Headline: Framingham Country Club and Hopkinton Country Club Prepared to Host 36th Massachusetts Four-Ball Championship on May 2-3
For Immediate Release: April 30, 2016
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Matthew Leger (left) and J.C. Guthrie will look to defend their MGA Four-Ball title this week at Framingham CC and Hopkinton CC. |
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Norton, MA — The 2016 MGA Championship season will officially get underway on Monday when the Massachusetts Four-Ball Championship kicks off at Framingham Country Club and Hopkinton Country Club.
A total of 178 two-person teams will compete over two days and 36 holes at these outstanding layouts. It marks the first time in event history that either course has hosted what is the MGA’s inaugural event each season.
Half of the field will play Framingham Country Club on Monday (May 2), while the other half will play Hopkinton Country Club. On Tuesday (May 3), the field will swap courses. There will be no re-pair of the field based on first-round score.
In the event of a tie for first place following the conclusion of play on Tuesday, a hole-by-hole playoff will commence immediately at Framingham Country Club following the close of competition.
Spectators are welcome to attend and admission - as is always the case with MGA Championships - is free of charge.
Here is some helpful information to prepare you for the big event!
STARTING TIMES & RESULTS LINKS - Starting times and results will be available online throughout the two-day event. Nine-hole splits and final scores for all teams will be posted.
KEEPING UP WITH THE FOUR-BALL – Complete coverage of the 2016 Massachusetts Four-Ball Championship will be available online (MGAlinks.org) and via social media. Join the conversation and share your photos, memories and thoughts by following us on Twitter (@mgalinks #MassFourBall), Facebook (@ Massachusetts-Golf-Association) and Instagram @mgalinks #MassFourBall).
ABOUT THE MGA FOUR-BALL – This two-person event honors the best two-person teams of amateur golfers in the state. Since its inception in 1981, the event has celebrated some of the best amateur teams in the region and embraced the spirit of teamwork. Champions of the past have been brothers, friends and even father and son pairs.
ELIGIBILITY – Entries are open to two-person teams of amateur golfers who both hold a membership at an MGA member club and have an up-to-date combined MGA/ USGA GHIN Handicap Index not exceeding 6.0 (as determined by the April 1 Handicap Revision).
PAR AND YARDAGE – Framingham Country Club will play at 6,682 and a par of 36-36--72. Hopkinton Country Club will play at 6,779 and a par of 36-35--71.
ABOUT THE HOST CLUBS – Here is a brief overview of the two host clubs. Information was excerpted directly from each club's web site.
About Framingham Country Club – Framingham Country Club was established in 1898 and incorporated in 1902. The course throughout the years has maintained a historical “classic design” with the guidance of Golf Architect consultants.
In the 1930s, the construction of Route 9 forced a redesign. Three holes north of the old clubhouse were reduced to two and seven holes were moved south of Gates Street. This project was supervised by Donald J. Ross, architect. In the 1950s, another redesign, put all nine holes together south of Gates Street, due to the sale of the clubhouse and two holes. This project was supervised by Orrin E. Smith, architect. In 1960, the second nine holes opened south of Parker Road on land bought from member Haddon Owen with this project being supervised by William F. Mitchell, architect. In 1968, the front nine was again changed by adding two holes farther to the west allowing two fairways to become today's practice area. Geoffrey Cornish was the architect for this project.
Framingham Country Club has hosted the following MGA and USGA tournaments in years past; 2009 MGA Junior Amateur Championship, 2010 U.S. Mid-Amateur Sectional Qualifier, 2011 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, 2012 MGA Mid-Amateur Championship, 2014 U.S. Senior Amateur Sectional Qualifying, and last year’s 2015 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Sectional Qualifying.
About Hopkinton Country Club – Utilizing classical design, the course at Hopkinton Country Club was redesigned in 2002. The renovations at Hopkinton Country Club were directed by Welsh Golf Course Architect Ian Scott-Taylor. Ian’s goal for Hopkinton Country Club was to create an old-world golf course, where strategy plays a key role in the golfers shot selection. In a recent article in the Boston Globe, Jim McCabe called the course "a throwback to an era of course design rarely seen today."
Established in 2010, the Hopkinton Country Club Charitable Foundation is a charitable organization whose mission is giving back to the communities in which we live. The Hopkinton Country Club Charitable Foundation seeks to empower youth and families in our local communities by supporting youth development and economic assistance programs, serving those with the greatest needs.
Hopkinton Country Club has hosted the following MGA and USGA tournaments in years past; 2009 MGA Open Championship Qualifier, 2011 MGA Professional-Presidents Tournament, 2013 and 2014 MGA Member Days, and last year’s 2015 MGA Junior Amateur Championship.
PAST CHAMPIONS IN THE FIELD – The following teams have been victorious at this event, which dates back to 1981, and will be competing as a team in the 2016 Championship Proper.
A LOOK BACK AT 2015 – The team of J.C. Guthrie and Matthew Leger defeated Cody Booska and Troy Miller in a one-hole sudden-death playoff to capture the 2015 Massachusetts Four-Ball Championship title. History was in the making that week as the City of Boston opened up its two courses – George Wright Golf Course and William J. Devine Golf Course – for this Championship Proper for the first time in event history. The crowning moment that week, however, came when Leger watched that 18-foot birdie putt roll three quarters of the way around the cup and in during the sudden-death playoff.
Oldest Competitor in the Field – 66 - Peter Brumme (Nashawtuc CC); 66 - Claude Hoopes (The Kittansett Club); 66 - Doug Crawford (The International); and 66 - Ray Richard (Willowbend CC).
