Headline: Bret Siekierski Captures Medalist Spot and Bragging Rights Over Older Brother Aaron During Day 2 of 2010 Massachusetts Open Qualifying
For Immediate Release: May 24, 2010
Whitinsville, MA —It was just a little brotherly competition that ended with the younger sibling getting the last laugh.
While a focused and talented field of more than 40 professional and amateur competitors battled for the nine qualifying spots that were available at Whitinsville Golf Club, two brothers stole the show by claiming two of the spots and taking it all in stride.
Leading the way and finishing as co-medalist with a score of 2-under par 68 was Bret Siekierski (Heritage CC), a 2009 graduate and former member of the golf team at the University of Connecticut and younger brother of 2003 Massachusetts Junior Amateur Champion and current professional Aaron Siekierski (Heritage CC).
Day 2 Quick Links
"It usually happens all of the time so that we can save on gas," said Bret Siekierski about playing in the same field as his older brother. "We didn't talk about it much. It was a quiet car ride there. We usually don't have much to say to each other at that time of the day."
While the early morning wake-up call kept conversation at a minimum prior to the round, there was plenty of discussion six hours later after Bret finished as medalist and Aaron had to battle it out in a playoff for one of the final spots.
"I was trash talking a bit on the way home because he usually beats me," said Bret. "He was on the phone with one of his buddies explaining how he made it in a playoff, so I was chirping that I didn't have to go into a playoff."
Bret had plenty of time to figure out what to say on that car ride as he had to wait in the clubhouse while Aaron's score of 1-over par 71 forced him into a six-for-three playoff. During that wait, Bret was no doubt thinking about his round... how he made two key lengthy birdie putts (more than 30 feet each) on the front nine and how he managed to implement a swing change from just days earlier in near perfect fashion.
After a disappointing performance at the Massachusetts Four-Ball Championship held earlier this month, Siekierski committed himself to a swing change. With help from a good friend, the 22 year old focused on a higher ball launch and as recently as Sunday afternoon was trying to make it a permanent part of his game.
"It came to a surprise to me because I had been working on changing my swing," said Siekierski, who had played the Whitinsville layout just once before heading into today's round. "My buddy who helped me was supposed to caddy for me but he couldn't make it today. He told me to just trust my swing and it will come to me... and it did. I played well all day."
One of the key moments came on the front nine. After sailing his approach shot on the 385-yard, par 4 6th hole 35 yards past the green, Siekierski sank the treacherous downhill birdie putt. He went on to sink another lengthy birdie putt on the 172-yard, par 3 7th hole to put him in the red at the turn.
"I had a long putt (on the 6th hole) and I just barely touched it and it went in which was good because it would have rolled off the green," said Siekierski, who suffered one of his two bogies two holes earlier on the 4th hole. "It really jump started me. I usually throw up on myself after making birdie, so making the second one was a real momentum changer for me."
He went on to make two more birdies — on the 155-yard, par 3 11th and 340-yard, par 4 17th holes — and one bogey to cap off his 2-under par 68 round and finish in a tie with David Gunas, Jr. (Amston, CT), a seasoned professional who earned national recognition by competing in the Golf Channel's The Big Break II show and then was welcomed back to take part in The Big Break VII Reunion Show.
Gunas is no stranger to challenges. Prior to his national fame, Gunas — who was not recruited out of high school — played his way to a full scholarship at the University of Hartford where he not only won his first tournament but he also roomed with current PGA Tour stars Jerry Kelly and Tim Petrovic. Over the course of his professional career, Gunas won 28 professional tournaments and has shot 9-under-par for 18 holes on two occasions.
Despite playing alongside a field of top professionals such as Gunas, Bret Siekierski — the underdog amateur — felt comfortable and played with the poise of a veteran.
"Growing up I always wanted to be a professional golfer, but I now know that it's a lot more work than it's cut out to be," said Siekierski about his post-summer plans. "I have to keep practicing and keep my head in it. If I play like I did today all summer, I will think about turning pro when I go down to Florida in the winter, and then I'll play professionally in these types of events next summer."
If his recent swing change continues to move his game in a positive direction, Bret Siekierski 'the amateur' will be a real threat against even the best-of-the best next month at the Massachusetts Open Championship. A strong performance at that marquee event might even bring a smile to his older brother Aaron.
Mike Calef (Brockton CC), a former professional player who was reinstated as an amateur in 2008, is no stranger to the Massachusetts Open Championship. Two years ago, Calef finished in third place overall and captured low amateur honors. Calef, who fired a 2-under par 70 today at Poquoy Brook Golf Club to qualify for Championship Proper, is coming off a stellar 2009 season in which he qualified for Match Play at the Massachusetts Amateur Championship and represented the Bay State at the 2010 Tri-State Team Match.
