Blog Posts

Dree Fausnaugh Captures New England Women's Amateur Title

6/30/2021

By Dalton Balthaser, RIGA
RUMFORD, R.I. – When Dree Fausnaugh made the turn in the final round she sat three shots behind Day Two leader Mia Grzywinski.
Instead of thinking she had to press and try to make birdies, she stuck to her game plan.
“I went into today knowing that Mia is a great player that doesn’t make any mistakes,” said Fausnaugh, 24, of Portsmouth, N.H. “She hits the ball really straight and doesn’t miss any putts. I knew she would be tough to catch.”
Fausnaugh’s bogey-free final round of 68 was good enough for a one-shot victory in the New England Women’s Amateur Wednesday at Agawam Hunt (par 71, 5,781 yards) in Rhode Island.
Fausnaugh finished with a three-day total of 3 under.
Grzywinski bogeyed three of her final four holes to finish at 2 under for the tournament. One shot out of getting into a playoff after her final round of 71.
“When I made my way back across the street to No. 15 (par 4, 365 yards) that’s when I felt things change,” said Grzywinski, 20, of Farmington, Conn. “At Agawam Hunt, coming across the street signifies getting to the end of the round. I was tired and I just trying to hang on. Maybe that wasn’t the best attitude to have.”
Grzywinski had a two-shot lead when she reached the tee on No. 15. But then she bogeyed the next three holes to fall one shot behind. She had a 25-footer at the last (par 4, 401 yards) to get into a playoff, but it came up just short.
“The goal should always be to hit the best shot that I can at each time,” said Grzywinski, a rising junior at Quinnipiac University. “That’s the biggest thing I learned.”
Fausnaugh had work of her own to do. She found herself in the greenside rough for her third. It was a fairly simple chip but the pressure made it much more difficult.
“I hit a ton of those chips before,” said Fausnaugh. “I knew it was close, but I didn’t know exactly where I stood, and I think that helped me ease any pressure I would have felt. I am happy I didn’t know where I stood. I felt the pressure over that putt, but I didn’t miss a 3-footer all round and I wasn’t going to miss it on the last.”
She didn’t.
“I was just trying to play my own game,” said Fausnaugh. “I wasn’t sure where I was on the leaderboard. I knew that I was within a few shots but didn’t know for sure. I tried to pace myself throughout the round. I wanted to stay at 3 under and I was focused on that.”
Throughout the round, Fausnaugh stayed in her own element. She stayed mentally focused on what she needed to do on each given shot. She never got too high or too low. She stayed calm under pressure, and it paid off in the end.
She’s the first golfer from New Hampshire to claim the New England Women’s Amateur since Dana Harrity who won the event at Keene Country Club in 2014 in her home state.
“Winning this event gives me a huge confidence boost,” said Fausnaugh. “This is the biggest win of my career. Being able to come out here and beat the best female golfers in New England is awesome.”
Tournament Division
Kibbe Reilly of Wannamoisett Country Club in Rhode Island claimed the Tournament Division with a three-day total of 248. She won by three shots over Kim Pappathanasi of Renaissance (Mass.)
She carded a final round of 77 (par 71, 5,508 yards).
“When you get all six New England states together it is a huge deal,” said Reilly, 65, of Providence, R.I. “To be able win a division of the New England Women’s Amateur means a lot.”

