); and Luke Donald, the last to do so prior in 2000-2001 while a student at Northwestern University on his way to becoming the professional World No. 1 , a stalwart on the European Ryder Cup team and captain of the squad for Rome 2023.

Menante was a member of Pepperdine's 2021 NCAA championship. He played his final collegiate season for the Tar Heels this past spring, where he helped UNC reach the match play portion of the national tournament. Carolina lost to eventual runner-up Georgia Tech in the semifinals. Florida won the 2023 title.

Menante finished in a share of fourth during the stroke play individual portion of the event. He became the first Tar Heel ever to finish in the top 10 in both an NCAA regional tournament (T6) and national finals in the same season since regionals began in 1989. He is also the first Tar Heel to finish in the top 10 in the ACC Championship (T7), NCAA regional and NCAA Championship in the same season.

This is the second year of the tournament's inclusion in the fledgling Elite Amateur Series, which awards points to players in the field based on their finishes. Points leaders can earn exemptions into PGA Tour and USGA events. The Northeast is the second of seven tournaments in the series.

The field features players representing 12 different countries and 50 different colleges and universities. Of the collegiate players set to tee it up, 32 were recently named to Division I PING All-Region Teams and feature three first team All-Americans.

Among the notable emerging talents scheduled to compete are Caleb Surratt from the University of Tennessee, winner of the inaugural Elite Amateur Series Cup in 2022. Surratt, a native of North Carolina, played in all seven events last summer after his senior year in high school, placing third at the Northeast. He went on to have a tremendous freshman campaign in Knoxville this past term, earning first team All-American honors. 

The other first team All-Americans set to return to the Northeast includes reigning Southern Amateur champion and Menante's UNC mate David Ford along with former USGA Junior Am winner and 2020 Sunnehanna Amateur champ Preston Summerhays of Arizona State.

Ford and Summerhays were recently members of the Arnold Palmer Cup winning United States side from a few weeks back at Laurel Valley Golf Club, in Ligonier, Penn. The legendary Palmer founded the club and co-designed it with Dick Wilson back in 1959. His namesake amateur event began in 1997.

Fellow Palmer Cuppers expected in the field are Cole Anderson of Florida State, Derek Hitchner of Pepperdine and Nick Gabrelcik of North Florida. 

Also of note, Vanderbilt's Jackson  Van Paris, winner of the 2023 Sunnehanna last week in Pennsylvania, is headed to Rumford as is  recent USGA Four-Ball co-champ and Palmer Cup International team member Sampson Zheng, who plays at Cal-Berkley.

Four area Ocean Staters are in the field: Wannamoisett members Tyler Cooke and Bobby Leopold as well as Mike Hamilton and Kevin Blaser. 

The 61st Northeast Amateur begins with a sponsor/contestant tournament on Tuesday, June 20. The tournament proper begins Wednesday morning, June 21, at 8 a.m. A cut to the low 60 players and ties takes place after 54 holes Friday, June 23, with the final round set to for Saturday, June 24.

Admission is free. The public is invited to attend. For scoring updates, tee times and general tournament information visit northeastamateur.com.