Headline: Headline: Ryan Riley and Herbert Aikens Hold an Early Lead at the 29th Massachusetts Four-Ball Championship
Norton, MA — The 2009 Massachusetts Four-Ball Championship was played under cloudy skies in Southeastern Massachusetts today, but there was plenty of lightening on the course.
The team of Ryan Riley (Norton CC) and Herbert Aikens (Pinehills GC) jumped out to a two-stroke lead over the field following a sizzling round of 8-under par 63 at Crestwood Country Club, one of the two sites hosting the 29th playing of this annual Massachusetts Golf Association event. The team posted eight birdies and no bogies to take a strong lead heading into the second and final round of play.
Riley and Aikens - along with the rest of the 192-team field - will return on Tuesday for a second and final round of play. Teams that competed at Crestwood Country Club on Monday will play Ledgemont Country Club on Tuesday and vice versa.
On this day, Riley spearheaded the impressive round by coming through with three birdies on both the front and back nines. The duo began their round on the first tee and made three pars before posting a birdie on the 331-yard, par 4 4th hole. Aikens then made two straight pars to set the stage for back-to-back birdies by Riley. The pair made the turn at 3-under par 32. The back nine featured classic partner golf as Riley's four birdies - on the 12th, 13th, 14th and 18th holes - were complemented by two birdies by Aikens on the 11th and 15th holes.
Two strokes back of the leaders with scores of 6-under par 65 are the teams of Kyle Pelletier (Acushnet River Valley GC) and Ryan Pelletier (Acushnet River Valley GC), Sean Fitzpatrick (George Wright GC) and Paul Mitchell (George Wright GC) and two-time champions of this event Frank Vana, Jr. (Marlborough CC) and Michael McCarthy (Woodland GC).
The Pelletier brothers, who are making their Massachusetts Four-Ball Championship debut, used a six-birdie performance by Kyle to propel them to the top of the leaderboard. Ryan added one birdie of his own and several key pars to keep them within striking distance of the leaders. Meanwhile, Vana and McCarthy played near perfect four-ball golf as they both posted three birdies on the day and no bogies. The team of Fitzpatrick and Mitchell was the only duo who played at Ledgemont Country Club to finish in the top five. The duo finished with six birdies, one eagle and two bogies.
Defending champions Brian Higgins (Franklin CC) and Brad Stewart (Franklin CC) will look for some magic on day two as the pair posted a 4-under par 67 and stand four strokes back of the leaders.