Grzywinski Surges Late To Take Lead At New England Amateur

6/29/2021

By Dalton Balthaser, RIGA
RUMFORD, R.I. - Mia Grzywinski made the turn in 2 over and was visibly frustrated.
“I was angry after making the turn in 2 over,” said Grzywinski. “I was starting to feel tired and I was hungry.”
Temperatures once again reached the high 90s Tuesday with a real-feel temperature of 110 degrees at its peak.
Grzywinski aided by a back nine of 4-under, is the player to beat after a second round of 69 in the New England Women’s Amateur at Agawam Hunt (par 71, 5,815 yards).
A total of 71 players made the cut with 54 coming from the Championship Division and 17 coming from the Tournament Division.
Her two-day total of 2 under is good enough for a two-shot lead over Dree Fausnaugh who sits at even par. Grzywinski shot 71 in the opening round.
“My game turning around had more to do with being tired than anything,” said Grzywinski, 20, of Farmington, Conn. “Because I was tired I was more relaxed, and I just had to trust myself. I took a lot of the mental game out of it.”
She got back to even par on her round with birdies on Nos. 11 (par 3, 121 yards) and 12 (par 5, 416 yards).
Then the floodgates opened.
She carded three consecutive birdies on Nos. 15 (par 4, 365 yards), 16 (par 3, 133 yards) and 17 (par 4, 349 yards).
It was a crisp 8-iron from 138 yards to 10 feet on No. 15. She got away with a thin 7-iron on 16 that cozied up to three feet. And on No. 17 she smoothed a pitching wedge from 110 yards to two feet.
She bogeyed the last to halt all the momentum she built but was still smiling when she finished.
Throughout the round her mental attitude was one only of positivity. When she was struggling on the front nine, she kept smiling and kept her head up. You could catch her laughing with her boyfriend turned caddie Chris Fosdick, a good player in his own right at the University of Virginia.
“I have been working hard on my mental game,” said Grzywinski. “I read if you are smiling when you aren’t happy it helps you get rid of any bad thoughts. It has worked well for me.”
Grzywinski recently won the Hartford Women’s Open in June after a final round of 4 under-par 66. While she wasn’t in the lead heading into the final round, there was plenty she learned from that experience.
“I was behind by one shot in the Hartford Women’s Open,” said Grzywinski, a rising junior at Quinnipiac University. “And I can’t say I have been in this type of position before when it comes to sleeping with the lead. I will come in with no expectations tomorrow. I will take it one shot at a time. I am going to come out here and stay calm, have fun and play.”
Fausnaugh carded a round of 71, the exact same round as Monday. But birdies on Nos. 17 and 18 (par 4, 421 yards) put her in solo second. She hit a 5-iron on a string from 170 yards to six feet on the challenging last.
“Today’s round was really a grind,” said Fausnaugh, 24. “I shot the same score on Monday that I did today but yesterday was a much smoother round. I tried to not get ahead of myself. There are a lot of birdie holes out here, I must stay patient. Ending with two birdies was huge for my confidence heading into tomorrow.”

Molly Smith Leading After Round 1 Of New England Women's Amateur

6/28/2021

By Dalton Balthaser, RIGA
RUMFORD, R.I. – The temperatures played a part in Day One of the New England Women’s Amateur.
Severe heat and humidity gave each golfer in the field a challenge. Trying to stay hydrated and keep their energy levels up.
Molly Smith stayed cool.
Smith, aided by a steady driver and iron game, seized the Day One #NEWAmateur lead with a round of 70 (1 under) Monday at Agawam Hunt (par 71, 5,825 yards).
She holds a one-shot lead over Mia Grzywinski of Connecticut and Dree Fausnaugh of New Hampshire who both carded 71s
Her under par round was the only one of the day out of the 93 total competitors.
“I have played a lot of tournament golf recently,” said Smith. “I realized I was playing too conservatively. I was playing to the front of the green as opposed to hitting it the right distance. This course is receptive to approach shots. I tried to play the yardage and choose a club that would get me to the hole.”
Smith’s start matched the weather, red-hot.
“The biggest key for me playing in hot and humid conditions is to have a dry glove,” said Smith, of Vesper Country Club (Mass.). “I carry four gloves. When it is hot, and your hands get sweaty I keep that in mind.”
She birdied three of her first eight holes and made the turn in 2 under.
She two-putted for birdie on No. 4 (par 5, 459 yards) after hitting a 3-wood on a rope from 225 yards to 15 feet.
Smith canned a 40-footer for birdie on No. 7 (par 4, 300 yards) and a 10-footer on No. 8 (par 3, 127 yards).
Her final birdie of the day came on No. 12 (par 5, 416 yards) where she rolled in a tap-in birdie after a crisp chip.
“I need to roll more putts in,” said Smith, 16, of Westford, Mass. “I had some good birdie looks on the back nine and I didn’t convert them. I wasn’t confident in my putter and that is not the attitude you want to have. I need to trust my putter and things will work out.”
Smith recently qualified for the U.S. Girls’ Junior at Columbia Country Club in Chevy Chase, Md. with a round of 1-over-par 73 at George Wright Golf Course in Massachusetts.
She will be in the final pairing for Day Two, but there is plenty of golf to be played. Smith said she doesn’t want to get ahead of herself.
“I read somewhere recently that if you are swinging well things will work out,” said Smith. “You will make more putts. There are still two rounds to go so if I can keep that mindset and stay patient, I like where I stand.”
Defending champion, Megan Buck of Thorny Lea Golf Club (Mass.) shot an opening round of 74 and sits in a tie for seventh.
She started 4 over through the first two holes but rebounded with four consecutive birdies. She will look to become the first person to successfully defend the New England Women’s Amateur since clubmate Shannon Johnson did it in 2018-19.
“I was proud of myself after that start, I stayed calm,” said Buck, 33, of North Easton, Mass. “This is a 54-hole event so you can’t get too frustrated too quickly.

