News Release

For Immediate Release: August 9, 2005

Headline: Jack Varner & Tom Bergeron Capture 2005 Massachusetts Senior Four-Ball Championship

Pittsfield, MA – The team of Tom Bergeron (Crumpin-Fox Club) and Jack Varner (CC of Greenfield) dethroned two-time champions Jim Ruschioni (Oak Hill CC) and Paul Nunez, Jr. (Longmeadow CC) this afternoon on the second playoff hole of the 2005 Massachusetts Senior Four-Ball Championship, which is being held this week at Berkshire Hills Country Club in Pittsfield.

Bergeron and Varner, who finished the first two rounds of play tied with Ruschioni and Nunez with a score of 12-under par 132, captured the title when Varner sunk a 2-foot birdie putt on the 10 th hole. Nunez had a chance to force a third playoff hole but was unable to drain his 12-foot birdie putt. Prior to that deciding second playoff hole, Nunez and Bergeron extended the match by sinking 20- and 15-feet birdie putts, respectively, on the 18th hole. Had Ruschioni and Nunez prevailed, it would have been the third consecutive victory for the duo.

However on this day, it was all about Bergeron and Varner who entered the final round tied for the lead at 6-under par 66 with Ruschioni and Nunez and James Frick (Old Sandwich GC) and Dave Reed (Weston GC). Bergeron and Varner appeared poised to run away with the title this afternoon following a phenomenal front nine score of 4-under par 31. Ruschioni and Nunez, who made the turn at 1-under par 34 which dropped them three shots behind the eventual leaders, displayed true champion composure on the back nine in time to catch up to the surging leaders and eventually tie them on the final hole.

On that 482-yard, par 5 18th hole, Nunez registered a critical birdie which gave them a one-shot edge over Bergeron and Varner. That birdie was one of five posted by Nunez on the afternoon and one of four on the back nine. Ruschioni also contributed on the back nine with a birdie of his own on the 168-yard, par 3 13th hole.

With Ruschioni and Nunez already in the clubhouse at 12-under par 132, Bergeron sent his third shot on the 18th hole to six inches and tapped in for birdie to force the playoff. That birdie was one of three on the day for Bergeron. His partner Varner, meanwhile, was the catalyst on the front nine as he carded three birdies – on the 5th, 8th and 9th holes – to give his team a seemingly comfortable lead heading into the final nine holes.

Championship Highlights:
- Turning in the low round of the tournament were Joseph Monahan III (Winchester CC) and William Fuller (Winchester CC) and Donald Anderson (The Kittansett Club) and Claude Hoopes (The Kittansett Club) with scores of 7-under par 65. Monahan and Fuller’s round featured seven birdies and zero bogeys, while Anderson and Hoopes posted eight birdies and one bogey… six of those birdies came on the back nine.
- This year marks the second time in nine years that Berkshire Hills Country Club has hosted the Massachusetts Senior Four-Ball Championship. The club last hosted the event in 2000 when Fred Walker and Bob Coffey captured the title. A total of 75 two-person teams competed in this year’s event.