WOODSTOCK, Vt. – Dale Abraham (Cape Arundel GC) carded his second consecutive round of 68 for a two-day total of 136 and a one-shot victory over Kirk Hanefeld (Salem CC) in the 2022 NEPGA Senior Championship. This was Abraham’s second consecutive NEPGA Senior Championship title as he won the event in 2021.
With the victory, Abraham qualifies for the 2022 Senior Professional Championship in October. He will play alongside Hanefeld (who was exempt from qualifying as the 2011 senior PNC Champion), Dan Gillis (Nabnasset Lake CC), Greg Farland (Marlborough CC), Ed Kirby (The Aquidneck Clud), John Hickson (Northport GC), and Dan Wilkins (Laconia CC).
Abraham opened his final round with a birdie on the par-5 first hole. He posted a bogey on the third hole and parred the rest to head into the back nine with an even 35. Abraham held steady through the back nine with pars on 10 through 14. He birdied the par-3 15th hole and par-4 17th hole to bring the match down to the 18th hole tied with Hanefeld. Abraham clinched the victory with a par on 18 for the final 2-under 68 in round two and 4-under, 136 overall.
Hanefeld, the 2015, 2018, and 2020 NEPGA Senior Championship winner, fired an even par-70 in round two to claim solo second place with a 3-under, 137 overall. He started the day with a birdie on the first hole. After carding two bogeys on holes three and four, Hanefeld evened out with another birdie on the par-5 sixth hole. He birdied the 16th hole to tie Abraham heading into the final two holes of the day. Hanefeld’s bogey on the 18th hole dropped him into solo second place at -3, 137 overall.
Gillis headed into round two at 3-under par for a share of the lead with Hanefeld. He bridied on hole two before a double bogey on four and a bogey on six set him back. He edged back to the lead with a birdie on the eighth hole to head into the final stretch +1. A birdie on the 13th hole tied him up with Hanefeld and Abraham, but a bogey on 15 finished him even through the back nine, +1 on the day, and -2, 138 overall for solo third place.
Farland took home fourth place in the 2022 NEPGA Senior Championship, shooting an even 140 over the two rounds. He started the day with a birdie on the first hole and added another on the sixth hole. Bogeys on seven and nine and another birdie on eight sent him into the back nine 1-under. Farland birdied 13, 14, and 17 on the back, but a bogey on 15 and 18 put him at 2-under on the day to even his 2-over first round.
Kirby, Hickson, and Wilkins all tied for fifth place overall with 1-over 141s. Kirby had a stellar second round, shooting a 4-under 66 to come from behind at 5-under after round one. He birdied holes 1, 5, and eight to help put him 2-under heading into the back nine. Following a double bogey on 12, Kirby birdied four out of the final six holes to card a 66 in round two and a share of fifth place overall at 141.
Hickson shot even-par in round one and finished the front nine 2-over. He birdied three holes on the back nine to finish 1-over overall for a share of fifth place.
Wilkins also finished round one with an even-par 70. He birdied the sixth hole of the second round and posted a bogey on the ninth to head into the back even. Wilkins posted a bogey on 12, double bogey on 14 and birdies on 16 and 17 to finish 1-over overall in the three-way tie for fifth place.
The six qualifiers, along with exempt, Hanefeld, will compete in the 34th Senior Professional National Championship from October 13-16 in Santa Ana Pueblo, NM
The 2022 NEPGA Senior Championship is presented by Cadillac and supported by Avidia Bank, the Golf Channel, Mohegan Sun, the PGA TOUR, and R.J. Shepherd.
The NEPGA would like to thank Woodstock CC Director of Golf Matt Closter and the entire WCC staff for hosting the two-day Championship.