NARRAGANSETT, RI – For the first time in Rhode Island Chapter history, Point Judith Country Club played host to the Chapter Championship and the best professionals in the Ocean State. In true championship fashion, Tuesday’s competition was fierce and dramatic, with multiple contenders in striking distance of the title coming down the stretch.
Alpine Country Club’s Peyton Schaffer was first in the house at red numbers, posting a 1-under 70 that held as the mark to beat for nearly an hour, until Nick Petracca of Fall River Country Club matched her with a 70 of his own.
Schaffer’s round began with a blemish free 2-under 34 on the opening nine, before a double bogey on the difficult 10th left her at level par for the day. A bounce back birdie on the 14th steadied the ship, and a string of pars concluded the day for the Pennsylvania native. Petracca took a different route on his way to the same score, rattling off 5 birdies against a bogey on the front nine and storming out to an impressive 4-under mark at the halfway point. This proved to be a difficult pace to keep up, as bogeys on 10, 11, and 18 brought him back to the early 1-under mark set by Schaffer.
The story of the day however, was the continuation of last week’s story, where The Aquidneck Club’s Ed Kirby captured the NEPGA Section Championship for the second time in his illustrious career. This victory came on the heels of his NEPGA Senior Championship in July, so Kirby came to Point Judith in search of the “sweep” of 2024 Senior, Section, and Chapter Championships.
Mark Cunningham, paired with Kirby and representing New England Golf Cars, had other plans and built a 2 stroke lead over Kirby at the turn, going out in 3-under 33 to Kirby’s 1-under 35. After Cunningham’s double bogey at the 10th, Kirby capitalized with a birdie and shifted the momentum in his favor with a three shot swing. Kirby never looked back, and despite bogeys on 16 and 17, he finished in style with a birdie on 18 to best Cunningham, Schaffer, and Petracca by a shot with his 2-under 69. Congratulations to Ed on his 4th Chapter Championship and year for the record books!
Thank you to Director of Golf David Marcotte, PGA, Head Professional Brendon Ray, PGA, and the Point Judith Country Club community for hosting! Another big thank you to our partners, Avidia Bank, Boxto Golf, Cobra Golf, Five Star Golf Cars, Tournament Solutions, and The PGA Tour for all of their support!