Youngest Competitor in the Field – 16 - Connor Piecuch (CC of Greenfield)
Most Common First Name in the Field – Michael (28)
Notables Missing From the Field – While the field includes some of the Bay State's top amateur competitors and a stellar group of past champions, there are still some names missing from the list of pairings.
Mike Dunham (Concord CC) had to withdraw from the event after the New York Islanders advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in 23 years. Dunham has been the Islanders goalie coach since 2007. Dunham is an NHL veteran of 300-plus starts in goal, a silver medalist in the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, and an NCAA Division 1 champion at the University of Maine.
Nick McLaughlin (Far Corner GC) was not able to register for this event because he is completing his senior year at the University of Virginia. McLaughlin is the reigning Richard D. Haskell MGA Player of the Year after a remarkable 2015 season in which he took top honors at The Hornblower Memorial Invitational, The Invitational, Massachusetts Amateur Championship, New England Amateur Championship and the Massachusetts Amateur Public Links Championship. McLaughlin is currently scheduled to compete at the 2016 Massachusetts Open Championship at Worcester Country Club on June 13-15.
Notable Teams and Competitors in the Field – This event always draws some interesting and unique pairings. Here are a few of note.
Steve Tasho (Thorny Lea GC) and Steve Tasho (Thorny Lea GC) enter the 2016 season as the reigning 2015 Massachusetts Father-Son Champions. The duo captured the junior division title at Fall River Country Club with a three-shot victory over Dean and Matteo Godek.
Doug Crawford (The International) and Bud Schultz (Black Rock CC) are two former professional tennis players who are grabbing a club instead of racket this week. Crawford, who fulfilled his dream of playing at Wimbledon in 1973 and 1975, won the New England Pro championship in 1976.
Schultz, achieved a career-high singles ranking of World No. 40 in 1986 and a career-high doubles ranking of World No. 128 in 1986. Over the course of his professional playing career, he qualified for all four Grand Slams (the French Open, Wimbledon, U.S. Open, and Australian Open. After retiring at the age of 29, Schultz coached at the highest level and worked with the likes of Pam Shriver and another all-time great and golf fanatic Ivan Lendl.
Billy Van Stratum (Dennis Pines GC) and Mike Walker (Oyster Harbors Club) fired an even par score at the 2015 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship and missed out on advancing to match play by one shot. In 2014, Van Stratum finished second at the Massachusetts Amateur Public Links Championship.
Matt Parziale (Thorny Lea GC) and Herbie Aikens (Pinehills GC) will continue their four-ball play later this month when they compete at the 2016 U.S. Amateur Four Ball Championship at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y. The mid-amateur duo posted a 9-under par to qualify at Pinehills GC on August 26 to advance to the USGA Championship Proper. Parziale was the 2014 Richard D. Haskell MGA Player of the Year, while Aikens was a two-time MGA champion in 2014.
Ryan Whitney (Boston GC) is a former Boston University and NHL defenseman who played professional hockey from 2004 through 2015. Whitney played for four NHL teams - Pittsburgh Penguins, Anaheim Ducks, Edmonton Oilers, and the Florida Panthers. Whitney also won a silver medal with the United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Guy Antonacci (GreatHorse) is president and general manager of GreatHorse, a private club located in Hampden. In addition to developing golf courses, the Antonacci family has been synonymous with racing prowess as owners and breeders in five Hambletonian Champions. To reflect on this history, the Antonacci family selected the name GreatHorse, which is English for "Gran Cavallo", the title of Leonardo Da Vinci’s magnificent horse statue. Antonacci is also an accomplished player. Last year at the Massachusetts Mid-Amateur Championship, Antonacci scored an ace on a par 4 at Marlborough CC.
Ray Richard (Willowbend) captured the 2016 Seagulls Four-Ball alongside his partner Parziale. Richard is a two-time Massachusetts Senior Four-Ball Champion, who won that title with Kevin Carey in 2011 and 2012.
Mike Trombley (CC of Wilbraham) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. The Springfield native who grew up in Wilbraham played in the Majors from 1992 through 2002. Throughout his 14 year career, Trombley played with the Minnesota Twins (1992–1999, 2002), Baltimore Orioles (2000–2001) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2001).
Total Number of MGA Member Clubs Represented – 139
Most Represented MGA Member Clubs – Framingham CC (15), Thorny Lea GC (12), Norton CC (8), Orchards GC (8), Marshfield CC (7), Plymouth CC (7), Wachusett CC (7), Brae Burn CC (6), Longmeadow CC (6), Salem CC (6), Oakley CC (6), Hopkinton CC (6), George Wright GC (6), Boston GC (5), Nabnasset Lake CC (5), Pine Brook CC (5), Oak Hill CC (5), GreatHorse (5), Indian Ridge CC (5), Franklin CC (5), Kettle Brook GC (4), Worcester CC (4), Spring Valley CC (4), Thomson CC (4), TPC Boston (4), Nashawtuc CC (4), Indian Pond CC (4), Granite Links (4), CC of Greenfield (4), Charles River CC (4), Cyprian Keyes GC (4), Charter Oak CC (3), Concord CC (3), Crumpin-Fox Club (3), Butter Brook GC (3), LeBaron Hills CC (3), Meadow at Peabody (3), Meadow Brook GC (3), South Shore CC (3), Winchester CC (3), Woodland CC (3), Springfield CC (3), Vesper CC (3), New Seabury (3), Haverhill CC (3), Holden Hills CC (3), Hopedale CC (3), The International (3), Furnace Brook GC (3), and GC at Turner Hill (3).
Total Number of Massachusetts Towns Represented – 176
Average Age of the Field – 40.92
