News Release

For Immediate Release: July 8, 2008

Headline: 28 Players Earn Right to Compete at Massachusetts Public Links Championship

Norton, MA – Another 28 golfers have taken an all-important step towards capturing the 2008 Massachusetts Public Links Championship.

Those competitors took part in qualifying today at two sites – Franconia Golf Course in Springfield and Brookmeadow Country Club in Canton – and successfully earned at a spot at next month’s Championship Proper, which will be held at Blissful Meadows Golf Course in Uxbridge on August 11-12.

A total of 10 qualifiers advanced in Springfield following a competitive 18-hole battle. Leading the pack with impressive scores of 2-under par 69 were Paul Winkler (Holyoke CC) and Jeff Davenport (Hampden CC). After making the turn at even par 35, Winkler posted seven pars and back-to-back birdies – on the 15 th and 16 th holes – to finish at 2-under for the day.

Meanwhile, Davenport’s four birdies on the back nine catapulted him to the top of the leaderboard. In what was a display of strong golf, five out of the ten qualifiers at Franconia GC were under par for the day while only four shots separated the first and last qualifier.

In Canton, a total of 18 qualifying spots were up for grabs. At that site, Patrick Kline (New Sandy Burr CC) was the sole golfer to break par as he registered a 1-under par 71. After nine holes, Kline found himself 2-over par for his round. He quickly jumped on the birdie train, however, as he made three straight birdies to drop under par for the day. At one point he was 2-under par but a bogey on the finishing hole earned him to 1-under par 71… a score that would hold up despite challenges from a strong field. Finishing in second place overall was Herbert Aikens (Pinehills GC) with a score of even par 72.

One additional day of qualifying will be held on Thursday at Far Corner GC in West Boxford