ROCKPORT, ME- For the second consecutive year Nick Hocker of Boothbay Harbor Country Club was crowned the Maine Chapter Champion.
The Championship was once again held at Rockland Golf Club and The Samoset Resort as 21 of Maine’s PGA Professionals teed it up.
The first round, which was player at Rockland GC, saw Hocker explode out of the gate with a round of 7-under 63. He put together a clean card on the day to go along with his seven birdies. His best stretch of the day came on holes 13 through 17 which he played to a combined 4-under par.
Also putting together great first rounds were John Hickson of Northport Golf Club who fired a 2-under 68 to sit in solo second place in the overall competition as well as first place in the Senior Division. Also in the hunt after round 1 was Patrick Kowker (Portland CC) who finished at 1-under and JJ Harris (Falmouth CC) who finished at 1-under.
The second day of the Championship began with a tribute to Samoset’s long time Head Professional Gary Soule, PGA who sadly passed away this July. The entire field convened for an honorary 1st tee shot in Gary’s memory. Gary was accomplished and beloved member of the Maine Chapter and the New England PGA and he will be dearly missed.
Falmouth CC’s Shawn Warren trailed by seven shots heading into the final round, however he did his best to track down Nick Hocker. After an opening bogey, Warren was able to right the ship and shoot a 1-under 33 on the front nine. On the back, he traded a birdie on 14 with a bogey on 16 to remain at 1-under for the tournament. He then made back-to-back birdies on the final two holes to finish at 3-under, shooting the low round of the day and finishing as the clubhouse leader and put pressure on Hocker.
Hocker, playing with a solid lead, got off to a great start playing his first five holes to 1-under par. He ran into trouble on the 6th hole making a double bogey followed by bogeys on holes 7 and 8. Another bogey on the 13th hole left him at 3-under par for the tournament and needing a strong finish to hold off the field to win a second consecutive Chapter Championship. As the pressure mounted, Hocker showed his championship pedigree and played his best golf of the day making birdie on 15 and 18 to get back to 5-under and hold off Warren for the victory. Finishing in a tie for third place were Harris and Hickson who each shot 2-under across 36 holes.
Hickson also finished in first place for the Senior Championship division, two shots ahead of Falmouth CC’s Sean Barrett. Augusta CC’s Dave Soucy took home the top spot in the Super Senior Division.
Thank you to Rockland Golf Club and Head Professional Keenan Flanagan, PGA as well as the Samoset Resort and Golf Club Manager Alex Pappas for hosting the Maine Chapter! We would also like to thank our partner, Avidia Bank, the PGA Tour, and Tournament Solutions!