Several Maine golfers had notable performances last week in tournaments throughout New England.

At the New England PGA Championship at Stratham and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, two Mainers tied for second in the 54-hole event. Shawn Warren of Portland and Jeff Seavey of Rockport were three shots behind Rich Berberian of Derry, New Hampshire.

Warren, the defending champion, had rounds of 69-72-73-214. Seavey shot 72-70-72-214. They both won $7,150. Berberian pocketed $17,000.

John Hickson of Topsham tied for eighth with 72-75-72-219 and won $2,950. Other Maine golfers were David Grygiel of Windham (231), tied for 33rd; Mike Dugas of Pittsfield, (232), tied for 36th; and Bob Darling Jr. of Lewiston (236), tied for 52nd.

Jeff Martin of Norton, Massachusetts, was fourth at 216. Martin grew up in Portland, learned to play at Riverside and graduated from Portland High, where he was on the golf team.

Warren, Seavey and Hickson qualified for the 2015 PGA Professional National Championship next June in Philadelphia. The low 14 scorers qualified.

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At the New England Junior Amateur in Seekonk, Massachusetts, Maine finished third behind Massachusetts and Connecticut. Representing Maine were Will Kannegieser of Minot, Luke Ruffing of Manchester, Reese McFarlane of Cape Elizabeth, Gavin Dugas of Pittsfield, Drew Powell of Bangor, Drew Kane of Scarborough and Daulton Wickenden of Camden.

Ruffing was Maine’s low scorer with rounds of 73-74-72-219, good for eighth overall. Dugas was next at 221, followed by Kannegieser (222), McFarlane (224) and Powell (224), Kane (236) and Wickenden (244).

Steven DiLisio of Massachusetts was the individual winner with a 54-hole score of 214. Massachusetts finished with a 1,081 total. Connecticut was at 1,098, followed by Maine (1,109). The other scores were Rhode Island (1,124), New Hampshire (1,147) and Vermont (1,147).

Maine won the New England junior tournament in 2002 with Warren and Jesse Speirs on the team. That’s been the only victory for Maine in the tournament.

“I felt we had a very good showing,” said Mike Doran of the Maine State Golf Association. “Massachusetts and Connecticut are always the stalwarts in the tournament.”

Maine will host the tournament next year at Purpoodock Club in Cape Elizabeth.

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Tee to Green: The Maine State Golf Association’s first men’s Four-Ball Championship will be played Tuesday and Wednesday at Brunswick Golf Club. The tournament replaces the Two-Man Championship that featured modified alternate shot, scramble and best ball. The four-ball is comprised of two-man teams playing best ball.

Randy Hodsdon, director of rules and competitions for the MSGA, said opting for the Four-Ball is a way of coming in line with the U.S. Golf Association, which will replace its Public Links Championship with a national Four-Ball Championship beginning next year.

Hodsdon also pointed out that most states have four-ball championships.

“Those tournaments are huge in Massachusetts and Vermont,” said Hodsdon. “We’ve never done it before here.”

The deadline to enter the Maine Senior Championship has been extended to Tuesday. The tournament for golfers 55 and up is Sept. 2-3 at Penobscot Valley in Orono.

The state’s Mid-Amateur Championship will be played Sept. 20-21 at York Golf and Tennis, and The Ledges Club, also in York. The entry deadline is Sept. 4. The tournament usually is held the first weekend in October.

Maine will go for a three-peat in the men’s Tri-State tournament against New Hampshire and Vermont on Sept. 12-14 at Concord, New Hampshire. Maine has never won three consecutive Tri-States.

Maine won last year at Martindale in Auburn and also two years ago at Jay Peak in Vermont.

 


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