Perseverance, thy name is Steven DiLisio.
Three years after he turned professional —and three years more after winning an historic Massachusetts Amateur championship — Salem Country Club’s Steven DiLisio has made more history as the newest Massachusetts Open champion.
“It’s been a long road,” the Swampscott native and former Duke University captain said after his first professional victory, a one-stroke triumph at the 115th Mass. Open at Sacconnessett Golf Club in Falmouth. “It’s been a long road, but it’s also been an encouraging period since winning the Mass. Amateur in 2019, thanks to the progress I’ve made with my instructor, Scott Hamilton.”
Maybe more than encouraging after DiLisio, a standout at St. John’s Prep and Exeter Academy, copped the $15,000 first prize by winning the Mass. Open after returning a five-under-par 211 (69-73-69) aggregate. In doing so, he edged Nashawtuc pro Xavier Marcoux, the leader for most of the tournament, by a single stroke (66-72-74-215).
In winning the event, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound DiLisio, the third generation member of a popular Salem CC family:
• Became the first Salem CC member (or SCC pro staff member) to win the Massachusetts Open, six years after he became the first Salem CC member to capture the Massachusetts Amateur, its 111th staging
• Became the eighth player to win both the Mass. Am. and Mass. Open, whose honor roll includes three other players with North Shore connections (Charles Volpone, Kevin Johnson and Rob Oppenheim)
• Prevented Marcoux from becoming the second left-handed player to win the Mass. Open, whose only southpaw-swinging champion is North Shore legend Bill Flynn, lifetime resident of Danvers, former Salem CC assistant pro and Thomson head pro, when he triumphed in 1963 at Kernwood, keyed by two eagles his final nine
• Became the first Massachusetts player to win the Mass. Open in 10 years
DiLisio, based these days in Cartersville, Ga. working with the aforementioned Hamilton (teacher to several PGA Tour pros), admits it’s been a struggle trying to succeed professionally.
“I hadn’t won before Sacconnessett,” he observed, “but I’d had some close calls since turning pro.
He got a taste of what it takes to win his home state title last year, though, when he opened with a 65 (1 shot off the lead) before slipping to a tie for ninth when he finished with 72 and 73 for 210.
“I had a chance to win last year over the last nine holes but missed a couple shots and a couple makeable putts, so I fell back,” he said. “I’m glad it was a different story this time.”
DiLisio enjoyed a spectacular week when winning the Mass. Amateur at The Country Club. In five match play rounds and two stroke play rounds, he shot a record 21 under par.
“I played very well that week,” DiLisio recalled, “but I’m a much better player now than I was then. I’ve improved every part of my game.”
It has been a journey as a professional filled with ups and downs, primarily on the mini-tour circuit down south. At the same time, DiLisio has experienced personal joy he wouldn’t trade for the world.
After earning his master’s degree at Duke and turning pro, DiLisio was able to eventually live with Hamilton, Scott’s wife Lisa and their daughter Gracie in Cartersville, site of Hamilton’s work base at Cartersville Country Club (CCC). In turn, DiLisio has been able to use CCC as an unofficial home for his practice and playing when not competing.
Another huge plus has been Tatum Walsh, his girlfriend of one year and his occasional caddy, a position she filled most effectively at Sacconnessett. She is newly graduated from James Madison University, where she was a standout on the women’s golf team and is headed to LPGA qualifying school in the fall.
“Tatum knows my game and keeps it fun for me when I’m competing,” said DiLisio. “She did a great job for me at Sacconnessett. She was one of the big reasons I won.”
The other big reason?
“I made a couple putts when they mattered the most, on the final nine,” he replied. Two putts loomed the largest: birdie putts of 12 feet on No. 14 and 50 feet on No. 16 (he lipped out a 30-footer for birdie on 15).
Marcoux missed 12-foot birdie putt on the final green that would have forced a playoff with the best golfer ever to call Salem Country Club home.
“My ball-striking has improved thanks to Scott,” DiLisio noted, “and my short game has too thanks to Tim Yelverton (his short game instructor based in West Point, Mississippi).”
The Mass. Open victory was also special to DiLisio because of “the family of friends and relatives” who were part of his gallery during the dramatic final round. They included his parents Dana and Cheryl, sponsors Mike Rockett, Bill Willis and Phil Coughlin, former caddy Paul MacDonald and grandfather Vinny DiLisio.
Now he returns to Georgia to work on his game, play in more mini-tour events, all in preparation for his return to PGA Tour Q-School in the fall.