ANDOVER, Mass. – Vesper Country Club’s Rich Berberian carded seven bridies to capture the NEPGA’s fifth Stroke Play Series event title with a five-under 67 at Indian Ridge Country Club on Tuesday, August 23rd.
Berberian shot three under on the front nine with birdies on holes one, four, five and eight. Another birdie on 12 put him at four under before a bogey on 15 brought him back to three under. He finished the round strong with birdies on the par-4 17th hole and par-5 18th hole to finish five-under overall for the title.
Berberian claimed the two-stroke victory over Shawn Warren (Falmouth CC – ME) and Greg Martin (Boothbay Harbor CC), who shot three-under 69s for a share of second place. Warren carded four birdies on the day. He shot one-under on the front nine and birdies on holes 11 and 12 gave him the final three-under. Martin was four-under through the front nine with birdies on one and nine, and an eagle on the par-5 fourth hole. A birdie on 12 put Martin at five-under but bogeys on holes 13 and 16 finished him three-under and tied for second place overall.
Robert Tramonti (Triggs Memorial GC) and Frank Leja (The Club at New Seabury) tied for fourth place, shooting two-under, 70s. After a bogey on the first hole, Tramonti carded four birdies to finish the front nine three-under. A bogie on 18 put him at one-over on the back and two-under overall for a share of fourth place. Leja started the day with a birdie on the par-4 first hole. He carded two more birdies on the front, but bogeys on holes three and six put him at one under heading into the back nine. A double bogey on 11 brought Leja to one-over, but he carded three more birdies to finish two-under overall and tied for fourth.
Robert Bruso (Blackstone National GC), Kevin Murphy (Bradford CC), Todd Cook (Salem CC), and David Dionne (Beverly Golf & Tennis Club), and Ed Kirby (The Aquidneck Club) finished in a five-way tie for sixth place shooting one one-under 71s on the day.
Bruso shot an even 36 through the front nine before a birdie on 17 helped him clinch the one-under final 71. He carded a total of four birdies.
Murphy finished the front nine one-under with birdies on holes two and four. He finished the back nine even with three more birdies and a share of sixth place.
Cook shot one-under on the front with birdies on holes two, four and nine. A bogey on 14 and a birdie on 18 put him even on the back and one-under overall to claim a share of sixth place overall.
Dionne was two-under through the front nine with four birdies. Bogeys on holes 11 and 13 put him even with five holes to go. A birdie on 16, bogey on 17 and birdie on 18 finished him one-under overall and tied for sixth place.
Kirby was one-over with two birdies on the front nine. A bogey on 14 put him at two-over before he closed out the round with three birdies, on holes 15, 17 and 18 to finish one-under overall for a share of sixth place.
Thank you to Indian Ridge Country Club head professional Michael Miller, superintendent Roger Brink, and the entire Indian Ridge Country Club staff for hosting today’s Stroke Play Series event.
The NEPGA would also like to thank its partners: Avidia Bank, TagMarshal, Ahead, New England Golf Cars, SCNS Sports Foods, Bushnell Golf, and PGA Tour.