News Release

For Immediate Release: August 4, 2004

Headline: Peter Alminas Comes From Behind to Win 86th Massachusetts Junior Championship Title

Great Barrington, MA – Peter Alminas (Elmcrest CC) fired a final-round score of 1-under par 69 at Wyantenuck Country Club today to post a come-from-behind victory over second-round leader Nick Moseley (Myopia Hunt Club) and become the 86th Massachusetts Junior champion. Alminas finished with a three-day total of even par 210, three strokes ahead of Moseley. With the victory, Alminas not only adds his name to the illustrious list of former champions who have captured the Joseph M. Batchelder Trophy, but he also made history as he – along with older brother Steven who won in 2001 – become the only brother pair to have won the title in the 86-year history of the event.

Displaying strong driving and iron play throughout the week, Peter Alminas entered the final round two strokes back of Moseley and saved his best playing for the end. After posting one birdie and one bogey and making the turn at even par 35, Alminas was unrelenting down the stretch as he finished with eight pars and one birdie, which came on the 401-yard, par 4 17th hole. Rarely in trouble throughout the round, Alminas gave himself numerous birdie chances down the stretch but failed to make the putts. In the end, it turned out that he didn’t need the extra cushion as he was able to pull away from Moseley.

Meanwhile, Moseley couldn’t find his second-round magic – he shot a tournament low score of 2-under par 68 on Tuesday – as he turned in a 4-over par 74 performance on the final day. The only birdies for Moseley came on the final two holes; he finished with six bogeys and two birdies on the afternoon. Finishing in third place was John Shicko (Longmeadow CC), who made a move up the leaderboard with a final-round score of 1-under par 69 for a tournament total of 5-over par 215.

In the Pre-Junior Division, John Kelly (Twin Hills CC) posted a 3-over par 73 on the final day to maintain his lead and capture the division title by two strokes over Taylor Fontaine (Pleasant Valley CC). Kelly shot 73 on all three days en route to his final score of 9-over par 219. On Wednesday, Kelly carded four bogies and one birdie. Fontaine, who entered the final day four strokes back of Kelly, stormed up the leaderboard with a day-low division score of 1-over par 71 to finish at 11-over par 221. That solid round was fueled by an eagle on the 564-yard, par 5 13th hole.

Highlights from the Boys Division:
Peter Eleey, Jr. (Black Rock CC) entered the final round with a four-stroke cushion…and he didn’t let up. The youngster, who is competing in the 13 and under Boys Division, posted an 8-over par 78 on Wednesday to finish the tournament with a three-day total of 23-over par 233. Eleey finished two shots ahead of Bradley Kushner (CC of New Seabury), who made a run for the title with a final-round score of 6-over par 76. The difference for Eleey in this tournament came on Tuesday when he fired the lowest score recorded in this division, a 5-over par 75 to jump out to that four-stroke lead.