MGA: Massachusetts Golf Association Illustration Illustration

News Release

For Immediate Release: August 6, 2003
After posting a 5-over par 77 on Tuesday, Aaron Siekierski (Webster-Dudley GC) knew that he would need to post a low score this afternoon to challenge for the Massachusetts Junior Amateur Championship title. In the end, Siekierski came through as he fired a day low score of 2-under par 70 to finish with a three-day total of 2-over par 218 and capture the Joseph M. Batchelder Trophy.

En route to his victory, Siekierski played nearly flawless golf. After registering two birdies on the front nine, Siekierski posted two more birdies on 10th and 15th holes. The only blemish on his scorecard was a bogey on the 394-yard, par 4 14th hole.

Finishing just two strokes back of Siekierski was Matt Scytkowski (The Ledges GC) at 4-over par 220. Much like Siekierski, Scytkowski battled through a disappointing first round score of 77 with a 1-under par 71 on Tuesday and an even par 72 this afternoon. Mark Purrington (CC of New Bedford), the 2002 Massachusetts Junior Amateur Champion, was once again in the hunt as he capped off this year's event with 7-over par 223 which was good enough for third place.

Taking home the title in the Pre-Junior Division was Nick Pokora (Oak Ridge GC), who continues his stellar performance in MGA Championship events this season. Last month, the 15-year-old Pokora was the youngest player in the field to reach the Match Play portion of the Massachusetts Amateur Championship.

This time around Pokora, who finished with a score of 10-over par 226, strung together three solid rounds to best Colin Brennan (Indian Ridge CC) and Bret Siekierski (Webster-Dudley GC), who finished two strokes back. Brennan made the biggest leap up the scoreboard by firing a day low score of 1-under par 70. After shooting even par through the first nine holes, Brennan came through on the back nine with three birdies - on holes 11, 13 and 15 - and only one bogey on the day.

Peter Uihlein (CC of New Bedford) made it a three-peat this afternoon as he collected the Boys Division title with a final score of 8-under par 208. Uihlein, who was victorious in 2001 and 2002, was spectacular all week long and capped off his 2003 Championship with a 1-under par 71 performance. Finishing in second place was Taylor Fontaine (Cohasse CC), who posted a 4-over par 76 for the day and a 15-over par 231 for the tournament. Phillip Daniel Graves, Jr. (Rowley CC) saved his best round of the week as he shot a 6-over par 78, which was good enough to secure third place with a 20-over par 236.

Highlights From August 5, 2003:

With 36 holes down and a final 18 to go at the 85th Massachusetts Junior Amateur Championship, there is a new name atop the leaderboard. Adam Rainaud (The Ledges GC) turned in a stellar 1-under par 70 this afternoon at Duxbury Yacht Club to bring his two-day total to 1-over par 145. Rainaud, who posted a 3-over par 75 on Monday, heads in to the third and final round of play with a two-stroke lead over Brian Dorney (CC of Halifax) and Mark Purrington (CC of New Bedford).

Following a two-birdie, two-bogey front nine, Rainaud made birdie on holes 13, 14 and 15. Despite a bogey on the 420-yard, par 4 16th hole, Rainaud played solid golf down the stretch and even had two make-able birdie putts that he just couldn't drain on the final two holes.

The always dangerous Purrington, who captured the Massachusetts Junior Amateur title last year as a Pre-Junior, improved on his round one score of 2-over par 74 with a 1-over par 73 this afternoon. Dorney flip-flopped Purrington's scores as he turned in a 2-over par 74 score.

In the Pre-Junior Division (ages 14-16), Nick Pokora (Oak Ridge GC) jumped out to a two-shot lead over John Shicko (Longmeadow CC) after shooting 4-over par 76 this afternoon. Pokora, who posted a 2-over par 74 on Monday, had a rough start to the morning as he made double bogey and bogey on his first two holes. He quickly recovered, however, with an eagle on the 475-yard, par 5 4th hole en route to a 3-over par 39 on the front nine. Following another bogey on the 11th hole, Pokora settled down and played even par golf throughout the rest of the round. Nipping at Pokora's heels is Shicko, who posted two rounds of 4-over par 76 for a two-day total of 8-over par 152. Both are also in the hunt for the overall title tomorrow, as Pokora stands only five strokes behind.

