MARLBOROUGH, Mass. – The teams from Strawberry Valley and Marlborough Country Club overcame windy conditions and sneaky greens to shoot 4-over par 75 and tie for the New England PGA Pro-Superintendent Invitational on Monday at Marlborough CC.
Host professional Greg Farland, PGA and superintendent Tim Crane birdied the 12th and 17th holes to shoot 1-under 35 on the back and post 75 in the select drive, alternate shot format.
“There was certainly a little bit of home-cooking,” Farland said of winning on his home course. “Tim was very steady which freed me up a little bit to hit it off the tee. There were situations where you were better off leaving it short of the green and chipping up, which we did, than being 10 or 15 feet behind the hole. It was a big advantage to have some local knowledge today, no doubt about it.”
Beth O’Kelly, PGA and Strawberry Valley GC superintendent Rene Vadeboncoeur eagled Marlborough CC’s first hole and added two birdies to the card, offset by eight bogeys, to match the home team at 4-over par 75.
“He drove the green, hit it to about six-feet, and it was a little curler and it snuck in,” O’Kelly said of the eagle. “He hits it a long way.”
The Nabnasset Lake and Atkinson Resort teams tied for third at 5-over par 76 and Trull Brook GC finished fifth at 6-over par.
The NEPGA would like to thank PGA Professional Greg Farland (Marlborough CC) for hosting the tournament, and partners CCE Golf Cars, Club Car, and TurfHound for their support.