Lakeville, Mass. – The 2023 NEPGA, Johnnie-O Pro-Pro Match Play Championship kicked off on Monday, May 8th at LeBaron Hills Country Club. A total of 30 two-man teams teed off the 1st and 10th holes this morning with eight match play spots on the line.
The best ball stroke play qualifying round was headlined by the teams of Matt Arvanitis, PGA (SNHU) and Shawn Warren, PGA (Falmouth CC) who took the top seed, firing a 10-under, 62. The duo carded an impressive 11 birdies, five on the front nine and six on the back nine, to capture the first seed in the afternoon Match Play.
The teams of Curt Goldberry, PGA (The Quechee Club) and Pete Weatherby, PGA (Manchester CC) and Thomas Rooney, PGA (LeBaron Hills CC) and Robert Bradley, PGA (Brockton CC) posted seven-under, 65s to claim a share of second place and round out the top three match play spots. Goldsberry and Weatherby teed off the 10th hole at 8:50 a.m., posting five birdies on the back nine, making the turn at five-under. They birdied the par-4 seventh hole and clinched the second place spot with a birdie on nine. Rooney and Bradley started off the 10th just behind them at 9:00 a.m. They birdied holes 10, 16, and 17 to make the turn at three-under. Four more birdies on holes one, seven, eight, and nine gave them the final seven-under and a spot in the quarterfinal match play tournament.
James Damiano, PGA (The Club at New Seabury) and Jim Clay, PGA (The Club at New Seabury) shot a six-under 66 to claim the fourth match play spot. The pair teed off on hole 10, making four birdies on the back to make the turn at four-under. They birdied par-4 holes two and seven to finish six-under in the morning round.
Seven teams shot five-under to force a playoff for the final four match play spots. The teams of Ben Egan, PGA (Bay Club at Mattapoisett) and Todd Anzlovar, PGA (The Foundation), Brendon Ray, PGA (Point Judith CC) and Jacob Leech, PGA (Walpole CC), Kirk Hanefeld, PGA (Salem CC) and Greg Farland, PGA (Marlborough CC); Chris Hulme, PGA (Newport National GC) and Scott Hickey, PGA (Cyprian Keyes GC); John Rainone, PGA (North Kingstown GC) and Ed Kirby, PGA (The Aquidneck Club); Todd Scarafoni, PGA (Bass Rocks GC) and Frank Dully, PGA (Kernwood CC); and Alex Socinksi, PGA (Dedham Country & Polo Club) and Steven Daly, PGA (Dedham Country & Polo Club) rounded out the top seven qualifiers.
The defending champions, Farland and Hanefeld; along with the teams of Ray and Leech and Scarafoni and Dully were ultimately eliminated.
The afternoon shootout, an alternate shot winner-take-all event for the non-qualifying teams, saw Allan Belden, PGA (Salem Country Club and Mark Aldrich, PGA (Whitinsville GC) take the crystal.
Clay and Damiano moved to Tuesday morning’s semifinal match with a 1Up victory in the quarterfinal match with Daly and Socinski.
Hickey and Hulme are also set to compete in the semifinal match on Tuesday as they claimed a 2 & 1 victory over Rooney and Bradley.
Egan, who battled through the quarterfinal match solo, ultimately fell to Weatherby and Goldsberry who will return Tuesday morning for the semifinal match.
The final match between the team of Warren and Arvanitis and Kirby and Rainone was suspended due to darkness. Kirby and Rainone had earned their spot in the quarterfinal match after battling through 11 playoff holes in the qualifying stroke play round. Warren and Arvanitis are 1Up through 10 holes.
Hulme and Hickey take on Weatherby and Goldsberry in the semifinal match starting at 7:30am on Tuesday morning. Clay and Damiano will take on the winner of the Warren/Arvanitis vs. Kiby/Rainone match.
Thank you to LeBaron Hills Country Club staff for hosting the NEPGA, Johnnie-O Pro-Pro Match Play Championship. The NEPGA would also like to thank its Pro-Pro Match Play Championship Presenting Partner, Johnnie-O and Supporting Partners: R.J. Shepherd, Prize Possessions, Golf Cards, Inc., Lagshot, and PGA Tour.