NEGA Announces Three Championship Venues

12/17/2020

NORTON, Massachusetts – The New England Golf Association (NEGA) has confirmed three of its Championship sites for the 2021 season.

The 92nd New England Amateur Championship will take place at Great River Golf Club (CT); the 64th New England Women’s Amateur Championship will take place at Agawam Hunt (RI); and the 22nd New England Senior Amateur Championship will take place at Manchester Country Club (VT).

Registration for the 2021 NEGA Championships and Qualifiers will be available starting Thursday, February 11 at negagolf.org.

"The depth of championship-caliber golf courses across New England is always on display, and we think this year's NEGA slate will also demonstrate the variety of courses across the region," said Greg Howell, NEGA Manager of Operations. "These three venues are each incredibly unique, and it's not often we can make a schedule announcement that boasts three clubs founded in three different centuries. We are thrilled to return to Agawam Hunt and Manchester Country Club and equally excited to add Great River Golf Club to the list of prestigious clubs that have hosted the New England Amateur."

Great River Golf Club, located in Milford, Connecticut, will host the New England Amateur for the first time from July 20-22. A Tom Fazio design that originally opened in 2001, Great River serves as the home course for the Sacred Heart University golf program. The 7,000-yard layout sits alongside the Housatonic River and provides a challenging test to the region's best amateurs.

Agawam Hunt, located in East Providence, Rhode Island, will host its first NEGA Championship since the 2002 New England Junior Invitational. The 2021 Women’s Amateur will take place from June 28-30. Originally founded as a nine-hole course in 1895, Agawam’s first 18-hole course was designed by Donald Ross in 1920 and has undergone numerous restorations in the years since. Agawam hosted the New England Women’s Amateur in 1997, when Donna Glazer of Massachusetts won her first title.

Manchester Country Club, located in Manchester, Vermont, will host the 2021 Senior Amateur Championship from September 14-15. This will be the second NEGA Championship for the club, which also hosted the 2017 New England Junior Amateur Invitational won by James Imai and Team Massachusetts. Designed by Geoffrey Cornish in 1967, Manchester’s layout will provide an excellent test for the region's top Senior Amateurs, as this Championship returns to Vermont for the second time in a four-year stretch.

Maine will host the 2021 New England Junior Amateur Invitational, which will return to the NEGA schedule after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the event to be canceled in 2020. A site and dates will be announced at a later time.

Frank Vana, Jr Wins 2020 New England Senior Amateur

9/16/2020

BRETTON WOODS, New Hampshire – On the second and final day of the New England Senior Amateur Championship, Frank Vana, Jr. (Marlborough CC; MA) emerged victorious after a tight race to the finish Wednesday at Mount Washington Resort Golf Club. The Senior Amateur marks the final NEGA event of the season.

Vana, 58, who took home an NEGA victory for the first time, followed up a 3-under-par 69 with a 2-over 74 to finish 1-under overall and edge defending champion Bob Kearney (Bretwood GC; NH) and Gary Shover (Williston GC; VT) by 1 stroke. "I’ve been playing in NEGA events for a long time, so it was nice to check that box off,” said Vana, a 2016 Mass Golf Hall of Fame Inductee. “We play a lot of great tournaments, and it’s nice to win this one.”

Dave Szewczul (TPC River Highlands; CT) placed T4 overall but earned the Super Senior Division (65-over) with an overall score of 1-over 145.

ONLINE: FINAL SCORES | PHOTO GALLERY | PAST CHAMPIONS | NEGA SENIOR AMATEUR HOMEPAGE

After a cold, blustery practice round Monday, the 120 players in the field got comfortable, yet still relatively windy, conditions on both days, with firm greens and fairways.

Vana started in the final pairing at 1:45 p.m. Wednesday and rolled in eight straight pars to stay at 3-under. However, he dropped to 1-under after a double bogey on the 9th hole. Despite making birdie on the 11th and 12th holes, he added another double of the 14th to pull into a tie with Szewczul. Vana, however, said he was unfazed down the stretch as he was able to 2-putt for par on the final four holes to earn the victory. On the final hole, he rolled his 40-foot birdie putt to about 2 feet and was able to finish with a tap-in par.

"It didn't really bother me," Vana said of the two double-bogies. "I felt in control; I just hit a couple of bad shots. Both are hard holes. I didn't hit good shots and paid the price."