Another name that is becoming familiar to golfing enthusiasts is that of Jeffrey Santora (Pleasant Valley CC), who qualified today in Whitinsville. Santora — like Calef — excelled at the 2009 Massachusetts Amateur Championship where he advanced to the Round of 16. Santora, a resident of Millbury, is coming off an All American season at Salem State College.
Also represented in Whitinsville were qualifiers Greg Farland (Quaboag CC), head golf professional at Quaboag Country Club, a 9-hole facility located in Monson, and Steve Alminas (East Longmeadow,MA). Many may recall that Alminas is a former MGA Champion who first captured the 2001 Massachusetts Junior Amateur Championship and then went on to claim back-to-back Massachusetts Four-Ball Championships in 2005 and 2006 with younger brother Peter. Following a stellar collegiate career at Winthrop University, Alminas has settled into an assistant golf professional position at Longmeadow Country Club.
While many professional players hit the range following the qualifying round, one player no doubt headed straight to the pro shop... that is his pro shop located 43 miles away. When not competing in local events, Brad Colt (Cohasset GC) — who qualified today at Poquoy Brook Golf Club by posting a score of 2-over par 74 — serves as an assistant golf professional at Cohasset Golf Club. A graduate of Methodist College (one of the original schools in the PGA's Golf management program), Colt shares a passion for golf management with his brother Stephen who serves a similar position at the Vineyard Club.
One year at this time, Kevin Silva (New Bedford, MA) was basking in his second straight medalist performance at U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying. As a result of his performance, the 26-year-old graduate of the University of North Carolina earned a ticket to compete at the 109th U.S. Open Championship. Although he failed to advance past local qualifying this year, Silva will look forward to making noise at the 2010 Massachusetts Open Championship after he carded a qualifying score of 1-over par 73 in Lakeville today.
2010 Massachusetts Open Qualifying
Whitinsville GC (Whitinsville, MA)
Monday, May 24, 2010
Par 70 (35-35)
Qualifiers
T1) a-Bret Siekierski (Heritage CC) 34-34—68
T1) David Gunas, Jr. (Amston, CT) 33-35—68
T3) Robert Roylance (Orlando, FL) 35-35—70
T3) a-Jeffrey Santora (Pleasant Valley CC) 32-38—70
T3) Greg Farland (Quaboag CC) 32-38—70
T6) Aaron Siekierski (Heritage CC) 34-37—71
T6) a-Garrett Arnold (The International GC) 35-36—71
T6) a-John McNeill *(B.A.G.S.) 35-36—71
T6) Keith Allcock (Firefly CC) 35-36—71
Alternates
1st) a-Connor Wentzell (Tatnuck CC) 38-33—71
2nd) a-Brian Accorsini (Framingham CC) 33-38—71
Massachusetts Open Qualifying
Poquoy Brook GC (Lakeville, MA)
Monday, May 24, 2010
Par 72 (36-36)
Qualifiers
1) Louis-Pierre Godin (Trois-Rivieres, QC) 36-33—69
T2) a-David Pierce (CC of Halifax) 36-34—70
T2) a-Mike Calef (Brockton CC) 35-35—70
4) Shawn Matthews (Plattsburgh, NY) 36-36—72
T5) a-Christopher Melvin (Walpole CC) 36-37—73
T5) Adam Carlucci (Franklin, MA) 40-33—73
T5) Steve Alminas (East Longmeadow, MA) 36-37—73
T5) Kevin Silva (New Bedford, MA) 36-37—73
T5) Sean Mulligan (Highland CC) 37-36—73
T10) Brad Colt (Cohasset GC) 36-38—74
T10) a-Mike Verde (Easton CC) 36-38—74
T10) a-Keith Orlen (The Orchards GC) 37-37—74
T10) Mickey Folan (Ponkapoag GC)36-38—74
T14) a-D.J. Hynes (Wellesley CC) 39-36—75
T14) a-Sam Barrington (The Kittansett Club) 43-32—75
T14) a-Jeff Cutter (Dedham C&PC) 37-38—75
T14) Geoffrey Fisk (Revere, MA) 38-37—75
T14) a-Patrick Johnson (CC of Halifax) 38-37—75
Alternates
1st) a-Brad Cadigan (The Harmon Club) 37-38—75
2nd) a-Dave Turgeon (Woodland GC) 39-36—75
