MGA: Massachusetts Golf Association Illustration Illustration

News Release

For Immediate Release: August 7, 2002

 After a severe weather storm forced the postponement of the original qualifying date, the third and final day of U.S. Amateur Qualifying went off without a hitch on Tuesday at Wyantenuck Country Club in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.

Two players - David Hayes (Menands, NY) and local amateur Paul Heffernan, Jr. (Wellesley, MA) - claimed top honors by firing a 36-hole score of 4-over par 144. The third and final qualifying spot went to Steve Shafer (Port Orange, FL), who was one shot back at 5-over par 145. Shafer earned that qualifying spot following a playoff against Timothy Kane (Simsbury, CT), 2001 Massachusetts Amateur champion Brendan Hester (Sutton, MA) and Bruce Carter (Worcester, MA).

These three players, along with the four qualifiers from Charles River CC and three qualifiers from Atkinson CC (Atkinson, NH), have now earned the right to compete at the U.S. Amateur Championship, which will be contested at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, MI on August 19-25.

The change of dates from July 24th to August 6th caused a decrease in the amount of players who competed at Wyantenuck CC. By the time the event kicked off on Tuesday morning, there were only 47 players who were to compete for the three qualifying spots.

Day 3 U.S. Amateur Qualifying Notes:
• Tele Wightman (Holyoke, MA), who has been playing extremely well this season and most recently finished in second place at the Ouimet Memorial Tournament, failed to qualify at Wyantenuck CC.
• Qualifiers from the first two days of U.S. Amateur Qualifying were Brian Higgins (Bellingham, MA), Frank Vana, Jr. (Shrewsbury, MA), Brent Wanner (Mashpee, MA), Dean Burpee (Wellesley, MA), Rob Oppenheim (Andover, MA), Mike Welch (Quincy, MA) and Jake Obar (White River Junction, VT).

U.S. Amateur Qualifying
Wyantenuck CC - Great Barrington, MA
8/6/2002
Par 140 (70-70)

Qualifiers
1) David Hayes (Menands, NY) 74-70--144
Paul Heffernan Jr (Wellesley, MA) 77-67--144
3) Steve Shafer (Port Orange, FL) 74-71--145

Alternates
1st) Timothy Kane (Simsbury, CT) 68-77--145
2nd) Brendan Hester (Sutton, MA) 69-76--145
3rd) Bruce Carter (Worcester, MA) 76-69--145
4th) Ed Budz (Williamstown, MA) 77-69--146