Headline: Brian Higgins Looks Strong Heading Into Massachusetts Amateur Championship; Wins Worcester County Amateur by Six Strokes
For Immediate Release: July 4, 2010
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Brian Higgins - the 2008 Richard D. Haskell MGA Player of the Year - posted a final round score of 2-under par 70 to capture the 2010 Worcester County Amateur title at Wachusett Country Club by six strokes. |
Worcester, MA — The 2008 Richard D. Haskell MGA Player of the Year is on a fine roll heading into one of the most important and busiest stretches of the season.
Brian Higgins (Franklin CC), the defending Massachusetts Mid-Amateur Champion, posted a two-day score of 6-under par 138 this past weekend to capture the 2010 Worcester County Amateur title.
It was sweet redemption for Higgins who just days earlier finished second to Frank Vana, Jr. (Marlborough CC) at the New England Invitational.
This time around, Higgins held on to his two-stroke lead after day one to pull out the victory and give him positive momentum heading into next week's Massachusetts Amateur Championship.
Here is a copy of a story about the 2010 Worcester County Amateur that appeared in the Worcester Telegram.
Click here for final results (PDF), courtesy of Wachusett Country Club.
Higgins Dominates Worcester County Amateur
By Craig Holt CORRESPONDENT
WEST BOYLSTON — On a hot weekend, Brian Higgins of Franklin CC was cool enough to top a balanced field in the annual Worcester County Amateur golf tournament.
Higgins shot 2-under-par 70 yesterday at Wachusett Country Club and finished with a two-round total of 6-under 138 to win by six strokes. He carded a 4-under 68 in Saturday's first round at Kettle Brook GC.
After an impressive first round, Higgins started strong yesterday and faded some on the back nine, but held on to win.
The balance in the field was reflected in a seven-way tie for second place, which included Higgins' playing partner Frank Vana of Marlboro CC. Vana, second after a first round of 70, shot a 74 yesterday to finish at even-par 144. Vana beat Higgins by a shot at the recent New England Amateur Invitational.
The other second-place finishers were defending champion Ricky Stimets of Oyster Harbors (73-71), Chris Berry of Kettle Brook GC (71-73), Mike Riley of Wachusett CC (73-71), Ryan Riley of Norton CC (76-68), Taylor Fontaine of Cohasse CC (72-72) and Carter Fasick of Indian Meadows CC (73-71).
"I started off playing well, going birdie, birdie out of the gate," Higgins said. "I made a bad bogey on three, but then I birdied five, so I was 2 under. And Frank was playing well. He was 2 under at the time, as well."
Vana and Higgins stayed neck-and-neck until the eighth hole. Vana lost a ball and ended up with an 8. Higgins made par on the hole, giving him a chance to expand his overall lead from two to six strokes.
"At that point, I was able to put it on cruise control a little bit," Higgins said. "But I also started to lose my swing some on the back nine. My take-away didn't feel good, and I started hitting a few lousy shots. I definitely struggled on the back nine, but I managed to get out of my own way and pull through."
Higgins, who lives in Bellingham, will compete in the Mass. Amateur next week.
Former Wachusett Regional golf co-captains Berry and Stimets stayed in the mix both rounds, as well as Fontaine, a former St. John's High golf standout from Southbridge. Berry now plays college golf at Salem State, Stimets at the University of North Alabama and Fontaine at the University of Rhode Island.
"I started off playing well, made a couple birdies on par 5s, but a few putts didn't drop," Berry said. "I made a couple mistakes out there, but still played well, all in all. No excuses though — there's a ton of good players in this tournament."
"The course was doable today — I just didn't have the putter going," Stimets said. "I had a rough start and was 2 over after six. Too many big three putts. Not my best effort. Last year when I won, it was windy and wet. This year, it was hot. It was doable, but Higgins played great."
"I had a good start — three birdies out of the gate," Fontaine said. "I was feeling the flow. But the seventh hole, I punched my drive a little, and we couldn't find it. It was bizarre. I ended up with a six — that was unfortunate. I hit a lot of greens on the back, but didn't make that many birdie putts. If I hadn't bogeyed the 18th, I would have been in second by myself."
Riley had the low round of the day with a 4-under 68. Paul Couture of Pleasant Valley CC (69) and Jeff Santora of Pleasant Valley CC (69) also broke 70.