Shover, who has won four consecutive Vermont Senior Amateur Championships, followed up a 1-over 73 with 1-under 71 on Wednesday to move into contention, but two bogies on the back nine proved costly. Kearney, meanwhile, had four birdies and two bogeys on the front nine. Kearney made par eight times on the back nine, but like Vana, made double bogey on the 214-yard, par-3 14th hole, which only had five birdies made Wednesday.

Szewczul, a legend in the Connecticut Amateur circuit, was tied at 71 with Jack Kearney (Westover GC) for the Super Senior lead after Round 1, but Szewczul shot a 74 on Wednesday to edge Kearney by a stroke.

Tai Lee (Granite Links GC; MA) shot the low round for the final day with a 2-under 70 to finish T6 with five other players. Also notable, Shawn McLoughlin, 77, (Ridgewood CC (CT) shot two strokes below his age in Tuesday's opening round, and finished with a 78 in the final round.

Final Leaderboard
1 - Frank Vana; Marlborough CC (MA); -1; 143
T2 - Gary Shover Williston GC (VT); E; 144
T2 - Bob Kearney; Bretwood GC (NH); E; 144
T4 - Michael Mertes; Crumpin-Fox Club (MA); +1; 145
T4 - Dave Szewczul; TPC River Highlands (CT); +1; 145
T6 - Tai Lee; Granite Links GC (MA); +2; 146
T6 - David Boggini; Manchester CC (CT); +2; 146
T6 - Darren Corrente; Wannamoisett CC (RI); +2; 146
T6 - Brian Cain; CC of Vermont (VT); +2; 146
T6 - Craig Steckowych; Portsmouth CC (NH); +2; 146
T6 - Jack Kearney; Westover GC (MA); +2; 146

Top Finisher From Each State
Connecticut – T4 (+1) Dave Szewczul
New Hampshire – T10 (E) Bob Kearney (Bretwood GC)
Maine – T12 (+1) Len Cole (Falmouth CC); Keith Patterson (Biddleford-Saco CC)
Rhode Island – T12 (+1) Bruce Heterick (Metacomet CC); Darren Corrente (Wannamoisett CC)
Vermont – T12 (+2) Brian Cain CC (CC of Vermont); Gary Shover (Williston GC)

For more information, visit the NEGA web site at negagolf.org. Follow the NEGA on social media @NEGA_Golf.

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About the New England Golf Association (NEGA): negagolf.org
The New England Golf Association ®, established in 1926, is a 501(c)3 amateur golf organization comprised of leaders from the six New England golf associations – Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
In addition to serving the needs of golf in New England, the organization's primary purpose is to conduct the following premier tournament events: New England Amateur Championship ®, New England Junior Amateur Invitational, New England Girls’ Junior Amateur Invitational, and New England Senior Amateur Championship

FOUR-WAY TIE AFTER 18-HOLES AT SENIOR AMATEUR

9/15/2020

BRETTON WOODS, New Hampshire – The 23rd annual New England Senior Amateur Championship made its return to the Granite State as 120 players comprising all six New England states competed on a blustery Tuesday at the Donald Ross-designed Mt. Washington Resort Golf Club. By the end of the day, four players finished with a share of the lead at 3-under-par 69.
The Championship will conclude with the final round Wednesday, with tee times beginning at 8 a.m.

ONLINE: LEADERBOARD | ROUND 2 TEE TIMES | NEGA SENIOR AMATEUR HOMEPAGE

In the morning wave, Massachusetts players Andrew Falcone (Plymouth CC) and Frank Vana (Marlborough CC) rose to the top of the leaderboard, making five and six birdies, respectively, to shoot 3-under. James Staffieri (Salem CC; MA) and Connecticut's Bob Murphy (Brownson CC) matched them in the afternoon as both finished their round by making birdie on the 18th.

Murphy will tee off at 1:35 p.m. Wednesday, while Falcone, Vana and Staffieri have the final tee time at 1:45 p .m. All four players have a chance to win the NEGA Senior Amateur for the first time.

Don Foberg (Plymouth CC; MA); shot a 2-under 70 and leads the Super Senior Division, which consisted of players 65 years and older. He is also T5 overall with Connecticut's Richard Malafronte (Indian Hill CC).

Defending champion Bob Kearney (Bretwood GC; NH) is currently T10 after firing an even-par 72 in the opening round.

