The Country Club of Greenfield has a brand new batch of club champions.
Andy Lesenski captured the men’s club championship and Terry Boyce claimed the women’s title during action over the weekend.
Lesenski carded a three-round total of 210, holding off runner-up Will Conant by two strokes (212). Defending champion Cody Booska finished in third place (213), followed by KC Finley in fourth place (214) and Dave Kennedy in fifth (215).
It’s the continuation of a big summer for Lesenski, who captured medalist honors at a Mass. Amateur Public Links qualifier at CCG last month.
The rest of the top 10 finishers on the men’s side included Chris Bourbeau (tied for sixth, 219), Steve Jones (tied for sixth, 219), Gunnar Moore (eighth, 220), Nate Burdick (ninth, 221), Mike Johnson (tied for 10th, 222) and Jake Willis (tied for 10th, 222).
Boyce held off a challenge from Raye Young to take home the women’s club championship, as her two-round total of 161 was two strokes ahead of Young’s 163.
Ryan Blanchard repeated as low net champion on the women’s side, posting a total of 140, while Elise Rice was close behind in second place at 142.
Matt Pitoniak took home the President’s Cup title with a low gross score of 159, edging Al Woods who was just one shot back at 160. Jason Yuryan was third (167) and Dan Finn captured fourth (169).
Terry Sinclair was the Vice President’s Cup winner with a low net of 141, followed by Stan Sadowski in second place (147).
After originally being scheduled as a host site for the now-canceled 2020 Mass Four-Ball Championship, GreatHorse in Hampden will now be the site of this fall’s Mass Mid-Amateur Championship. The championship will now take place Sept. 8-10.
GreatHorse hosted the Mass Open in 2018 and the 2019 New England Women’s Amateur Championship. It also hosted a New England Amateur qualifier in June.
“We can’t thank GreatHorse enough for its continued support of Mass Golf,” said Kevin Eldridge, Mass Golf’s Director of Rules & Competitions. “Given all of the unusual circumstances that we are facing this season, we are excited to be able to continue forward with our Mid-Amateur Championship and provide another opportunity for our Mass Golf Members to compete this season.”
GreatHorse is one of the most well-regarded courses in not only Western Mass., but New England. The par-72 layout incorporates natural wetlands and mountainous views, and it’s quickly become a power player in the tournament scene.
The Mid-Amateur is a three-day, stroke play event open to amateur golfers who have reached their 25th birthday by September 8, 2020, and who have an active Mass Golf/GHIN Handicap Index at any public, private, semi-private, municipal or non-real estate Mass Golf member course/club not exceeding 5.4 (as determined by the July 23, 2020 Handicap Revision) or have completed their handicap certification.
There will be six qualifying events for September’s championship, though all six are already full. The first two qualifiers are scheduled for Aug. 18, including one at Westover Golf Course in Granby – the lone Western Mass. stop.
Nick Maccario (Bradford CC) captured last year’s title by a whopping 15 strokes, posting an 8-under 205 at Brae Burn in Newton.
Two days, two playoffs.
Crumpin-Fox Club in Bernardston hosted Mass Golf’s Father-Son Modified Scotch Championships last week, crowning champs in both the Senior and Junior Divisions over two days.
Haverhill’s Mark and Michael Souliotis won a playoff to capture the Senior Division title, besting Plymouth’s John and Nick Drago after both duos carded 2-under rounds of 70.
In Junior Division action, Pleasant Valley’s Brendan and Jack Hester defeated Quaboag’s Mason Dumas and Paul Nothe in a playoff after the tandems each shot 2-over 74.
Next up is the Mother-Son Championship on Tuesday at Wedgewood Pines Country Club, before the Mother-Daughter Championship (July 22) and Father-Daughter Championship (August 19) follow.
Early print deadlines due to COVID-19 have made covering sports difficult, to say the least. Reporting on the 112th Mass. Amateur this week won’t be easy, as late tee times wrap up right around our deadline. I’ll be posting the most updated versions of stories at recorder.com, so check them out there.
My plan is to be at The Kittansett Club in Marion on Tuesday for the second round of stroke play. My all accounts, it’s a beautiful course with picturesque views, and I’m hoping to take it in for myself while catching up with the local players in the field following their rounds. Stay tuned.
Jeff Lajoie is the sports editor of the Recorder. He can be reached at jlajoie@recorder.com