Lakeville, Mass. – The 2022 NEPGA Pro-Pro Match Play Championship kicked off Monday at LeBaron Hills Country Club. The morning wave saw eight teams finish at +1 or better to qualify for the afternoon’s quarterfinal matches.
A total of 29 two-man teams teed off the 1st and 10th holes this morning with eight match play spots on the line. The best ball stroke play qualifying round was headlined by the teams of Bob Bruso, PGA and Patrick Beahn, PGA (Blackstone National GC) along with Greg Farland, PGA (Marlborough CC) and Kirk Hanefeld, PGA (Salem CC) who fired two-under 70’s to take the top seed. Three teams shot an even par, 72, to tie for third place. The teams of Ben Egan, PGA (The Bay Club at Mattapoisett) and Gregg Richbourg, PGA ( Cape Cod National GC); Matt Arvanitis, PGA (SNHU) and Shawn Warren, PGA (Falmouth CC – ME); and Jeff Martin, PGA (Wollaston GC) and Rich Berberian, PGA (Vesper CC) rounded out the top five qualifiers.
Four teams shot +1 (73) to force a playoff for the final three match play spots: Bill Andrews, PGA (Portsmouth CC) and Daniel Wilkins, PGA (Laconia CC); Ed Kirby, PGA (The Aquidneck Club) and John Rainone, PGA (North Kingstown GC); Andrew Stolze, PGA and Frank Leja, PGA (The Club at New Seabury); and Scott Hickey, PGA and Shawn Durocher, PGA (Cyprian Keyes Golf Club). Andrews and Wilkins were ultimately eliminated.
The afternoon shootout, an alternate shot winner-take-all event for the non-qualifying (9) teams, saw Chip Johnson, PGA (Hatherly Country Club) and James Antonelli, PGA (Marshfield CC) take the crystal after posting a birdie on the par 5, first hole of the shootout.
Farland and Hanefeld moved to tomorrow morning’s semifinal match with a 5 & 3 victory over Hickey and Derocher. They will take on Kirby and Rainone, who collected a 3 & 1 win over Egan and Richbourg in the quarterfinal round.
Arvanitis and Warren held off Martin and Berberian for a1 Up victory in the quarterfinals. They will take on Stolze and Leja, who claimed a 2 & 1 victory over Beahn and Bruso.
The semifinal matches begin tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m.
Thank you to LeBaron Hills Country Club staff for hosting the NEPGA Pro-Pro Match Play Championship. The NEPGA would also like to thank its Pro-Pro Match Play Championship supporting partners: R.J. Shepherd, Prize Possessions, Bent Water Brewing Co., and PGA Tour