Day 1 Leaderboard
T1 - Andrew Falcone; Plymouth CC (MA); -3; 69
T1 - Bob Murphy; Brownson CC (CT); -3; 69
T1 - Frank Vana; Marlborough CC (MA); -3; 69
T1 - James Staffieri; Salem CC (MA); -3; 69
T5 - Don Foberg; Plymouth CC (MA); -2; 70
T5 - Richard Malafronte; Indian Hill CC (CT); -2; 70
T7 - Dave Szewczul; TPC River Highlands (CT); -1; 71
T7 - Jack Kearney; Westover GC (MA); -1; 71
T7 - Ronald Laverdiere; Crumpin-Fox Club (MA); -1; 71

Top Performers From Each State
Connecticut – T1 (-3) Bob Murphy
Massachusetts – T1 (-3) Andrew Falcone; Frank Vana; James Staffieri
New Hampshire – T10 (E) Bob Kearney (Bretwood GC)
Maine – T12 (+1) Len Cole (Falmouth CC); Keith Patterson (Biddleford-Saco CC)
Rhode Island – T12 (+1) Bruce Heterick (Metacomet CC); Darren Corrente (Wannamoisett CC)
Vermont – T12 (+2) Brian Cain CC (CC of Vermont); Gary Shover (Williston GC)

For more information, visit the NEGA web site at negagolf.org. Follow the NEGA on social media @NEGA_Golf.

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About the New England Golf Association (NEGA): negagolf.org
The New England Golf Association ®, established in 1926, is a 501(c)3 amateur golf organization comprised of leaders from the six New England golf associations – Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
In addition to serving the needs of golf in New England, the organization's primary purpose is to conduct the following premier tournament events: New England Amateur Championship ®, New England Junior Amateur Invitational, New England Girls’ Junior Amateur Invitational, and New England Senior Amateur Championship

Broderick Claims 91st New England Amateur

7/23/2020

Concord, Massachusetts – A hot and humid morning gave way to afternoon thunderstorms causing a 5 hour weather delay. Due to the delay, the originally scheduled 72 hole Championship at Concord Country Club (MA) was reduced to 54 holes. Following the delay, John Broderick (Dedham C&P Club; MA) was the player to hoist the Harry B. McCracken, Jr. Trophy awarded to the winner of the New England Amateur Championship.

Prior to the delay Broderick, who is just 16 years old, was playing a fine round of golf after coming into the day as the leader by two. Starting his round on hole 10, Broderick had a run of steady pars to start his round before making one of his only two bogeys of the day at the difficult par-3 15th hole. He bounced back quickly by taking care of business on the par-5’s (17 & 1), making birdie on both. With Nick Maccario (Bradford CC; MA) making a run of his own, Broderick needed a birdie on one of the closing holes to grab a piece of the lead. He did that on the 7th hole (his 16th hole) with a birdie that got him to 4-under par for the tournament.

Then the weather turned.

Following a few nice shots and a good lag put on 8, the horn blew for a dangerous weather situation. After a 5-plus hour delay, Broderick made his way back out to the 8th hole, knowing exactly what he needed to do. He knocked in his 2-foot par putt and then stepped right up and delivered a beautiful shot right over the flagstick on 9. His two-putt par tied him with Maccario and sent the two to a playoff.

On the first playoff hole (13), both players made standard 2-putt pars. They then stepped up to the 14th hole, with white stakes lining both left and right, and delivered perfect drives up the right center of the fairway. Broderick played first and put the pressure on, hitting his approach shot to 5 feet. Maccario followed with a fine shot of his own, just outside of Broderick. Almost certain he would need birdie, Maccario put a good stroke on his birdie attempt, but just burned the edge. Wasting no time, Broderick quickly moved in and buried his birdie putt for the win.

ONLINE: FINAL LEADERBOARD | PHOTO GALLERY | NEGA AMATEUR

"It's amazing. It really shows that I'm at that level now. I really improved so much in the last year. At the start of the year, I wasn't really playing my best. I played the GolfWeek Junior Open last week and I really found something in my swing. Coming into this tournament, I felt really great. It really shows I can play with these guys and I can beat these guys." said Broderick.

Talking about the approach shot on the winning hole, he added “I had 132 yards, which I actually had the exact same number earlier and I hit a soft pitching wedge and I hit it past the hole for a tough two-putt. My caddie was like, just try to hit a bomb gap wedge and I just a bomb gap wedge to 5-6 feet. “

Maccario’s 3rd Round 67 was enough to propel him to the top of the leaderboard just before the weather delay. Heading into the Final Round, Maccario was 2 strokes off the lead. Starting the day on the tenth hole, he made par on his first three holes before hitting his approach shot tight on 13 leading to his first birdie of the day. On his final hole, Maccario hit a proper shot, 15 feet past the front pin, and two-putted for a closing par.

