Great Scott: Hawley fires memorable 59
30 Jul 2006
Pavin, 46 and winner of the 1995 U.S. Open, finished up at 9-under 61, missing out on that magic sub 60 figure that no doubt was dancing in his head after the front side.
While the 61 wasn’t too shabby, it wasn’t good enough to top the 13-under 59 Hawley fired two weeks ago at Pleasant Valley Country Club, either. The Sutton-based course has hosted more than 30 PGA Tour events, with the top score during those a 62.
Hawley’s 59 didn’t happen in a competitive round, and he indicated it was likely a bigger deal shooting 62 in a tournament at Pleasant Valley. Still, a 59 is a 59 and this one included two eagles, nine birdies and no bogeys.
Remarkably, Hawley, a former player at Seton Hall who now competes on the Canadian Tour and New England Pro Golf Tour, altered his putting grip during the round based on a book recommended by Pleasant Valley member Chris Quinn.
Hawley read “The Art of Putting” by putting guru Stan Utley two days before carding his top round, in which he needed only 25 putts.
“Fran Quinn, Chris’ brother (and a Nationwide Tour player), works with Stan Utley,” Hawley said. “Fran watched Chris play in the state amateur at Worcester Country Club, and he played poorly. He told Chris he had to get this book, and Chris started putting better. Chris told me about the book on Friday, and I shot the 59 on Sunday.”
Hawley started the round on the member’s third hole, a par-3. By his 10th hole, after four straight birdies, Hawley was 9-under. A birdie on No. 15 then pushed him to 10-under.
When the 28-year-old arrived at No. 17, he needed to go 3-under over his final four holes. He birdied the treacherous 17th when his 7-iron approach from 170 yards out left him with a 5-footer. He rolled that in to get to 11-under.
On the par-5 18th, Hawley’s 4-iron approach left him a 10-foot eagle putt, which he rolled in to get to 13-under.
He missed an 8-foot birdie putt on the first members’ hole and drove into trees on the reachable par-5 second. But he punched out, knocked it on in 3 and two-putted for the 59, making a 5-footer for par.
Hawley shot 65 and 64 in the first two rounds of the Bangor Open but ultimately lost in a playoff. He tied for 14th Thursday in the NEPGT event at Blackstone National (the tournament was won by Geoff Sisk).
Legends in making
Last year’s BJ’s Charity Championship co-champs, Cindy Rarick and Jan Stephenson, will help kick off this year’s event Thursday at Granite Links Golf Club in Quincy with the OLAY Junior Golf Clinic, which is free and open to boys and girls ages 10-16 from 2:30-3:45 p.m. Twenty other Legends Tour pros will also be on hand to offer tips. Call (617) 721-3931 to register.
The BJ’s Charity Championship, part of the Legends Tour, again will be a 36-hole two-player team tourney with a best-ball format Saturday and scramble format Sunday after a pro-am Friday. Tickets for Friday through Sunday are $10 for a single day or $25 for a three-day pass. They can be purchased by calling (617) 721-3931.
Rarick and Stephenson halved five playoff holes with birdies against LPGA Hall of Famers Pat Bradley, of Westford, and Vermont native Patty Sheehan in last year’s inaugural event. The teams were declared co-champs due to darkness.
Rarick said the playoff stimulated interest in the Legends Tour among LPGA Tour players. This year, the purse rose from $400,000 to $500,000.
“Rosie Jones was retiring, and she wasn’t going to play,” Rarick said. “Val Skinner was kind of retiring, but she played in this last year, and she’s like, ‘Now I’m back.’ She’s playing with Nancy Lopez this year and Rosie heard how much fun it is, so she’s playing (with Lori West).”
Renner in top form
Jim Renner of Plainville was medalist in U.S. Amateur sectional qualifying Tuesday at New England Country Club in Bellingham after posting a 1-under 141 (71-70). Walpole’s Doug Clapp (73-69-142) was second, and Brockton’s Matt Parziale (69-74-143) claimed third.
Marlborough’s Frank Vana Jr. was medalist the same day at U.S. Amateur sectional qualifying at Stockbridge Golf Club with a 7-under (66-69-135). Andrew Dibitetto of Rochester, N.Y., took the second spot with 68-69-137.
The U.S. Amateur Championship will be held Aug. 21-27 at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn.
Johnson & Wales (Fla.) standout Brad Valois of Valley Country Club in Rhode Island became the first Rhode Islander since Billy Andrade in 1983 to win the New England Amateur. Valois, who won the Rhode Island Amateur the week before, carded rounds of 74-68-71-74 at The Woodlands Club in Falmouth, Maine, on July 19. . . .
On July 20, Frank Dully of Kernwood shot 68 at the Nicklaus Course at The Pinehills in Plymouth and Jim Burke of Leo J. Martin shot 68 to earn the two NEPGA member spots for the PGA Tour’s Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC Boston in Norton over Labor Day weekend. . . .
The pro-ams for the Champions Tour’s Bank of America Championship, which was canceled in June when Nashawtuc Country Club was flooded, will be played Aug. 7-8 at Nashawtuc. About 25 Champions Tour pros will attend the event, which is not open to the public.
Those in the field include Curtis Strange, Jim Thorpe and local Champions Tour players Kirk Hanefeld and Rick Karbowski.
http://sports.bostonherald.com/golf/view.bg?articleid=150568
