News Release

For Immediate Release: August 15, 2005

Headline: Bill Drohen Leads Massachusetts Public Links Championship Following First Round of Play

Harwich, MA – Defending champion Bill Drohen (Bradford CC) is making his presence felt as he jumped out to a one-stroke stroke lead over the field following the first round of play at the 2005 Massachusetts Public Links Championship, which is being held this week at Cranberry Valley Golf Course in Harwich.

Drohen finished the day with a score of 2-under par 70, was one shot better than Mike Sigismondo (Ballymeade CC) and AaronSiekierski (Webster-Dudley GC).

The entire 99-player field will return to Cranberry Valley Golf Course on Tuesday for a second and final round of play. Following Monday’s round the field was repaired according to score. The lead group of Drohen, Sigismondo and Siekierski are scheduled to tee off at 11:48 a.m.

Drohen, who captured this title last year by a five-stroke margin, was on fire on the front nine this afternoon as he posted three birdies – on the 3rd, 6th and 9th holes – to make the turn at 3-under par 33. He continued his strong play by draining a 30-foot birdie putt on the 369-yard, par 4 10th hole. Bogies on the 11th and 14th holes were quickly followed by another birdie on the 309-yard, par 4 15th hole. Despite posting a final bogey on the 17th hole, Drohen still managed to post the low score of the day on this windy, unseasonably cool day.

Standing one shot back of Drohen with a score of 1-under par 71 are Sigismondo and Siekierski. Sigismondo, who made the turn at even par 36 following two birdies and two bogies on the front nine, appeared poised to go low as he posted two consecutive birdies on the 483-yard, par 5 14th and 15th holes. Although a bogey on the 575-yard, par 5 18th hole stymied his birdie run down the stretch, Sigismondo still posted one of the few under-par rounds on the day. Meanwhile, Siekierski, who was victorious at the 2003 Massachusetts Junior Championship, was cruising through his round as he was 3-under par through 16 holes. Consecutive bogies on the final two holes of the day, however, halted Siekierski’s roll as he finished at 1-under par 71.

Posting one of the most unusual rounds of the tournament was David Falcucci (Cyprian Keyes GC). Falcucci, who finished with a score of 3-over par 75 for a share of 13th place, registered an astounding six birdies on the day. While he seemingly had little trouble making birdies, his three miscues on this day proved costly. Falcucci posted a triple bogey on the 400-yard, par 4 9th hole, a quadruple bogey on the 355-yard, par 4 11th hole and then a bogey on the 457-yard, par 4 16th hole.

Other notables still very much in the hunt at 3-over par 75 are Eric McPhail (New Sandy Burr CC), champion of this event in 1998, and 2003 Massachusetts Amateur Champion Andy Drohen (St. Anne CC). The 1994 State Public Links Champion Jon Fasick (New England CC) is also in the game as he is three strokes back at 1-over par 73.