Talking about finishing 2nd at both the Massachusetts and New England Amateur, Maccario said “Two seconds, the fields are super deep, these guys are so good. John's 16 years old. That's outrageous, I was not doing this at 16, so credit to him. I feel like I hit it good. He made birdie to win so credit to him for doing that.”

The round of the day came from Mike Calef (Pine Oaks GC; MA) who shot final round 66. He made 8 birdies on the day, leading to his impressive score of 4-under par, and propelling him into a tie for 6th place at (+3).

Jared Nelson (Rutland CC; VT) was the only other player to shoot under-par in the final round. He finished off his round with an impressive up-and-down from a tough spot right of the 9th green. In total, Nelson made 5 birdies which helped him to a 1-under par 69 and a 5th place finish.

Other top scores from Thursday included a pair of even-par 70’s by James Imai (George Wright GC; MA) and Bill Forcier (Wannamoisett CC; RI).

Final Leaderboard
1 – John Broderick; Dedham C&P Club (MA) (-4) 69 *Won In Playoff
2 – Nick Maccario; Bradford CC (MA) (-4) 67
3 – Caleb Manuel; Brunswick GC (ME) (69) (-2) 69
4 – Christian Emmerich; Kernwood CC (MA) (+1) 71
5 – Jared Nelson; Rutland CC (VT) (+2) 69
T6 – Mike Calef; Pine Oaks GC (MA) (+3) 66
T6 – Timothy Umphrey; Tatnuck CC (MA) (+3) 74

Top Finishers From Each State
Connecticut – T9 (+4) James Sheltman (Alling Memorial GC)
Massachusetts – 1st (-4) John Broderick (Dedham C&P Club)
Maine – 3rd (-2) Caleb Manuel (Brunswick GC)
New Hampshire – T8 (+4) William Huang (GC of New England)
Rhode Island – T14 (+6) Bobby Leopold (Wannamoisett CC)
Vermont – 5th (+2) Jared Nelson (Rutland CC)

Next up for the NEGA is the Senior Amateur Championship at Mt. Washington Resort GC in Bretton Woods, NH on September 15th and 16th. For more information, visit the NEGA web site at negagolf.org. Follow the NEGA on social media @NEGA_Golf.

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About the New England Golf Association (NEGA): negagolf.org
The New England Golf Association ®, established in 1926, is a 501(c)3 amateur golf organization comprised of leaders from the six New England golf associations – Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
In addition to serving the needs of golf in New England, the organization's primary purpose is to conduct the following premier tournament events: New England Amateur Championship ®, New England Junior Amateur Invitational, New England Girls’ Junior Amateur Invitational, and New England Senior Amateur Championship

Broderick Takes Round 2 Lead with 65

7/22/2020

Concord, Massachusetts – On Wednesday, the morning wave of players were greeted with a light rain to start the day. By the end of the day it was hot and sunny as competitors finished play on day two of the 91st New England Amateur Championship. And the player everyone is chasing is 16-year-old John Broderick (Dedham C&P Club; MA).

Broderick shot the round of the day making 7 birdies en route to a 5-under par 65. Starting his day on the back 9, he birdied 3 of his first 5 holes. His only blemish of the day was a double bogey on 15, but he bounced back quickly with back-to-back birdies on 16 and 17. Broderick finished strong, shooting a bogey-free 33 on the front nine.

“It felt great, honestly leading up to this tournament I felt good I really like this course. I played some high school golf here. I love the course and I love the front nine. Yesterday my driver was just not that good. I kind of scrapped it around the course, but today I had 12 putts inside twelve feet. I was just hitting it great all day. I feel great going into tomorrow.” said Broderick.

In the morning, it was a round of 2-under par (68) by Jack Tegan (TPC of Boston; MA) that set the pace. Tegan got off to a good start, making birdie on 11, his second hole of the day. After a bogey on 18 (his 9th hole), he kept a clean card on the front with birdies on six and seven. His 68 helped move him to one-under par for the tournament and into a tie for second place. Tegan was able to take advantage of softer conditions brought on by the morning rain.

“The game feels pretty good, the course was softer today, you could hit your shots the right yardage and they’d stop or spin. I had an earlier tee time so everything was soft. The only hard part is some of those pins you just can’t be in the wrong side. If you put yourself in some good spots and make a couple putts.” said Tegan.

