For Immediate Release: August 19, 2008
Headline: Seven-Man Team From Connecticut Captures 2008 New England Junior Invitational Title by Eight Points Over Vermont
Middletown, RI – In the end, there was just no question as to which team was the most dominant. Under near perfect conditions at Wanumetonomy Golf & Country Club in Middletown, Rhode Island, a team of seven golfers from Connecticut pieced together three superior rounds of golf to capture the 2008 New England Junior Invitational title by eight points. This marks the third straight title and the fifth in the last six years for the team from Connecticut.
Leading the charge with an individual, three-round total of 2-over par 212 was Curtis Loop(New Canaan, CT). Loop posted a 1-over par 71 on the final day to help his team clinch the title. Teammate David Pastore (Greenwich, CT) posted the tournament-low score on Monday afternoon… a 3-under par 67.
That impressive score was equaled by only one other player in the field – Evan Russell (Essex, VT). Russell capped off his New England Junior Invitational experience as the low scorer of the event with an individual score of 1-over par 211.
The team from Vermont, which was led by Russell, finished in second place with a team score of 1098.
Massachusetts, a second-place finisher in 2007, was third with a total of 1100 points. Josh Salah (Gloucester, MA) was the low scorer for Team Massachusetts as he registered a 3-over par 213. The Gloucester High School senior, who just one year ago made Bass Rocks Golf Club history by becoming the youngest golfer to win the club championship, rebounded from a first round score of 4-over par 74 with a 1-under par 69 and even par 70 during the final two rounds of play.
Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island claimed the last three spots in the standings.
Here are the final team standings:
1) Connecticut – 1085
2)
Vermont -- 1098
3)
Massachusetts – 1100
4)
Maine – 1107
5)
New Hampshire – 1109
6)
Rhode Island – 1125
This annual New England Golf Association (NEGA) event features three rounds of 18-hole stroke play. The first two rounds were held today, while the third and final round will take place on Tuesday in Middletown. The format for the championship is the best five of seven scores for each of three rounds. All six New England states are being represented by their top seven junior golfers.
For more information about the New England Junior Invitational, please visit the association’s new web site at www.NEGAgolf.org.
