MASHPEE, Mass.—The Club at New Seabury’s Frank Leja shot a score of even-par 142 across 36-holes to capture the 2022 Cape Cod Chapter Championship at his home course.
Fifteen Cape Cod PGA Professionals teed it up on Wednesday to compete for the Chapter’s ultimate title. They were met with two tough tests in New Seabury’s Dunes and Ocean courses, the latter will also play host to the 2022 New England Section Championship.
Starting play on the short but tricky Dunes course, Leja was able to use his course knowledge and accuracy to stake himself to an early lead. He played the front nine of the Dunes course to even par, recording one bogey and one birdie. After making bogey on the par-4 10th hole, Leja played lights out with his best stretch coming on holes 14 through 18 which he played to 4-under par. His 3-under 32 on the back nine propelled him to a first round best 3-under 67 and a 3-shot lead.
Edgartown Golf Club’s Corey McAlarney and Sandwich Hollows’s Tom Tobey each shot opening round 69’s to sit tied for second place heading into the final round, while Ae Cahill (LeBaron Hills CC) and Ben Egan (The Bay Club) fired rounds of 3-over 73 and shared a tie of 3rd place.
The second round held at the Ocean Course proved to be the tougher test for the field who played it to 4.89 strokes over par, compared to just 3.89 over par on the Dunes Course. The first six holes of the Ocean Course which sit right on the water proved to be eventful for Leja. After making a birdie on the par-5 1st, he made back-to-back bogeys on holes 2 and 3. But in what may have been the turning point for his tournament, he was able to regain both dropped shots in one hole by making an eagle on the par-5 5th hole.
Leja went on to make five consecutive pars to finish the front nine to turn at 1-under 35. Double bogeys on holes 12 and 16 dropped Leja to 3-over on his round, however he was able to continue to make clutch pars down the stretch to hold off the rest of the field and capture his first Chapter Championship.
McAlarney shot a second round 78 to finish tied for second place with Ae Cahill at 5-over 147. Cahill was was a model of consistency with rounds of 73-74. Five professionals finished in a tie for fourth place at 8-over for the tournament.
Thank you to New Seabury’s Director of Golf, Jim Clay and Head Professional Andrew Stolze for being fantastic hosts of the Chapter Championship! The Cape Cod Chapter would also like to thank their fantastic partners for this event, Avidia Bank, the PGA Tour, and Tournament Solutions!