The other players to finish at 1-under par after two rounds of play included William Huang (GC of New England; NH), who played alongside John Broderick. Nick Maccario (Bradford CC; MA) shot a bogey-free 67 to jump into the group at 1-under. Round one co-leaders Caleb Manuel (Brunswick GC; ME) and Timothy Umphrey (Tatnuck CC; MA) shot matching 73’s to stay in the mix at 1-under par.

Only four other players were able to muster rounds under par on the day, all shooting 1-under par 69: Matt Parziale (Thorny Lea GC; MA), Tommy Dallahan (Hartford GC; CT), Bill Forcier (Wannamoisett CC; RI), and Herbie Aikens (Old Sandwich GC; MA). Parziale’s 69 got him to even par for the tournament and into a good position for the final two rounds. Dallahan got back to +1 for the tournament, also a good position heading into Thursday while Forcier’s 69 helped him make the cut on the number.

ONLINE: ROUND 2 SCORES | ROUND 3 STARTING TIMES | NEGA AMATEUR

The Best From Each State
After two rounds of play the top scores from each state were:
Connecticut – T9 (+1) Tommy Dallahan (Hartford GC)
Massachusetts – 1st (-3) John Broderick (Dedham C&P Club)
Maine – T2 (-1) Caleb Manuel (Brunswick GC)
New Hampshire – T2 (-1) William Huang (GC of New England)
Rhode Island – T9 (+1) Andrew O’Leary (Pawtucket CC)
Vermont – 12th (+2) Bryson Richards (CC of Barre)

Play will resume on Thursday at 7:30 a.m. when the remaining 46 players begin play in round 3. Players will go off in twosomes off split tees. Round 4 will also take place Thursday, beginning shortly after round 3.

A Tew Club Championships at Concord Country Club
Take a quick walk around the clubhouse at Concord Country Club and you will see many artifacts showcasing the proud history of the club. One name you’re sure to see is John Tew, longtime member and five-time Club Champion at Concord. Tew won his first Club Championship in 1976 at the age of 21, and the last of his five in 1985.

You would think 5 Club Championships was impressive, but that’s nothing compared to the 12 Club Championships he also won at the Wianno Club down on the Cape. At Wianno, Tew won his first Club Championship in 1972 at the age of 17. In collecting his 12 Championships, he accomplished the feat of winning a Club Championship in 5 different decades.

Tew is still a proud member at Concord CC and carries a handicap ranging from 3-5 throughout the season.

Super Conditions at Concord Country Club
One thing that every player can agree on at the 91st New England Amateur Championship is the beauty and condition of the golf course. Peter Rappoccio has been the Superintendent at Concord Country Club for 11 years and is also the president of GCSANE and the New England Regional Turfgrass Foundation. Members and players alike have been raving about the course throughout the week and it has been easy to see why.

Following his round on Wednesday, Jack Tegan said this about the course: “The course is so nice, even when it was soft and got a lot of rain, there were no mud balls off the tee or anything. It’s a perfect course.”

Along with his normal crew, Rappoccio has brought in a secret weapon to help maintain the course throughout the Championship. Rappoccio’s father, also Peter, was a longtime (40 years) Superintendent at Silver Springs CC in Connecticut, but has come out of retirement to join the crew for the week.

For more information, visit the NEGA web site at negagolf.org. Follow the NEGA on social media @NEGA_Golf.

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About the New England Golf Association (NEGA): negagolf.org
The New England Golf Association ®, established in 1926, is a 501(c)3 amateur golf organization comprised of leaders from the six New England golf associations – Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Round 1 Concluded at New England Amateur

7/21/2020

Concord, Massachusetts – Early Tuesday morning, the first tee shots were struck at Concord Country Club, marking the start of the 91st New England Amateur Championship. In total 144 players from all 6 New England states teed it up on a warm and sunny day. At the end of the day it would be UConn Huskies past and future atop the leaderboard.

Of the morning wave of players, it was former Husky, Timothy Umphrey (Tatnuck CC; MA) who set the pace with a round of 4-under par 66. Umphrey made 6 birdies in total and had a run of 4 birdies over 6 holes in the middle of his round. “I put myself in good spots on the greens and I got a few putts to go. In the middle of the round I had a good birdie streak and hit good wedge shots and made some putts.” said Umphrey.

In the afternoon, it was a future Husky, Caleb Manuel (Brunswick GC; ME) who fired a matching 66. Like Umphrey, Manuel made 6 birdies on the day. He credited his string of 3-stright birdies as being the key to his round “I birdied five, six and seven so that got me to 3-under, but I was just staying patient and knew that par would be a good score out there today.” Talking about Concord CC, Manuel said “It’s definitely firmer and faster than the courses up in Maine. I just kept it below the hole and kept it in play, hitting it in the right spots. I expected it to be a little tougher than the last couple of years.”

