Headline: Keith Orlen Makes Most of His Time on the Links... Leads a Field of 21 Qualifiers During Day 3 of 2010 Massachusetts Amateur Qualifying
For Immediate Release: June 9, 2010
Norton, MA —It's hard to keep your golf game sharp when your hours are filled trying to build a career. Despite long hours in the office, Keith Orlen (The Orchards GC) has managed to keep his game together and post some impressive results.
Today – against a field of more than 75 competitors at Segregansett Country Club – Orlen came through once again by posting a score of 1-under par 71 and capturing medalist honors by one stroke. It was one of two qualifying rounds that were held today as a prelude to the 2010 Massachusetts Amateur Championship. On the day, the South Boston resident finished with four birdies and three bogeys. (story continues below).
Day 3 Quick Links
"When qualifying you never want to get too far ahead of yourself," said Orlen, who spends his days working for Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., a privately-held financial services firm based in Boston. "You want to keep it simple. I knew [towards the end of the round], that I would be in a good position to make the cut."
His first birdie on the 529-yard, par 5 2nd hole was followed by a five-hole stretch where he carded three bogies to make the turn at 2-over par 38. Despite the miscues and a wind that was picking up as the day wore on, Orlen kept his focus and turned his round around on the back nine by playing 3-under par golf on that critical back nine. His first birdie on the back nine came on the 188-yard, par 3 13th hole where he drained a 35-foot putt. He followed that up with a 20-foot birdie putt on the 474-yard, par 5 14th hole.
"It started to get windy on the back nine which is why I wasn't surprised to see the higher scores," said Orlen, who finished as the only player to post a sub-par round. "The back nine was shorter in length, so I knew that there would be more opportunities to make birdie."
Icing on the cake for Orlen came on the 471-yard, par 5 18th hole where he made a two-putt birdie to finish at 1-under par 71 and one stroke ahead of second-place qualifier Jon Marron (The Meadow at Peabody GC).
Today marked the second time that Orlen has qualified for an MGA event this season. Just a few weeks ago, Orlen was one of 18 competitors who advanced at a Massachusetts Open qualifier held at Poquoy Brook Golf Club.
While Orlen has been a strong amateur player – he was a Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) All-America Scholar at Elon University in 2005 – he hasn't had much time to compete in tournaments this season. In fact, these two recent MGA qualifiers represent the only major events he has competed in thus far in 2010.
Although he would prefer to play more golf, he is more than content to be saving up his time off to compete first at Wellesley Country Club (host of the 2010 Massachusetts Open Championship) and then at the 2010 Massachusetts Amateur Championship scheduled for July 12-16 at Myopia Hunt Club.
"Myopia is pretty big on everyone's list," said Orlen, who failed to qualify for this event last season. "Everyone is looking forward to playing there. It is definitely on my list of clubs that I want to play."
In and Around the Links
One player who will be joining Orlen at Myopia Hunt Club has more experience than most. Kevin Quinn (Charles River CC), winner of the 1999 Massachusetts Open Championship and New England Amateur Championship, came oh-so-close to missing the cut at Segregansett Country Club after firing a score of 4-over par 76.
Following 18 holes, Quinn was forced to face off in a four-for-three playoff. He – along with Dan Cappucci (Nashawtuc CC) and Jeremy Meade (Nashawtuc CC) – survived that playoff and captured the final three qualifying spots available in Taunton.
Quinn struggled on the front nine where he made three bogies, one double bogey (on the 529-yard, par 5 2nd hole) and one birdie to make the turn at 4-over par 36. With his back up against a wall, Quinn made sure that he would make a return to Championship Proper by fighting through the back nine with two birdies and two bogies to finish at 4-over par for the day.
After failing to advance to Match Play last season (he finished T35), Quinn is hoping that his experience will lead him to a title that has eluded him for years. Just two years ago, Quinn came as close as he has ever come to winning the Massachusetts Amateur Championship by finishing as a semifinalist.
Meanwhile in the western part of the state, another familiar name was stealing the spotlight by shooting lights out at Hickory Ridge Country Club. Ron Laverdiere (Crumpin-Fox Club) posted a day-low score of 4-under par 68 to lead a field of nine qualifiers in Amherst.
Laverdiere, who advanced to Match Play at the 2009 Massachusetts Amateur Championship and was a qualifier at 2007 U.S. Open Local Qualifying, began his round today with an eagle on the 509-yard, par 5 1st hole and never looked back. Through his next 17 holes, he finished with 13 pars, three birdies and one bogey.
Talk of the Town – Curtis Cup Players Visit Western Massachusetts
While Massachusetts Amateur qualifying has been top of mind for many competitors this week, there was another exciting event that took center stage miles down the road at Longmeadow Country Club.
As a warm-up for the 36th Curtis Cup Match that will kick off on Friday at Essex County Club, the eight members of the Great Britain & Ireland team spent three days at Longmeadow Country Club. Included in their schedule was an exhibition match against a group of the club's top men's members including team captains and MGA competitors Paul Chiampa (Longmeadow CC) and Brian Fitzgerald (Longmeadow CC).
Here is a story about the special trip – written by golf writer Russ Held – that was featured in a recent issue of The Republican.
Curtis Cup Match players enjoy stay at Longmeadow Country Club
By Russ Held, The Republican
June 05, 2010
The brief stopover made by the future of golf is now a thing of the past.
