MIDDLETOWN, R.I. – Adam Kolloff, PGA (Pure Drive Golf), rolled in four birdies, all on the front nine, and shot three-under 69 to win the first New England PGA Stroke Play Series event of 2019 on Monday at Newport National Golf Club.
Kolloff took advantage of a picture-perfect opening tee shot to start his day with a birdie, and added circles to his scorecard on the fifth, seventh and eighth holes to turn in four-under 32. With rain and wind picking up as the day went on, Kolloff recorded eight pars on the back with his lone bogey of the day on the par-3 16th hole to come home in 37 and post 69.
“It felt really good,” Kolloff said of that opening drive. “I hit it right where I wanted and that really gave me good momentum for the rest of the round. I was really hitting the driver good after that. Everything else from then on was pretty good. The putter was pretty good for the most part. Chipping felt really good. I took advantage of the par-5s, so a lot of good parts of the game came together.”
Kolloff surpassed David Jankowski, PGA (Burlington Country Club), who held the clubhouse lead after shooting two-under 70 earlier in the day. Jankowski rebounded from a double-bogey on the second hole with three birdies on the front nine to make the turn in 35. He took it even deeper into red figures with an eagle on the par-5 11th hole before making his only bogey of the round on hole 16 to match his front-9 35 and post 70.
“I hit a drive that was just a little left. I hit it good but just a little left, blocked out by the trees a little,” Jankowski said of his eagle on the 11th. “I was able to hit kind of a hooking four iron around and land it on the front of the green and it rolled back to about 15 or 18 feet, and I was fortunate enough to make the putt.”
Brendon Ray PGA (Point Judith CC) set the bar early with a one-under 71, playing in the first group of the day. Ray offset bogeys on the third and seventh holes with birdies on the fifth and eighth to make the turn in even-par 36. He then birdied the par-5 11th but gave it back and more with a double-bogey on 13. But birdies on the 15th and 18th holes got him back under par for the day.
“The swing feels good,” Ray said after his round. “For this time of year to go out there and shoot one-under — I had one little hiccup on 13 — but the swing feels good. I’ve been able to hit indoors in the winter time and then having a little warmer weather I’ve been able to hit outside, so it’s good to see the ball fly.”
Despite some rain over the weekend and a few showers on Monday, Newport National held up in the tough conditions for a great day of golf.
“I’d like to say thanks a lot to Newport National. The venue is great, we enjoyed being here so thanks to everybody for hosting us,” Jankowski added.
In addition to thanking Newport National for hosting the event, the NEPGA would also like to thank partners Bushnell Golf, Avidia Bank, Ahead, Cutter&Buck, Lincoln, SCNS Sports Foods, Omega and the PGA Tour.
The next of five regular-season stroke play tournaments will be June 19 at Indian Ridge Country Club. Fifty players will qualify for the Avidia Cup Finals (Sept. 30, Nashawtuc CC) through the five Stroke Play Series events and NEPGA Chapter Championships.