ONLINE: ROUND 1 SCORES | ROUND 2 STARTING TIMES | NEGA AMATEUR

Other top rounds from the morning wave included a 3-under par 67 by Christian Emmerich (Kernwood CC; MA) and 1-under par 69 by Andrew O’Leary (Pawtucket CC; RI). Emmerich and O’Leary both took care of business on the two par 5’s at Concord CC, making birdie on both. Emmerich made 5 birdies on the day while O’Leary made 4.

With the heat cranked up in the afternoon, only one player other than Manuel was able to shoot under par. Richard Dowling (Golf Performance Center; CT) finished strong with birdies on seven and eight (his 16th and 17th hole of the day) which helped him to 1-under par 69. Dowling, a longtime supporter of the NEGA Junior, presented by Junior Golf Hub, was the low amateur from Connecticut at the 2019 New England Amateur.

Timothy Umphrey shot a morning 66 to set the pace at the New England Amateur (David Colt)

Leaderboard After Round 1
T1 – Timothy Umphrey; Tatnuck CC (MA) (-4) 66
T1 – Caleb Manuel; Brunswick GC (ME) (-4) 66
3 – Christian Emmerich; Kernwood CC (MA) (-3) 67
T4 – Andrew O’Leary; Pawtucket CC (RI) 69
T4 – Richard Dowling; Golf Performance Center (CT) 69
T6 – Max Ferrari; Framingham CC (MA) (E) 70
T6 – James Sheltman; Alling Memorial GC (CT) (E) 70
T6 – Ryan Tomaso; Kohr Golf Center (MA) (E) 70
T6 – Jack Brown; Nashua CC (NH) (E) 70
T6 – James Imai; George Wright GC (MA) (E) 70
T6 – Cody Paladino; CC of Farmington (CT) (E) 70
T6 – Max Hutter; Weston GC (MA) (E) 70
T6 – Liam Gill; Marlborough CC (MA) (E) 70

The first New England Amateur was conducted in 1926 at Rhode Island Country Club and was won by Frank C. Newton of Massachusetts. The Championship has been held annually since then, with a four-year hiatus during WWII from 1942 - 1945. Over the years, the Championship has been won by some of New England Golf's greats including Brad Faxon, Bill Andrade, James Dirscoll, and Jim Renner. The event was contested as a Match Play Championship until 1971, when the format was changed to current model of 72-holes of Stroke Play.

Fun With The Pairings
As is the case in many championships, there were a number of fun and interesting pairings on day 1 of the 91st New England Amateur.

Two groups were comprised of past champions. At 8:14 off of hole 1, it was the group of Xavier Marcou (’19 Champion; MA), Reese McFarlane (’18; ME) and Bobby Leopold (’17; RI). At 1:43, off of hole 1 was the group of James Turner (’16; MA), Nick McLaughlin (’15; MA) and Matt Parziale (’09; MA). The other past champion in the field is Brian Higgins (’10; MA) who was paired with Timothy Umphrey.

One group was comprised of players whose father is the Head Professional at their member club. This group included Jacob Zaranek (Brattleboro CC; VT), Cooper Griffin (Woodland GC; MA), and Colin Spencer (Cummaquid GC: MA).

Play will resume on Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. with the second round of the New England Amateur.

For more information, visit the NEGA web site at negagolf.org. Follow the NEGA on social media @NEGA_Golf.

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About the New England Golf Association (NEGA): negagolf.org
The New England Golf Association ®, established in 1926, is a 501(c)3 amateur golf organization comprised of leaders from the six New England golf associations – Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
In addition to serving the needs of golf in New England, the organization's primary purpose is to conduct the following premier tournament events: New England Amateur Championship ®, New England Junior Amateur Invitational, New England Girls’ Junior Amateur Invitational, and New England Senior Amateur Championship

Megan Buck Wins Her First NEGA Women's Amateur Championship

7/1/2020

North Conway, New Hampshire – Megan Buck (Thorny Lea GC; MA) splashed her way to the lead in Round 1 and then rallied in Wednesday's third and final round to hoist the New England Golf Association’s Women’s Amateur championship trophy for the first time. Buck saved her best round for last with a 1-under 70 to edge two-time defending champion Shannon Johnson (Thorny Lea GC; MA) by one stroke at North Conway Country Club.

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