Two-time defending Boys champion Peter Uihlein (CC of New Bedford) once again dominated his age group by shooting a blistering 4-under par 68 to enter the final round with a two-day total of 7-under par 137. On the day, Uihlein registered four birdies, two bogies and an eagle on the 521-yard, par-5 15th hole. Uihlein enters the final round of play with an 18-stroke advantage over Taylor Fontaine (Cohasse CC), who maintained sole possession of second place with an 11-over par 155.

Following two rounds of stroke play, the field was cut to 30 lowest scorers and ties in the Junior Division, the 20 lowest scorers and ties in the Pre-Junior Division and the 10 lowest scorers and ties in the Boys Division. Those 60 golfers will return to Duxbury Yacht Club on Wednesday to compete in a final round of 18-hole stroke play.

Highlights From August 4, 2003:

With intermittent showers hitting the Duxbury area all day long, only two players were able to break par in the Junior division of the 85th Massachusetts Junior Amateur Championship, which is being held this week at Duxbury Yacht Club. Aaron Sikierski (Webster-Dudley GC) and Andrew Conway (Vesper CC) fired a 1-under par 71 to lead the field of Junior players following the first round of play.

The two players - competing in the Junior Division (ages 16-18) - were able to manage the 6,408 yard, par 72 Duxbury Yacht Club layout by posting identical even par 36s on their outward nines and closed with 1-under par 35s on the back to finish off their solid first rounds.

Consistency and avoidance of big numbers were the keys to both Sikierski and Conway's rounds. Sikierski registered four birdies and three bogies en route to his 71, while Conway had three birdies and only two bogies for his share of the lead.

Not too far behind are Dan Chamberlain (Cummaquid GC) and Brian Dorney (CC of Halifax), who both shot 1-over par 73. Defending champion Mark Purrington (CC of New Bedford), who last year became only the third player in the tournament's history to win the overall championship playing in the Pre-Junior Division, stands at 2 over-par 74 after the first round of play. Since the Pre-Junior competitors play from the same tees as the Junior players, they are eligible to capture the overall Junior title.

In the Pre-Junior Division (ages 14-16), two players also share the lead. Evan Harmeling (Andover CC) and Nick Pokora (Oak Ridge GC) both shot 2 over-par 74 in the wet conditions. The two players are also only three shots off of the overall lead. Harmeling's round was highlighted by an on-fire finish where he birdied the 16th, 17th and 18th holes. Pokora, who last month advanced to Match Play at the Massachusetts Amateur Championship, was much steadier with three birdies and five bogies for his share of the lead. Also lurking in the shadows with an opening round of 3-over par 75 is Bret Siekierski (Webster-Dudley GC), the younger brother of the event's Junior leader, Aaron.

Meanwhile in the Boys Division (ages 14 and under), it was two-time defending champion Peter Uihlein (CC of New Bedford), who posted a low score of 2-under par 69 to break out to an seven-shot lead. The closest competitor to Uihlein is Taylor Fontaine (Cohasse CC), who turned in a 4-over par 76 for sole possession of second place.

The entire field will return to the Duxbury Yacht Club on Tuesday to compete in a second round of stroke play. Following that round, the 30 lowest scorers and ties in the Junior Division, the 20 lowest scorers and ties in the Pre-Junior Division and the 10 lowest scorers and ties in the Boys Division will continue play in the final round on Wednesday.

This year's Massachusetts Junior Amateur Championship field consisted of 127 competitors. The inaugural Massachusetts Junior Amateur Championship took place in 1914 at Oakley Country Club and was won by Ray Ouimet.