NORTON, Massachusetts – After the completion of Mass Golf’s second full season following the merger of the state’s two golf associations, the organization is excited to announce the recipients of its 2019 Player of the Year awards: The Richard D. Haskell Player of the Year, the Anne Marie Tobin Women’s Player of the Year, the George M. Cohen Senior Player of the Year, the Christopher Cutler Rich Junior Player of the Year and the Women’s Mid-Amateur Award.
The awards recognize the top performers in Championship and Women’s Championship events from 2019, as well as to recognize Mass Golf competitors for their play in regional and USGA events. The awards are based on the final tallies of the respective Mass Golf Player of the Year point systems.
ONLINE: PLAYER OF THE YEAR HOME | PLAYER OF THE YEAR STANDINGS | SENIOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR STANDINGS | WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR STANDINGS | JUNIOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR STANDINGS
This year’s award recipients are as follows:
>>Richard D. Haskell Player of the Year
Brockton’s Matt Parziale, 32, of Thorny Lea Golf Club, has earned the Player of the Year award for the fourth straight time and sixth overall since 2009. Parziale won the Norfolk Country Classic and competed in the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball, U.S. Amateur and U.S. Mid-Amateur championships. He only trails Frank Vana Jr. (9) for the most Player of the Year titles since the award’s introduction in 1976.
>>George M. Cohen Senior Player of the Year
Boxford’s Frank Vana Jr, 57, of Marlborough Country Club, has earned his third straight Senior Player of the Year award since becoming eligible for the category. Vana won both the Senior Division of the Norfolk Country Classic and Amateur Invitational at New England Country Club, made the round of 32 in the U.S. Senior Amateur and had top-five finishes in the Mass Senior Amateur, Mass Mid-Amateur and Ouimet Memorial Tournament.
>>Anne Marie Tobin Women’s Player of the Year & Women’s Mid-Amateur Award
Wellesley’s Pam Kuong, 58, of Charles River Country Club, has earned the Women’s Player of the Year for the second time. She first won it in 2012. Kuong advanced to the round of 16 in the U.S. Women’s Senior Amateur and to the round 32 in the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur. She also won the Mass Women’s Senior Amateur and advanced to the semifinals in the Mass Women’s Amateur.
>>Christopher Cutler Rich Junior Player of the Year
Brookline’s James Imai, 18, of George Wright Golf Course, has earned the Junior Player of the Year for the second straight year and third time overall. In 2019, he became the first three-time champion of the Mass Junior Amateur and also won the U.S. Challenge Cup Invitational (Boys Division) and the Hornblower Memorial Tournament. He also advanced to the round of 64 in the U.S. Junior Amateur.
“With their top play, all four competitors continue to represent Mass Golf with class in events across the Bay State, New England and the United States,” said Jesse Menachem, Executive Director/CEO of Mass Golf. “We are thrilled that we get to honor all of these players for their hard work.”
Mass Golf’s Championship Committee made the announcement of the 2019 post season awards.
“Each of these four players competed at the highest level throughout the entire season, showcasing their skills, hard work and consistency,” said Kevin Eldridge, Mass Golf’s Director of Rules & Competitions. “We look forward to celebrating their great play at the Champions Dinner in January and seeing them back out on the course in 2020.”
CHAMPIONS DINNER
Mass Golf’s annual Champions Dinner is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, January 14, 2020, at Wellesley Country Club. The four Player of the Year recipients and winners of Mass Golf’s Championship Propers will be recognized at the ceremony. Each champion will receive one complimentary ticket. This event is open to the general public, so we hope to welcome a club-full of golf friends that evening. The cost for individual tickets is $90. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets online.
Please direct all questions to Catherine Carmignani (ccarmignani@massgolf.org) or Kevin Eldridge (keldridge@massgolf.org).
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ABOUT MASS GOLF
Mass Golf is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is dedicated to advancing golf in Massachusetts by promoting its competitive spirit and camaraderie.
Presently, more than two-thirds of the 360 member clubs are public-access facilities, while nearly one-half of member golfers are enrolled at public facilities.
As the seventh largest state golf association in the country, Mass Golf has been at the forefront of industry advances such as the creation of a computerized handicap system, online registration and real-time Championship scoring.
