For Immediate Release: July 22, 2008
Headline: Keegan Fennessy Leads By One at 2008 New England Amateur Championship
Newton Centre , MA – The battle for the title of best amateur golfer in New England has begun. The 79 th New England Amateur Championship began today with 144 players competing at Charles River Country Club in Newton Centre, Massachusetts.
Golfers from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine have traveled to Charles River Country Club to take part in this three-day event.
Leading the charge following the first round of play is Keegan Fennessy (Minot, ME), who fired a scorching 4-under par 66. Fennessy, who resides in Minot and works at the Point Sebago Golf & Beach Resort, posted two early birdies on the front side – on the 3 rd and 4 th holes – to make the turn at 2-under par 33. His back nine was more of an up-and-down affair as it featured four birdies and two bogies. Fennessy is always a threat at this event as he finished 11 th at last year’s tournament.
Three players stand one shot back of Fennessy with scores of 3-under par 67. David McAndrew (Barrington, RI), Evan Beirne (North Haven, CT), Chris DeJohn (Rocky Hill, CT) and Cody Paladino (Kensington, CT) all posted that score to put themselves in good position heading into the second day of action.
Just two weeks ago, the 20-year-old McAndrew defeated fellow competitor Brad Valois (Warwick, RI) in the finals of the 2008 Rhode Island Amateur Championship. The two standouts from Rhode Island may find themselves in another battle at this event as Valois – who was a two-time and defending champion of the Rhode Island State Amateur – is still very much in the hunt after posting an even par 70 this morning. Valois is a past champion of this event as he claimed the title in 2006.
Paladino is also a familiar face as he – a sophomore at Baylor University – made a national name for himself just one year ago by advancing to the finals of the US Amateur Public Links Championship. This time around, he made it to the second round of Match Play at that USGA event. Meanwhile, fellow Connecticut contenders, Beirne and DeJohn, are coming off strong finishes at the 2008 Connecticut Amateur Championship. Beirne came in second while DeJohn advanced to Match Play.
Four players – Nick Macdonald (Lebanon, NH), Frank Vana, Jr. (Shrewsbury, MA), Doug Clapp (Walpole, MA) and Burgess Houston (Wellesley, MA) – posted scores of 2-under par 68, while defending champion Brent Paladino (Kensington, CT) is not far behind with a score of 1-under par 69.
The entire field will return to Charles River Country Club on Wednesday to compete in a second round of 18-hole stroke play. Following that round, the field will be reduced to the low 40 scorers and ties. Only those players will return to Newton Centre on Thursday for the final 36 holes of play.
For more information about the New England Amateur Championship, please visit the association’s new web site at www.NEGAgolf.org.