But golf fans interested in checking out the women's amateur golf team representing Great Britain & Ireland need only to travel 100 miles east this week. The team will compete in the 36th Curtis Cup Match at Essex County Club at Manchester-by-the-Sea on Boston's North Shore.
The GB & I team spent three days at Longmeadow Country Club preparing for its biennial matches against the U.S., which take place Friday through Sunday, on the Donald Ross design. The eight-player, three-day competition is basically the women's amateur version of the men's Ryder Cup.
"I loved playing at that level and I think it (Curtis Cup) is getting more attention no in the U.S.," Longmeadow CC member and teaching pro Leslie (Shannon) Stewart, a former Curtis Cup player and U.S. team captain. "Just watch these girls play . . . and to have them here at Longmeadow, when we've had the (U.S.) girls' (1995) and boys (2005) championships. I think the club and area has embraced this."
The GB & I played an exhibition match against a group of top men's club members Friday, hoping to simulate match conditions with everything from team uniforms to walking rules officials for the four foursomes and four four-ball matches they played. Men's team captains were Paul Chiampa and Brian J. Fitzgerald.
For the record, the girls led 22-0 after the morning foursomes before the teams split 12 points in the afternoon four-ball.
"Most all of our girls know each other or have played against each other, but this was our first get-together as a team," GB &I team captain Mary McKenna, who competed against Stewart during her nine-time Curtis Cup Match career. "The hospitality here of Longmeadow, (head pro) Tim Quirk and (club member and Curtis Cup rules official) Roberta Bolduc has been second to none."
GB & I team members range in age from 15 to 22, with identical twins Leona and Lisa Maguire from Ireland being the youngest.
"I think they appreciate the history and and what this is all about," McKenna said. "The pinnacle of women's amateur golf is to play for the GB & I team. They aspire toward turning pro, but at this point their great aspirations are to play for the Curtis Cup team."
The matches will be televised on The Golf Channel.
"They probably won't realize the enormity of it all until the flag raising, during the opening ceremonies on Thursday," McKenna said. "You're out there with your blazers, the (national) flags are out, they parade you out and play your national anthem. It's something you never forget."
The United States has held recent advantage in the series, winning the last six Curtis Cup matches dating back to 1998. Overall, the Americans hold a 25-7-3 advantage. Notable players to compete for the Curtis Cup include Dottie Pepper, Beth Daniel, Julie Inkster, Christie Kerr, Paula Creamer and Michelle Wie.
"I'd love to win this on U.S. soil. It would be good for golf, especially our side of the Atlantic," McKenna said.
Current U.S. team members include reigning U.S. Women's Amateur and U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links champion Jennifer Song and 15-year-old Alexis Thompson, the 2008 U.S. Girls' Junior champion who is the youngest to ever qualify for a U.S. Women's Open (12 in 2007). Both are planning to turn pro soon after the Curtis Cup
Former U.S. Women's Amateur champion Kimberly Kim is the lone returning player from the 2008 team.
The Curtis Cup is wrapped in history this weekend, as the competition is named for sisters Margaret and Harriot Curtis. They combined to win four U.S. Women's Amateurs, and donated the trophy as members at Essex when the matches were held there in 1938.
"The matches were in Boston (Brae Burn CC in Newton) there in 1970 and I had the chance to meet Harriot ... and I wonder what the Curtis sister think of all of this now," McKenna said.
2010 Massachusetts Amateur Qualifying
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Hickory Ridge Country Club (Amherst, MA)
Par 72 (36-36)
Qualifiers
1) Ronald Laverdiere (Crumpin-Fox Club) 35-33—68
2) Daniel Morgan (Hickory Ridge CC) 33-37—70
T3) James Patterson (Wyckoff CC) 38 35—73
T3) David Fiorentino (Winchester CC) 37-36—73
T3) Guy Antonacci (Elmcrest CC) 38-35—73
T6) Stephen Silverstein (Cohasse CC) 39-35—74
T6) Steve Setaro (Westminster CC) 36-38—74
T8) David D'Entremont (Long Meadow GC) 36-39—75
T8) Sean Pettengill (The Orchards GC) 38-37—75
Alternates
1st) Turner Kufe (Wellesley CC) 37-38—75
2nd) Ashley Crawford (Hickory Ridge CC) 40-35—75
2010 Massachusetts Amateur Qualifying
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Segregansett Country Club (Taunton, MA)
Par 72 (36-36)
Qualifiers
1) Keith Orlen (The Orchards GC) 38-33—71
2) Jon Marron (The Meadow at Peabody GC)
37-35—72
T3) Bradford Tufts (Tedesco CC) 37-36—73
T3) Victor Galvani (Framingham CC) 37-36—73
5) Devin Russell (Andover CC) 37-37—74
T6) Jack Weeks (Wollaston GC) 34-41—75
T6) Jim Rose (Segregansett CC) 38-37—75
T6) Vincent Bucci (Old Sandwich GC) 38-37—75
T6) Colin Andrade (LeBaron Hills CC) 39-36—75
T10) Jeremy Meade (Nashawtuc CC) 39-37—76
T10) Dan Cappucci (Nashawtuc CC) 38-38—76
T10) Kevin Quinn (Charles River CC) 40-36—76
Alternates
1st)
David Russell (Easton CC) 39-37—76
2nd) Steve Neidermire (Wampatuck CC) 43-34—77
