MGA: Massachusetts Golf Association Illustration Illustration

News Release

For Immediate Release: May 20, 2003

It took Frank Vana, Jr. (Marlborough CC) and Michael McCarthy (Woodland GC) 11 years to win their first Massachusetts Four-Ball Championship together. It took them one year to win their second.

Vana, Jr. and McCarthy, high school buddies from Marion, successfully defended their Massachusetts Four-Ball title this afternoon by shooting a round of 4-under par 68 en route to a final tournament score of 8-under par 135. The pair captured its second title at the Centennial Massachusetts Four-Ball Championship, which was contested this week at Country Club of New Seabury and Oyster Harbors Club.

Vana, Jr. and McCarthy played consistent golf throughout their final 18 holes, registering five birdies and only one bogey. Vana, Jr., the reigning Massachusetts Mid-Amateur Champion, started off the day with a birdie on the par-5, 496-yard 1st hole. He went on to birdie the par-3 8th and par-5 10th holes. McCarthy was strong on the back nine, posting birdies on the 12th and 15th holes.

That back-nine charge proved to be critical as the teams of Ray Richard (Thorny Lea GC) and Dave Tasho (Thorny Lea GC) as well as Rick Cuhna (Plymouth CC) and Eric McPhail (New Sandy Burr CC) shot identical scores of 3-under par 69 on the final day to finish just one stroke behind the winners at 7-under par 136. The team of Corey Fisk (Allendale CC) and Rick Murrell (Allendale CC) also put quite a scare into the winners as they shot a day-low score of 5-under par 67 to snag a piece of second place. The final result could have been very different had they not three-putted the 17th hole. In total, Fisk and Murrell finished with eight birdies on the afternoon.

Heading into the second and final day of play, Vana, Jr. and McCarthy trailed first-round leaders Bruce Chalas (Thorny Lea GC) and Steve Tasho (Thorny Lea GC) by three strokes. Chalas and Tasho, two-time champions of this event, were nearly flawless on Monday but could not repeat such play on Day 2. The pair's three bogies and one double bogie offset three birdies to drop them to 5-under par 138 and fifth place overall.

Also finishing in a tie for fifth place were Shawn Roderick (Haverhill CC) and Pat McGonagle (Haverhill CC), who were the low scorers at the Country Club of New Seabury site on Day 1. The Haverhill Country Club duo followed up a 4-under par 66 round on Monday with an even par round of golf this afternoon at Oyster Harbors Club.

A total of 400 players made up the 200-team field that competed for the title this year. In response to the growing interest in this competitive team event, the MGA increased the number of Championship sites to two. This year marks the first time since 1992 that this event has been conducted at two sites.

Highlights From May 19, 2003:

Two-time past champions Bruce Chalas and Steve Tasho of Thorny Lea GC played a near flawless round of golf Monday to take a one-stroke lead over the field after Day 1 of the 23rd Massachusetts Four-Ball Championship. This year's Centennial event is being contested at Country Club of New Seabury and Oyster Harbors Club.

Chalas and Tasho, victorious in 1988 and 1994, began play on the 10th hole at Oyster Harbors Club and made three birdies and one eagle in their first five holes en route to a final score of 7-under par 64. Although that tremendous start was offset by a bogey on their sixth hole, Chalas and Tasho finished with a day-low score of 4-under par 31 on that back nine.

The North Shore duo of Shawn Roderick (Haverhill CC) and Pat McGonagle (Haverhill CC) led the way at Country Club of New Seabury by shooting 6-under par 66. After shooting even par golf through their first nine holes, Roderick and McGonagle posted six birdies to cap off their round. Roderick turned heads last year when he advanced to the Round of 32 at the Massachusetts Amateur Championship.

Right behind Roderick and McGonagle were the Charles River Country Club duo of Kevin Quinn and Joe McDonald as well as Michael Salvatore (Pakachoag GC) and Stephen Donaghue (Pleasant Valley CC), who finished at 5-under par 66 at Oyster Harbors Club and Country Club of New Seabury, respectively. Right behind those teams are defending champions Frank Vana, Jr. (Marlborough CC) and Michael McCarthy (Woodland GC). The 2002 Massachusetts Four-Ball Champions, who are still very much in the hunt after shooting 4-under par 67, are currently in a five-way tie for fifth place.

A total of 400 players make up the 200-team field that is competing for the title this year. In response to the growing interest in this competitive team event, the MGA increased the number of Championship sites to two this year. This year marks the first time since 1992 that this event has been conducted at two sites.

The players will switch sites and take part in the second and final round of play on Tuesday. The first tee time at both sites is scheduled for 7:30 a.m.