News Release

For Immediate Release: July 19, 2007

Headline: Brent Paladino Captures Rain-Shortened New England Amateur Championship Title

Quechee, VT – Last week belonged to his younger brother, but this week was all about Brent Paladino (Timberlin GC - CT) . The junior at the College of William & Mary put on a marvelous display of golf this week at The Quechee Club in Quechee , Vermont to capture the 2007 New England Amateur Championship title. Paladino finished with a score of 8-under par 136 in the rain-shortened, 36-hole event.

Paladino is coming off a week in which he advanced to the Round of 32 at the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, while his 18-year-old brother Cody Paladino (Timberlin GC - CT) was defeated in the final match of that event. With his victory today, Brent Paladino becomes the first Connecticut golfer to win this event since PGA Tour star J.J. Henry was victorious in 1998. In total, Connecticut has claimed 22 of the 78 titles.

This time around, Brent Paladino made his presence felt early and often as he held the lead at the New England Amateur Championship from start to finish. He entered the second round with a one-shot lead over Ryan Gay (Augusta CC - ME), David McAndrew (Rhode Island CC - RI), Ryan Leahey (The Course at Yale - CT) and Frank Vana , Jr. (Marlborough CC - MA). Despite having the second round held over two days – rain forced the postponement of play on Wednesday – Paladino persevered and posted a 3-under par 69 on Thursday to seal his victory. Following a front nine that included two birdies and one bogey, he produced a flawless back nine as he made birdie on the 539-yard, par 5 10th and 529-yard, par 5 17th holes.

Finishing in second place – just two shots back of Paladino – was Vana, who finished at 6-under par 138. The eight-time Massachusetts Player of the Year had a flawless round aside from a costly double bogey on 366-yard, par 4 9th hole when he sent his approach shot right into the river. On the day, he registered four birdies and that one double bogey for a 2-under par 70. Just last week, Vana finished second at the Massachusetts Amateur Championship.

One back of Vana were Brendon Ray (Walpole CC - MA) and Evan Beirne (New Haven CC - CT) with scores of 5-under par 139. Ray, the former Central Connecticut State University standout, fired a day-low score of 4-under par 68. After a lone bogey on the 407-yard, par 4 1st hole, Ray was spectacular as he was 5-under par through 17 holes. Alongside Ray in third place was Beirne, who capped off his second round with a 3-under par 69 on Tuesday morning.

Other notable finishers included Brent’s brother Cody who finished in a three-way tie for 11 th place with a score of 3-under par 141. Defending champion Brad Valois (Valley Country Club - RI), who is coming off his second consecutive victory at the Rhode Island Amateur Championship, could not repeat his success of one year ago as he turned in a score of 5-over par 149.